"Look at performance, not reputation": New manager Moreno reveals his player selection philosophy... Reasons behind the first call-ups of Kim Min-su and others [On-site Q&A]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Roberto Moreno (49), who has newly taken charge as the interim head coach of the South Korea national football team, revealed the background behind the selection of the first squad.

Coach Moreno held a press conference on the afternoon of the 14th at Cheonan Korea Football Park in Chungcheongnam-do to announce the September-October A-match national team roster and commemorate his appointment.

Chief coach Eduardo Docompo, coaches Jaimito Magriña and Victor Bravo de Soto, physical coach Javier Chocarro, goalkeeper coach Nico Bosch, coach Jo Yong-hyung, and physical coach Lee Jae-hong were present alongside him.

Coach Moreno, who arrived in South Korea via Incheon International Airport the previous day, began his remarks at the press conference by saying, "I am grateful to the Korean Football Association for trusting and entrusting me with this role. I also thank the people of South Korea and fans for warmly welcoming us."

He added, "It is a great honor that this is our first match as a team and that we have the opportunity to lead the South Korea national team. We will strive to demonstrate our sincerity through hard work and honest efforts, doing our best so that all football fans in South Korea can feel joy."

Among the 30th players selected for "Moreno's First Squad," three were surprise call-ups. While core European-based players such as Son Heung-min (LAFC), Lee Kang-in (Atletico), and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) were selected as expected, Kim Geon-hee (Incheon), Park Tae-jun (Kim Cheon (SVP)), and Kim Min-su (Rangers) enjoyed the honor of being called up for the first time.

K League 1 FC Seoul players Gu Seong-yun, Jung Seung-won, and Choi Jun were also selected again after a long absence. Meanwhile, Lee Seung-woo (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), who had drawn attention, was excluded from the roster.

Coach Moreno stated, "We judged and decided which players would best adapt to the football we want to play."

He continued, "We have one clear criterion: being called up to the national team is not about reputation but about 'performance.' I hope all Korean players understand that they remain under continuous observation. It will be what a player shows on the field right now, not their name or past achievements, that determines whether they get the opportunity to wear the national team jersey."

Coach Moreno's Ji Hwi-ha-neun (CEO) team will play its debut match against Ecuador at Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 24th, followed by a match against Uruguay at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 28th. They will then face Venezuela at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on October 2 and Uzbekistan at Yongin Mir Stadium on the 6th.

Moreno, who is from Spain, was appointed as the interim head coach of the South Korean men's national football team following the vacancy left by their elimination in the group stage of the North American World Cup. He underwent a historic public recruitment process for this position. With an impressive career including roles as chief coach at FC Barcelona and with the Spanish national team, he becomes the first Spanish coach in South Korean football history and will lead the team through six A-matches until November. His term may be extended to include next year's Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia depending on future evaluations.

I want to express my gratitude to the Korean Football Association for trusting and entrusting me and my coaching staff. I also wish to thank the people of South Korea and football fans for warmly welcoming us. It is a great honor that this is our first match as a team and that we have the opportunity to lead the South Korea national team. We will strive to demonstrate our sincerity through hard work and honest efforts, doing our best so that all football fans in South Korea can feel joy.

Fundamentally, selecting the national team roster is a quite complex process. There are many excellent players who fully deserve selection, yet many cannot join this time. What we considered most important was football-related criteria. We began by analyzing a database of approximately 1,700 Korean players. Based on various data, we filtered the players and defined the game model and playing style that best fit our vision of Korean football, along with the characteristics and profiles of Korean players, to proceed with selections.

Ultimately, after discussions with the coaching staff, we determined which players would best adapt to the football we want to play. We have one clear criterion: being called up to the national team is not about reputation but about 'performance.' I hope all Korean players understand that they remain under continuous observation. It will be what a player shows on the field right now, not their name or past achievements, that determines whether they get the opportunity to wear the national team jersey.

Additionally, one of the most important aspects is our desire for balanced players who excel in both attack and defense. Most importantly, when we look into the eyes of the players, we must be able to feel their ambition and passion to play as a national team player. That is the type of player we are looking for.

-Explanation of the intended game model and feasibility of implementing it within the short call-up period?

▶ Since the time given to us is not long, perfectly implementing a specific game model in the national team is very difficult. Even club teams require considerable time and training to complete one game model; for the national team, there is insufficient time to train and prepare, making it even more challenging. Therefore, based on my experience, it is most important when selecting players for the national team to find those who can naturally perform the plays required by the coach.

