Kim Ki-dong, FC Seoul Manager, on the "AG Military Service Exemption Controversy": "It's a pity that the meaning of the gold medal has faded" — Kept his words brief but delivered a pointed remark [On-site at Sangam]

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Kim Ki-dong (55), FC Seoul manager, expressed regret while keeping his comments restrained regarding the controversy over remarks and actions related to military service by some players on the South Korea national football team that won gold at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Seoul, led by manager Kim Ki-dong, will play Jeju SK in a home match for Round 31 of the "Hana Bank K League 1 2026" at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 2 p.m. on the 10th. Currently, Seoul leads second-place Ulsan HD (47 points) by 15 points with 62 points (19 wins, 5 draws, 6 losses). If they add just 10 points in the remaining 8 matches, they will secure their first league title in 10 years since 2016.

Meeting with reporters before the match, manager Kim Ki-dong stated regarding the goal of "10 points," "I am continuously making the players aware of it," and conveyed his determination by saying, "Since this is our first home game in a long time, I hope to see a different performance from the previous match against Pohang."

Seoul will return to competitive action after three weeks due to the international break. During the break, about 10 players were called up for age-group and senior national teams, making it difficult to conduct normal training. Manager Kim Ki-dong explained, "With many players absent, we focused on maintaining their condition and adjusting their mood rather than tactical training."

Regarding the condition of players who returned from the senior national team, he explained, "Jung Seung-won seems to have gained many positive aspects, so his condition looks good, while Son Jong-beom, who went to Australia, is in a state with some fatigue."

The opposing Jeju has an unbeaten streak of five matches (3 wins, 2 draws) and is on the rise. The head-to-head record this season is tight at 1 win and 1 loss. Manager Kim Ki-dong warned about Jeju, saying, "They are a defensively solid team like last year," and added, "Their game plan mainly involves medium- to long-range passes toward fast and powerful foreign players up front, such as Negueba and Ias, rather than short passes."

Regarding the recent controversy related to the Asian Games national team, he kept his words brief while expressing regret. Manager Kim Ki-dong said, "I am cautious about speaking rashly without knowing the exact facts," but revealed regarding the controversy that arose immediately after the Asian Games, "From my perspective as a former coach at past Asian Games, it is a pity that the meaning of the gold medal seems to have faded." He added, "It seems that light remarks made by the players have become an issue, and there are parts that I find regrettable as a senior in the football world."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original