Olympic berth secured, coach Hong eyes football medal

Now that Korea has qualified for men's football at the London Olympics this summer, Hong Myung-bo, the Olympic team's head coach, has set his sights on the next goal: to win an Olympic medal.

Hong has coached South Korea to the London Olympics, the country's seventh straight Olympic Games and ninth overall. But Korea has never won an Olympic medal in men's football.

The coach said the key will be to try to learn from the past.

"Winning a medal at the Olympics is not easy at all," said Hong at a press conference in Seoul. "I know the best Korea has done (at the Olympics) is to reach the quarterfinals and our team this year may end up in the same situation. The important thing is we have to look back on past tournaments and see what we have done right and wrong, and then prepare accordingly."

Korea qualified for the London Games with a 3-0 victory over Oman in the Asian qualification round on Feb. 22. It has clinched the first place in Group A with one game left -- against Qatar on March 14 at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Only the top teams in each of three groups get to punch their tickets to London, while No. 2 teams will enter a playoff, with the winner facing Senegal for the final chance to qualify for the Olympics.

Other than the match against Qatar, South Korea has not scheduled any matches until the Olympics in July. Hong said it's imperative for all players to do their best on their respective pro clubs and build themselves up for London.

"When completing the roster for London, the most important thing is players' form and conditioning in July," Hong said. "Whether it's the (domestic) K-League or overseas circuits, I will keep a close eye on their performances leading up to the Olympics."

In qualifications, Olympic football teams are only for players under 23 years old. But at the Olympic Games, participants are each allowed to pick up to three players over that limit, known as "wild cards."

Hong said he has not yet given wild card selections much thought, adding he will be "careful" in naming veterans.

"We do have positions where we can use some help," the coach said. "But it's not necessarily about having the best player in that position. We have to consider whether the player can fit in and adjust to our system. Football isn't simply about having the 11 best players at each position, so we're keeping our options open."

One such option, Hong said, is striker Park Chu-young. The one-time senior national team captain, who turns 27 in July, could provide some firepower up front for the under-23 unit.

Park, however, has struggled to crack into the lineup for Arsenal in the English Premier League. Since signing with the team last August, Park has only played in one Premiership match and one League Cup game. Hong said although Park is among players under consideration, it's "premature" to place him in concrete discussions.

"Being a wild card selection brings a lot of pressure and responsibilities," Hong said. "The important thing is whether he will be in good enough of shape to play for us by the Olympics." (Yonhap)