The South Korean Football Association has called on its fans to stop excessive personal attacks, warning of the psychological burden on the senior national team players who have been under attack since their failure at the World Cup finals in the United States, Mexico, and Canada last summer.
The exit from the World Cup led to the resignation of former South Korean national team coach Hong Myung-bo, while Spaniard Robert Moreno awaits a decision on the possibility of extending his contract after being appointed to the role. With the Asian Cup approaching in January next year in Saudi Arabia, the South Korean national team faces accusations of internal divisions.
Local media reports indicate that some young players feel that some veterans in the team, including captain Son Heung-min (34 years old), are hindering their progress. In a lengthy statement, the Association condemned what it described as attempts to sow discord, stating in a statement: "Recently, unverified information and speculative claims about national team players have spread on social media and electronic forums, where some players are facing excessive criticism and personal attacks."
It added: "This behavior exceeds the bounds of legitimate criticism and may place a heavy psychological burden on the players," urging fans to refrain from "speculating about the internal dynamics of the team and stoking divisions within it." Speculation about disagreements had arisen after Kim Min-jae (29 years old), Bayern Munich defender, threw his shoe in anger after being substituted in the second half of the disappointing match that ended in a goalless draw at home against Venezuela earlier this month.
Kim later said, "Every player must focus and do their best," which further fueled talk of divisions within the national team. This latest storm comes in the wake of widespread public anger over the behavior of some players who received exemptions from mandatory military service after winning the gold medal at the Asian Games.
Their post-match celebrations, which were seen as an indication that military exemptions were their main motivation, sparked angry reactions, prompting Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul to pledge to reduce this privilege.
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
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