Lee Min-seong, the new head coach of the South Korea U-22 national football team, revealed his solemn determination.
Lee Min-seong, who played a key role as an assistant coach during the gold medal win at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games and the championship at the 2020 U-23 Asian Championship, is once again taking the helm and challenging for the top spot. The goals are clear: a 'gold medal at the Nagoya Asian Games' and 'performance better than a bronze medal at the Olympics.'
At a press conference held on the 4th at the Inter-Burgo Hotel in Wonju, Gangwon Province, Lee said, "Becoming a national representative has been my dream, and now my goal is to lead my juniors to the A team. No matter how good the offers are, I would have chosen this position. I still don't feel like it's real."
The Lee Min-seong team will play its first official match against Australia in a friendly on the 5th at Yongin Mir Stadium. The squad includes players like Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Kim Yong-hak (Portimonense), Lee Hyun-joo (Hannover), as well as domestic players like Lee Seung-won, Kang Seong-jin, and Choi Seok-hyun.
Lee explained, "Although I did not set this schedule for the friendly, what we need to focus on is how quickly we transition to defense after losing the ball and how well we execute counter-pressing."
Lee Min-seong is a coach who flexibly used a four-back and three-back formation while leading Daejeon Hana Citizen to promotion to K League 1. He has promised flexible tactics for the national team as well. He stated, "More than the formation itself, what matters is what combination can make the team fast and brave. I emphasize balance, teamwork, and speed in all aspects of attack, defense, and transition."
Lee noted, "Compared to the J League, Japan has an advantage in the direction of first touch and the speed of pressing," and added, "Korea also has many resources to get ahead, and there are many coaches capable of implementing this. I am confident that improvements will be made." This reflects not just simple passion but an objective analysis and setting of direction.
When asked about the reasons for the failure at the Paris Olympics, he diagnosed, "Technically, teams in Southeast Asia have grown. It was a result of losing risk management while playing dominant football. Now we must control the flow that leads to conceding if we miss scoring chances."
Regarding the principles for player selection, Lee stated, "Even if they are 17 years old, if they are performing well, they can be used. The reason we haven't selected young players now is because of the U-20 World Cup." He continued, "There are no decisions yet on wildcards, and we will decide while preparing for the September Asian Cup and the tournament next January."
The Lee Min-seong team has been grouped with Indonesia, Laos, and Macau in the qualifiers for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, which will be held in Indonesia this September. If they secure a spot in the finals, they will participate in the finals to be held in Saudi Arabia in January 2026.
Lee remarked, "The Asian Games are an important turning point in the players' lives. It is also a tournament that offers military service benefits. I want to win a gold medal to open doors for the players. I will achieve it even if I have to break my body."
He then expressed strong ambition, saying, "If Coach Hong Myung-bo won a bronze medal at the London Olympics, I want to aim for something greater." He stated, "Although the number of participating countries in the Olympics has decreased from 16 to 12, with more effort, we can definitely advance to the finals."
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