Hong Hyun-seok (KAA Hent), who will be competing at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, has vowed to follow in the footsteps of senior national team member Son Heung-min, who previously won gold at the Asian Games.
The Asian Games squad, led by Hwang Sun-hong, has been training in Changwon, Gyeongnam, before moving to the National Football Training Center (NFC) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, on the 13th to put in their final preparations for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. After three days of training on the 15th, the team will depart for Hangzhou via Incheon International Airport on the 16th.
Hwang Sun-hong will open his campaign at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 19 at China’s Jinhua Stadium against Middle Eastern powerhouse Kuwait, before facing Southeast Asia’s Thailand on Aug. 21 at the same time. On the 24th, they will play their final game against Bahrain in the Middle East at the same time. The team will be looking to win their third consecutive gold medal after winning in Incheon 2014 and Jakarta-Palembang 2018.
However, they will be without key player Lee Kang-in. Lee’s club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), was initially expected to respond on the 13th, but on the same day, coach Hwang Sun-hong said, “PSG hasn’t responded yet,” and revealed that the timing of Lee’s return is unclear.
While it is highly unlikely that PSG will recall Lee, he is recovering from a recent thigh injury, so they plan to carefully check his physical condition and send him on his way. In addition, there are conditions related to his participation in the Asian Cup next January, so this needs to be coordinated.
The longer he is delayed, the heavier the burden falls on the shoulders of Hong Hyun-seok, who is set to share the center of the national team with Lee Kang-in.
Based on his performances for his club Hent, Hong was called up to the A squad led by Jürgen Klinsmann and traveled to England in September. He started against Wales and earned Klinsmann’s seal of approval, and on the 9th, right after the match, he flew home to join the Asian Games squad.
Speaking to reporters at the Paju NFC on Thursday, Hong said he received a lot of advice from seniors Son Heung-min and Hwang Eui-jo, who won gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, and is determined to make it three in a row.
The following is a full interview with Hong Hyun-seok.
-How are you feeling before the tournament?
“I’m excited because it’s almost here, and I need to prepare well.”
-You’ve been on and off the A team. Did Son Heung-min, Hwang Eui-jo, and other Asian Games gold medalists give you any advice?
“My brothers always tell me that it’s not easy. They told me that there will always be ups and downs during the competition, and that I should stick together as a team.”
-Team A On whether the transition to the Asian Games was confusing.
“There’s no confusion at all, I’m just so honored to be able to go back and forth between the two teams.”
-A on what he thinks his abilities and strengths are now that he’s been with the national team.
“First of all, as a central midfielder, I think the most important thing is to be defensive, and I think I did a good job in that area. I’m also confident in my offensive passing and attacking points.”
-Klinsmann on the players who overlap with the A team, and how did it feel to be on the A team and receive good vibes from them?
“I think I learned a lot about tempo and defense from training with my brothers. Playing against Wales, I thought we were lacking a lot, and I knew we had to be more focused in this tournament.”온라인카지노
-On being a versatile player who can play in the center or on the flanks.
“I always think I’m ready to play anywhere. I always want to play.”
-Does he feel any pressure to play in Lee Kang-in’s place or take on Lee Kang-in’s role?
“I don’t feel any pressure. I just want to play my game and do what I’m supposed to do, so there’s no pressure on me.”