Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae: Amid the "discord rumors," unverified claims are rampant... Manager Moreno insists on "confidentiality," leaving anxious football fans in uncertainty [Cheonan On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Unverified claims continue to spread regarding the "discord rumors" surrounding Son Heung-min (LAFC) and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), key players of the South Korean national football team. However, national team manager Robert Moreno drew a clear line against specific explanations, emphasizing "confidentiality."

Manager Moreno held a press conference at 2 p.m. on the 29th at Cheonan Korea Football Park in Chungnam Province to announce the list of 26 players selected for the November A-matches.

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, along with the "trio born in 1996"—Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom (Porto), and Hwang Hee-chan (Schalke)—would be selected. This followed national team retirement rumors and discord allegations 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. Although it appeared they would conclude the schedule with a victory in the final match against Uzbekistan, they were subsequently engulfed in unexpected controversy.

Rumors arose that players known as the "96LINE," including Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan, intended to retire from the national team simultaneously. The situation intensified with suspicions of discord between Son Heung-min, who has long worn the captain's armband, and some other players.

In particular, claims emerged that some players harbored dissatisfaction with Son Heung-min's leadership, raising concerns about the internal atmosphere and cohesion within the national team.

The issue is that specific facts have not been clearly established even after the controversy erupted.

Amid this, various speculations regarding the relationships between players are pouring out on online platforms such as social media. Some claims spread as if they were facts, despite lacking clear evidence.

For football fans, the situation is inevitably confusing. Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan are core players representing South Korean football. Concerns can only grow given that suspicions about their relationships and the internal atmosphere of the national team have not ceased.

Therefore, this press conference was all the more important. It was an opportunity to correct various unverified rumors and alleviate the anxiety and curiosity of football fans.

If there had been a problem, they could have explained what went wrong and how it was resolved. Conversely, if the suspicions were unfounded, they could have corrected them to quell unnecessary speculation. Furthermore, it could have served as a starting point for refreshing the national team's atmosphere and strengthening squad cohesion.

Indeed, Manager Moreno included Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Hwang Hee-chan in the national team roster on this day. Despite the controversy, he selected his existing core players without change.

However, he remained reserved regarding specific facts or the problem-solving process.

It has not been clearly confirmed whether the "96LINE" players actually expressed their intention to retire from the national team, or whether there was a conflict with Son Heung-min. If there had been a problem, neither its extent nor how much it has been resolved currently was disclosed.

Manager Moreno also assessed the internal atmosphere of the national team as healthy. He explained that he had sufficient conversations with the players and that everyone is moving toward the common goal of winning for the national team. However, because Manager Moreno maintained confidentiality, this too remained a "question mark."

Of course, there is no need to disclose all private conversations held with players. As a manager, protecting players' trust and privacy is also an important responsibility. The principle of confidentiality emphasized by Manager Moreno is fully understandable in this regard.

However, the fact that controversy surrounding the national team has not subsided and unverified claims are spreading is something that requires consideration. It was also a time when clearer explanations were needed to alleviate fans' anxiety. Some national team players have even faced fierce criticism due to unproven rumors.

Manager Moreno stated that internal squad issues had already been resolved through dialogue.

He explained, "We resolved it internally by facing the players face-to-face in accordance with our principles. The players also talked among themselves."

He further emphasized, "Before being players, they are people. I believe that sitting down and talking to each other resolves many things. That is what we have done."

He also said, "There is no top team where diverse opinions do not arise. People may think differently, but how you resolve it in such cases is important."

However, he ultimately did not disclose the content of the conversations. In his opening remarks, Manager Moreno stated, "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 discuss private conversations exchanged between parties based on trust."

He explained, "The players also know well that their privacy is protected and safeguarded if they are with me."

He also took a firm stance regarding Son Heung-min's role as captain, which had been engulfed in leadership controversy.

Manager Moreno answered briefly, "The national team captain is Son Heung-min. I have nothing more to say."

Ultimately, Manager Moreno reaffirmed his trust in Son Heung-min and stated that internal squad issues had been resolved, but he did not disclose the specific details of the controversy. Regardless of the manager's explanation, all the questions held by football fans have not been answered.

The importance of this November A-match has grown accordingly. Previously, various speculations and interpretations poured out over a scene in which Kim Min-jae, who had been substituted during the match against Venezuela, threw his football boots from the bench. While the meaning of that action at the time has not been confirmed, it became another source of controversy in a situation already surrounded by discord rumors.

It is impossible to rule out the possibility of a similar situation recurring in this away two-match series. If performance and results fall short of expectations in this away two-match series, a similar situation could repeat itself.

Since Manager Moreno has expressed confidence that internal problems have been resolved, it is now time to show a performance on the field worthy of those words.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original