"He knew up to Kim Cheon (SVP)" K-League already identified by Moreno... Could 'Jung Seung-won and Lee Seung-woo' be surprising picks?

*This content was translated by AI.

Interim commander Roberto Moreno, who has grasped even the specifics of Kim Cheon (SVP), which players will he select? With Moreno's first squad announcement approaching, attention turns to whether players active in the domestic league will be called up.

Coach Moreno is scheduled to arrive via Incheon International Airport on the 13th. He plans to greet Korean football fans with a brief standing interview at the scene and share his thoughts upon taking office. On the following day, the 14th, at 2 p.m., he will announce the first call-up list at Cheonan Korea Football Park.

The Spanish-born coach Moreno will lead the team in six A-matches from this month through November. Depending on performance and results, there is also a possibility he could continue leading the national team until the 2027 AFC Asian Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia next January.

The squad announced now will consist of players preparing for four A-matches in September and October. South Korea will face Ecuador at Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 24th at 8 p.m., followed by Uruguay on the 28th, Venezuela on October 2nd, and Uzbekistan on the 6th.

One key point of interest is how much opportunity K-League players will receive. It is reported that Moreno's team has analyzed not only core national team resources such as Europe-based players but also those playing in the domestic league.

Hyun-young Min, National Team Director of the Korea Football Association (KFA), explained the background of Moreno's appointment and highly evaluated his understanding of Korean football.

Hyeon (Chairman) stated, "Coach Moreno already had extensive information on current South Korea national team players and had identified which players are available for each position."

He continued, "He didn't just mention K-League players; he even understood the specifics of Kim Cheon (SVP) as a team. That was very impressive," emphasizing the point.

This is why there is keen interest in how this pre-match preparation focused on the domestic league will translate into actual player selection. It remains to be seen whether the first squad will be built around Gi Jon (CEO) players or if new opportunities will be given to resources who have stood out in the K-League.

Coincidentally, this season's K-League features several players worth watching for the new commander's selection. Jung Seung-won, who is boosting FC Seoul's lead in the standings, and Lee Seung-woo of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are prime examples.

Jung Seung-won has recorded 8 goals and 5 assists, totaling 13 attacking points in 28 league matches. He has demonstrated his presence not only through his ability to play multiple positions and his high work rate but also in scoring and assisting. Notably, he has appeared in all of Seoul's league games this season.

With Jung Seung-won's contributions, Seoul leads the table with 18 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses (59 points). They hold a 15-point lead over second-place Ulsan HD, which has played the same number of matches. Kim Ki-dong, Seoul's head coach, has repeatedly praised Jung Seung-won's determination and performance.

Lee Seung-woo is also a player worth watching. He has recorded 8 goals and 3 assists, totaling 11 attacking points in 26 league matches this season. This surpasses last year's tally of 4 goals and 1 assist, with his goal count doubling. His club Jeonbuk sits third in the league with 11 wins, 9 draws, and 7 losses (42 points).

What both players need is to regain opportunities within the national team. Jung Seung-won made his A-team debut through the 2025 East Asian Cup and has since played two A-matches. However, he was not included in the final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (North America) under former coach Hong Myung-bo. Lee Seung-woo also missed out on the Lee Hu (CEO) team during the 2024 match against Iraq.

The appointment of a new coach could provide both players with another chance to knock on the national team door. This is a critical moment where their current form shown at their clubs and the roles they can fulfill under the new tactics become increasingly important.

It's not just Jung Seung-won and Lee Seung-woo. Jung Jae-hee (Daejeon Hana Citizen) also recorded 8 goals and 2 assists in 20 league matches this season. In particular, his recent upward momentum is fierce. After scoring against Gangwon FC last month, he netted a brace on the road against Bucheon FC in the previous match.

Gangwon's ace Kim Dae-won has also recorded 7 goals and 7 assists in 25 matches. Accumulating 14 attacking points, he has delivered results both in finishing chances himself and in assisting teammates' goals.

Even within Kim Cheon (SVP), which Moreno is said to have analyzed down to its specifics, there are resources worth noting. Ko Jae-hyun recorded 7 goals and 3 assists in 26 league matches this season, achieving double-digit attacking points.

Changes in the roles of Gi Jon (CEO) players are also a key point of interest. Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan HD), who was selected even under coach Hong Myung-bo, continues to deliver consistent performance with 9 goals and 9 assists this year. However, he did not get playing time during the North America World Cup. Under the new coaching regime, attention focuses on whether he can showcase his abilities in the Gyeong Jaeng-ryeok-eul (CEO) team as well as at his club.

Previously, under former coach Hong Myung-bo's leadership for the North America World Cup squad, K-League players made up a small portion. Of the initially announced 26 players, only six were from K-League clubs. After Jo Yu-min withdrew due to injury, Jo Wi-je (Jeonbuk) joined, bringing the total to seven. This is half the number compared to the 14th players selected for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Excluding goalkeepers Cho Hyun-woo (Ulsan) and Song Beom-geun (Jeonbuk), there were only five outfield players. Among them, Gangwon defender Lee Ki-hyuk played as a starting center-back.

Moreno's challenge with the South Korea national team is not his first. He also applied for the South Korea national team head coach position in 2023, when searching for a successor to coach Paulo Bento after the 2022 Qatar World Cup. It is reported that he had been interested in Korean football and made concrete preparations from that time.

However, at that time, the Football Association appointed former coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Three years later, Coach Moreno has submitted another challenge, this time securing the role of leading the South Korea national team.

Coach Moreno served as interim head coach of the Spanish national team before taking the permanent position, and subsequently built his coaching career at AS Monaco (France), Granada (Spain), and Sochi (Russia). How he will integrate his experience from both national teams and various clubs into Korean football is also a point of interest. He is well-known for favoring the pass-oriented "tiki-taka" tactic traditionally employed by the Spanish national team.

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*This content was translated by AI.