By John Duerden
Tournaments can be cruel. Honduras is now preparing for a massive 2016 Rio Olympics semifinal with host Brazil while South Korea, which really should be there, is home and forgotten. The tournament carries on regardless of could-haves and should-haves.
In 2012, Korea’s young football stars celebrated bronze as Japan was left to wonder what might have been. That generation also celebrated the resulting exemption from the 21-month mandatory military duty that they have to start by the time they reach their late 20s.
For young and talented players with a bright future, having to play for Sangju Sangmu, the K-League’s army team that plays in the top tier, is not going to further their careers.
In itself, it is not the worst way to spend almost two years of one’s prime when compared to standing on a mountain in a Gangwon Province winter. But for those with European hopes and dreams, it can be costly.
If Son Heung-min does not win an exemption in the next three of four years, he will have to return to East Asia when he should be at his athletic peak. That is why Tottenham Hotspur, his English Premier League club, released the 24-year-old to go and play in Rio when it was under no obligation to do so.
Should the attacker become exempt from the army, his value to the club increases regardless of whether it wants to keep him (he can stay longer) or sell (he will fetch a better price without the impending conscription).
Son, who missed three good chances to score against Honduras, which won 1-0 despite being under pressure for most of the match, looked devastated at the final whistle. The pressure of the whole military issue can be tough to bear.
“I blew scoring opportunities, and I am so sorry for ruining this match,” Son said. “Everyone worked so hard for this, and I am sorry to my teammates, coaching staff and fans back home. I felt so terrible I could barely look at the faces of the guys in the locker room.”
Most of his teammates are still hoping to make the move west. For the likes of Kwon Chang-hoon, one of the most talented players in the K-League and Asia as a whole, it is still far enough in the future not to be a major issue at the moment but it is there on the horizon.
The Honduras defeat and the Olympics in general are nothing to be ashamed of. Korea topped a tough group and won two of those three first stage matches for the first time ever. If Germany had not scored a 92nd minute equalizer with a deflected free kick then it would have been three wins out of three.
Honduras was a tough opponent. Streetwise, well-organized, with a good coach and a perfect game plan. Nine times out of ten, Korea wins the game and progresses. That does not mean there are no lessons to be learned but it does mean that there is no reason to be too downcast.
It comes back to the issue of military service. For most teams, losing at the quarterfinal stage with the podium in sight would be hard, but soon the players would return home and continue with their club careers.
For Korea it is that much harder. Missing out on the medals is going to have a major influence on the lives and careers of these players.