K-League Youth Leaders Want to Stick with the Japanese Team
K-League youth leaders want to stick with the Japanese team… “Japan is rougher now”
In the ‘K League International Youth Cup Incheon 2023’,
in which 12 teams from 6 countries participate, domestic coaches chose the Japanese team,
not England or Spain, as the opponent they would most like to face.
Korea Professional Football League
The Korea Professional Football League held a media day for the ‘K League International Youth Cup Incheon 2023’
at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Jung-gu, Incheon on the afternoon of the 2nd. 토토사이트
Three of the five Korean leaders who participated in the event singled out the Japanese professional soccer team under Tokyo Verdi and said, “We want to compete against them.”
The only coach who chose Wolverhampton’s youth team in the English Premier League (EPL),
where Hwang Hee-chan plays, was coach Choi Jae-young,
who leads the K League 1 Incheon United team.
Even though Wolverhampton and Spain’s Primera Liga’s Valencia and Real Sociedad youth teams are participating in the tournament,
they believe there is ‘more to be gained’ from playing against Japanese teams.
Baek Seung-ju
Baek Seung-ju, coach of the Suwon Samsung Youth Team, said, “I’m looking forward to the match against Tokyo Verdi.
I played a practice match with Gamba Osaka’s team last week and was impressed by their unique ‘Japanese style’ soccer.”
Coach Yoon Hyun-pil, who leads the FC Seoul youth team, also said, “I think the Tokyo Verdi team will be fun.
“Aren’t there a lot of comparisons between Korea and Japan these days?” he said.
“The soccer I pursue has aspects that can be compared with Japan, so I want to compete as a challenger.”
Hwang Ji-soo
Coach Hwang Ji-soo, who leads the Pohang Steelers youth team, said to the Japanese youth team, “Check.
“There’s something I want to see,” he said.
Coach Hwang explained, “These days, Korea is lagging behind Japan in the youth field.
As our youth showed in the past, Japan is strong and rough these days.
There are areas where we are falling behind in physical fights, etc., so I want to check those areas further.”
He continued, “In the past, I thought we were ahead in terms of physicality.
But now, when we play international games, Japan has a stronger physical fight and is more combative than us.”
He added, “The parts that were good before are gone, and we are focusing on pass play and stable operation.”
“I think there was a difference at some point, so I want to check it out,” he added.
He added, “I chose it because I wanted to know if I was missing something as a youth team leader.”
Seo Ki-bok
Bupyeong High School coach Seo Ki-bok did not choose a specific team as his expected opponent,
Jeonbuk Hyundai youth team coach Lee Gwang-hyeon was unable to attend the first half of the press conference due to circumstances.
The Youth Cup, which will be held in the Incheon area from the 3rd to the 9th, was prepared to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the K League and to improve the competitiveness of the K League youth team and promote international exchange.
K League
In the K League, youth teams from FC Seoul, Suwon Samsung, Incheon United, Jeonbuk Hyundai, and Pohang Steelers will participate.
In Europe, the youth teams of Wolverhampton (England), Anderlecht (Belgium), Valencia, and Real Sociedad (Spain) will participate,
while in Asia, the youth teams of Tokyo Verdi (Japan) and Chonburi FC (Thailand) will participate.
In addition, a total of 12 teams, including Bupyeong High School, will compete for the championship trophy at the invitation of the Incheon Metropolitan City Football Association.
Tournament
This tournament, in which players under the age of 17 born after January 1, 2006, participate, consists of six teams each: Group A (Valencia, Anderlecht, Chonburi, Jeonbuk, Pohang, Incheon)
Group B (Real Sociedad, Wolverhampton, Tokyo Verdi, Suwon, After each team plays five games (Seoul and Bupyeong High School), the teams with the same ranking in each group play a final ranking match.