Hwang Hee-chan's "shoving the referee" incident: "He may pay a heavy price," German media also issue warnings... Yet national team gets a 'free pass,' Moreno shows 'unwavering trust' amid controversy

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Hwang Hee-chan (30, Schalke 04) has been pushed to the brink by a series of controversies. He faced fierce criticism for shoving a referee during a club match, and rumors of discord within the national team persist. However, Robert Moreno (49), the interim head coach of the South Korea national football team, recalled Hwang to the squad again.

Hwang started in Schalke's away match against Dynamo Dresden in the second round of the German DFB-Pokal on the 29th (Korean time). He fell after colliding with an opposing defender in the 40th minute of the first half. While receiving treatment outside the pitch and waiting to re-enter, he lost control of his emotions. Dissatisfied with a decision not to award a foul, he shoved the fourth official. He also roughly pushed away his club's physiotherapist, who was trying to restrain him, using both hands, prompting the referee to show a yellow card. Hwang, who managed only two shots, remained silent offensively, and his club suffered a 0-2 defeat, ending their campaign in the tournament.

German media also delivered harsh criticism. "Bild" pointed out, "A player shoving match officials is unacceptable. He should be grateful he was not sent off." "Morgenpost" also warned, "He may pay the price for losing his temper." Schalke manager Miron Muslic also reprimanded him, saying, "I do not like that behavior."

His performance has also been poor. Last season, Hwang managed only two goals and two assists in 26 matches for Wolverhampton in England, experiencing the team's relegation to the second tier. He rushed into a loan move to Schalke, choosing his third stint in Germany in five years, but apart from one assist in his debut, he has no attacking points. Schalke also sits in 16th place among 18 teams in the Bundesliga, in the relegation zone, with a record of one win, three draws, and three losses through seven rounds.

Despite the mounting setbacks, Coach Moreno included Hwang in the squad for the two-match away series against Saudi Arabia and Qatar in November in the Middle East. While refraining from commenting on retirement rumors surrounding "96LINE" players such as Kim Min-jae and Hwang In-beom, as well as conflict issues with captain Son Heung-min, Coach Moreno stated, "He is fully qualified for the national team based on his current form and has the will to dedicate himself."

Coach Moreno is set to depart immediately for Europe to watch matches of players abroad and conduct interviews. However, public opinion is cold. There are concerns that the decision to carry the parties involved in the discord rumors without taking any action could negatively affect the atmosphere within the national team.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original