"The team captain is Son Heung-min. I have nothing more to add": Moreno's firm response... Unwavering trust amid '96LINE discord rumors' [Cheonan on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Despite the "retirement uproar" and "discord rumors" that shook the South Korea national football team, the trust of interim head coach Robert Moreno (49) remained unchanged. In particular, he reaffirmed Son Heung-min's (LAFC) role as captain, stating his firm stance.

Coach Moreno held a press conference after announcing the list of Taeguk Warriors who will compete in the November A-matches at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, at 2 p.m. on the 29th.

South Korea will play two away friendly matches against Saudi Arabia on November 13 and Qatar on the 17th in Doha, Qatar. This is the final A-match schedule for this year.

The biggest point of interest in this roster announcement was whether Son Heung-min and the "trio born in 1996" — Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Hwang In-beom (Porto), and Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke) — would be selected. This followed the national team retirement rumors and allegations of discord within the squad that emerged after the September–October A-matches.

At the time, South Korea played four friendly matches against Ecuador, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Uzbekistan, recording two wins, one draw, and one loss. It seemed they would conclude the schedule with a victory in the final match against Uzbekistan, but they were subsequently engulfed in unexpected controversy.

Rumors arose that so-called "96LINE" players, including Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan, would retire from the national team together. The impact grew as suspicions were added that there was discord between Son Heung-min, who has worn the armband for a long time, and some of the other players.

In particular, claims emerged that Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan harbored dissatisfaction with Son Heung-min's leadership, raising concerns about the internal atmosphere and cohesion of the national team.

In this situation, Coach Moreno included Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan in the roster for the November A-matches. He also drew a clear line regarding the previously surfaced controversy over conflict within the squad, stating that he had met directly with the players to resolve the issues.

While stating, "I cannot disclose the content of conversations I have had personally with the players," Coach Moreno emphasized, "We resolved it internally by facing the players in person, according to our principles. The players also talked among themselves."

He added, "Before being athletes, they are people. I believe that sitting down and talking to each other resolves a great deal."

Coach Moreno revealed that he had invested significant time in communicating with the players since taking charge of the South Korea national football team in September. He said, "We talked a lot with the players from the first gathering, and the players also conveyed their opinions extensively," adding, "I think we may have spent more time on conversation, communication, and getting to know each other than on training."

He further added, "There is no top team where diverse opinions do not arise. People may think differently, but how they resolve it in such cases is what matters."

Coach Moreno also clarified his principles regarding squad management. In his opening remarks, he stated, "The thing I have done most over the past few weeks is talking. I communicated with the players, the captain, the association, and team officials," adding, "I believe communication is the most important element in running a team."

However, he took the stance of not disclosing the specific content of conversations held with the players.

Coach Moreno drew a line by stating, "The line I absolutely do not cross is confidentiality and respect for the team," adding, "I can speak about the philosophy and principles of team management, but I will not disclose private conversations exchanged in trust between the parties involved."

He then presented four principles for managing the national team: respect for the shared space and time, internal resolution of internal issues, direct dialogue between the parties involved, and a posture that prioritizes the team over individuals.

He emphasized, "The team takes precedence over any individual player."

The reason for selecting both Son Heung-min and the "96LINE" players was also not unrelated to these principles.

Coach Moreno explained, "Being included in the list means that, based on current standards, they have sufficient qualification to be called up to the national team and can dedicate themselves to the team. I believe they can bring happiness to the public."

Coach Moreno explained, "Being included in the list means that, based on current standards, they have sufficient qualification to be called up to the national team and can dedicate themselves to the team."

In his opening remarks as well, Coach Moreno emphasized, "Every player on this list is included because they are willing to give everything for the national team and the country. That is the first condition, taking precedence over talent," adding, "If I had not been confident in that point, I would not have called them up."

In particular, his stance on Son Heung-min's role as captain was firm. When asked about Son Heung-min's leadership and the retirement rumors surrounding the "96LINE" players, he stated, "The team captain is Son Heung-min. I have nothing more to add," drawing a clear line.

Coach Moreno also said, "When writing my opening remarks, I felt a desire to work as quickly as possible. I wanted to be called up quickly and work fast to realize the love and affection of Korean football fans for the national team, and what the national team aspires to," adding, "I believe we can provide enjoyment to Korean football fans."

He added, "I am proud to be in charge of the Republic of Korea team."

▶ South Korea National Football Team November Away Friendly Match Call-up List

- Position GK:

Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo)

Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan HD)

Song Beom-geun (Jeonbuk Hyundai)

- Position DF:

Seol Yeong-woo (Augsburg)

Choi Jun (FC Seoul)

Lee Han-beom (Club Brugge)

Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich)

Kim Ji-soo (Brentford)

Shin Min-ha (Gangwon FC)

Jo Hyeon-taek (Ulsan HD)

Lee Myung-jae (Daejeon Hana Citizen)

- Position MF:

Park Jin-seop (Zhejiang FC)

Kim Bong-su (Daejeon Hana Citizen)

Son Jeong-beom (FC Seoul)

Hwang In-beom (FC Porto)

Park Tae-jun (Gimcheon Sangmu)

Lee Jae-sung (Mainz)

Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid)

Jung Woo-young (Union Berlin)

Eom Ji-seong (Swansea City)

Song Min-gyu (CD Nacional)

Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke 04)

- Position FW:

Lee Dong-kyung (Ulsan HD)

Son Heung-min (LAFC)

Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas)

Oh Se-hoon (Shimizu S-Pulse)

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original