We clearly defined roles for each position during the selection process. To implement the game model best suited for the national team, we specifically determined what role each positional player should play in attack and defense situations, and we focused on finding players with those abilities and characteristics.

The model we intend to use is 4-4-2. After analyzing the K League over the past two years, we found it was the system most frequently used by K League teams and currently the most useful and widely adopted, so we chose it. During the call-up period, our task will be to clearly explain the reasons for each player's selection, inform them of their strengths and areas needing improvement, and provide detailed corrections and adjustments so they can implement the football we desire.

-Plans for utilizing Son Heung-min and the advantages of newly selected players Kim Geon-hee and Park Tae?

▶ I prefer to first convey my decisions directly to the players before a match and communicate with them personally before speaking publicly. However, as everyone knows, Son Heung-min is a versatile player who can play in multiple positions, and I believe he can perform in three different positions, which is why I selected him. The two players just mentioned (Kim Geon-hee and Park Tae-jun) currently have very clearly defined roles at their respective clubs. They were selected for the national team because they have demonstrated outstanding performance in those specific positions at their clubs.

-What were the regrets identified after the North American World Cup, and what aspects will be emphasized going forward?

▶ Fundamentally, I respect the work of fellow coaches. One of my principles is that issues requiring improvement or mistakes should be discussed within the team rather than externally. Of course, we have thoroughly analyzed those matches, particularly examining them with the purpose of understanding the players. However, out of respect for the previous coach, I believe it would not be appropriate to publicly evaluate or mention what was lacking or what needed improvement.

The players selected this time were chosen based on a thorough analysis of their last 10 matches, focusing on their current performance and roles within the team.

-Assessment of the internal atmosphere and mental issues of the previous Ji Jeok-doen (CEO) team and plans for improvement?

▶ I have received clear information and gathered substantial knowledge on these matters. The important thing is to use past events as learning opportunities to move forward. One clear fact is that when we lose, many problems become prominent, whereas when we win, many problems naturally ease. Therefore, our mission is to help players prepare and receive proper support in the best possible environment and conditions so they can perform at their peak.

Regarding overcoming difficult moments, I would like to share a personal anecdote. Last week, my 10-year-old son injured his ankle cartilage while playing football and was unable to play for a month. This was very disappointing and difficult for him. The words I said to him then are the same spirit I want to convey to the Woo Ri (CEO) team players. From the day my son got injured, every night before sleep he told me, "If you fall, just get up again." I also encouraged him by saying, "If you fall, just get up again. There is no need to think about a month later; we should focus on the current situation right now and take one step forward." I want to convey this message to our players: let us all stand up together with the hearts of Korean football fans waiting for us, and move forward one step at a time.

-Reasons for selecting Kim Min-su, Jung Seung-won, etc., and why Lee Seung-woo was excluded from the roster?

▶ I can only speak about the players who were selected. If I were to discuss each of the many players who were not chosen, it would never end. As mentioned in previous answers, I believe that what needs to be communicated to a player should first be discussed face-to-face with them directly rather than in public settings. The players selected this time were chosen based on a detailed analysis of their recent 10 matches, focusing on their current performance and roles at their respective clubs.

-What is your stance on the past rumor of 'ChatGPT player selection' that emerged during your time in Sochi, Russia?

▶ First, I want to state clearly that this is completely fake news. It has also been confirmed by clubs and players that it is entirely untrue, yet only the negative aspects have spread, which is regrettable. What is clear is that I actively utilize technology in football. In fact, my entry into the football world was thanks to technology. Anyone who investigates for just 10 minutes will realize this claim is a malicious lie completely out of context. My personal website also provides detailed explanations of all processes at that time and the background behind how these lies were created.

Fighting fake news today is very difficult. Ultimately, what matters is that good results follow when we do our jobs correctly. Based on my experience, winning without properly creating game content is extremely difficult. In the end, the correct answer to achieve good results is to play football properly. From the first call-up on the 21st, I will work with the players to clearly explain what each of them does well and what we expect from them.

I fully understand the intent behind this question and what fans are curious about. However, on such a meaningful day like today, during my first press conference as the head coach of the South Korea national team, I do not wish to prolong this discussion. This issue is secondary at this gathering; now it is more appropriate to focus on our team and player selection. If anyone wants to know more details, I will explain them separately after the press conference concludes.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original