South Korean head coach Shin Tae-yong said Monday that sacrifice is the key to the under-20 men's national football team at the upcoming FIFA competition at home.
South Korea will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup from May 20 to June 11 in six local cities. The young Taeguk Warriors are paired with Argentina, England and Guinea in Group A at the 24-team FIFA tournament.
South Korean under-20 men's national football team head coach Shin Tae-yong speaks to reporters at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on May 1, 2017. (Yonhap)
Shin has confirmed his 21-man squad for the U-20 World Cup last Friday and brought the selected players to the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, to begin training. The coach said the first task is to unite the players into one unit whether they are regular members or backups.
"I'm trying to make the players show their best talent they've got," Shin said. "And I emphasize the players to sacrifice for the team. This means you need to move one more step for your teammates and let them play more comfortably."
Shin, who took over the team in November, said he is confident of the U-20 side reaching at least the quarterfinals.
"It's true that there is a pressure to collect a good result because it's not good for the tournament to see the host getting eliminated early," he said. "That's why I want us to reach at least the last eight. And if we reach the knockout stage, winning the title is not that far away, so we'll give our best effort."
Shin's side will open the tournament with Guinea on May 20 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, before meeting Argentina three days later at the same venue. Their final group match is against England in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on May 26.
The 46-year-old head coach said South Korea will aim to pass the group stage with two wins and one draw. The top two teams from each group and four third placed finishers qualify for the knockout stage.
"We're focusing all things on our first match against Guinea," Shin said. "We want to advance to the knockout stage as the group winners. And if we do so, I think we can meet some unchallenging opponent in the next round."
Shin, who previously led the South Korean Olympic football team at the Rio de Janeiro Summer Games, said the players are confident of going further than the quarterfinals. He said there isn't much difference between the Olympic and U-20 World Cup preparations.
"We just need to do our job," he said. "My role is to let the players create the plays on their own. Of course, sometimes I'm satisfied with it, but I don't scold them much because it can have bad influence on the team."
For the next 20 days, Shin said he will try to build up the players' stamina and maintain intensity of training to make the team ready for the U-20 World Cup.
"We're now with the 21 players and we have to think of the players' fitness," he said. "I hope they don't get injured in the next 20 days and keep their best form until the World Cup." (Yonhap)
