Asian tide of progress 'no fluke'
Source: Agencies |
June 26, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SOUTH Korea's advance to the knockout rounds of the World Cup should not come as a surprise given the rapid improvement of the Asian game, captain Park Ji-sung said yesterday.
Park said his side was capable of beating Uruguay today in the second round match in Port Elizabeth and insisted that its semifinal appearance as hosts in 2002 -- its only previous advance from the group stages -- was no fluke.
"We don't have a clear conviction on how far we can go but we made it to the semi-finals in 2002 and that wasn't just because we were hosts," he said. "We will go out tomorrow to prove that."
He praised Asian rival Japan for its march to the second round along with the Koreans and said it showed how much the Asian game had improved. The 46-country region has never had two teams in the knockout rounds on foreign soil.
The European experience the players had gained was a decisive factor. Six members of the squad play in France, Germany, England, Scotland and Russia, among others who have returned home after stints with European clubs.
South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo believes his team fully deserves its place in the knockout rounds and were determined to go further.
"All of our players are in the top 16 because of hard work and effort," he said. "We won't rest on our laurels, we want to make it to the top eight.
"The possibilities are open to everyone, the ball is always round. Italy, France can always be eliminated and small teams can always do well."
Park said his side was capable of beating Uruguay today in the second round match in Port Elizabeth and insisted that its semifinal appearance as hosts in 2002 -- its only previous advance from the group stages -- was no fluke.
"We don't have a clear conviction on how far we can go but we made it to the semi-finals in 2002 and that wasn't just because we were hosts," he said. "We will go out tomorrow to prove that."
He praised Asian rival Japan for its march to the second round along with the Koreans and said it showed how much the Asian game had improved. The 46-country region has never had two teams in the knockout rounds on foreign soil.
The European experience the players had gained was a decisive factor. Six members of the squad play in France, Germany, England, Scotland and Russia, among others who have returned home after stints with European clubs.
South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo believes his team fully deserves its place in the knockout rounds and were determined to go further.
"All of our players are in the top 16 because of hard work and effort," he said. "We won't rest on our laurels, we want to make it to the top eight.
"The possibilities are open to everyone, the ball is always round. Italy, France can always be eliminated and small teams can always do well."
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