Manager Kim Hak-bum silences naysayers

U-23 national football team manager Kim Hak-bum smiles as he receives questions from reporters at the Incheon International Airport on Monday. / Yonhap

U-23 national football team receives hero's welcome

By Kang Hyun-kyung

“It feels so good to be the winner of the Asian Games.”

A beaming Kim Hak-bum, the U-23 national football team manager, told reporters this after arriving at Incheon International Airport on Monday, two days after South Korea won the gold medal in football at the Asian Games.

He thanked home fans for their support and said his players' hard work paid off.

Upon their arrival at the airport, Kim and 20 members of the national football team received a warm welcome from a crowd that had gathered there for the football heroes.

Kim said South Korea's game against Uzbekistan in the quarterfinal was the toughest.

South Korea edged out Uzbekistan 4-3 in extra time after the two sides took turns scoring goals one after another. As Kim admitted, prior to the Asian Games, Uzbekistan consisting of the golden generation was considered the toughest team South Korea would face, as the former won the AFC U-23 football championship in January.

Kim said he motivated his team ahead of the final match against Japan on Sunday by saying the national flag must be hoisted highest during the medal ceremony.

“I told them do not let the Japanese flag be raised above our national flag. That shouldn't happen. Our national flag must be hoisted higher than theirs under all circumstances,” he said.

With South Korea's successful gold medal hunt, Kim has silenced the naysayers who questioned his qualifications as manager of the national team as well as his selection of players.

Kim, 58, was called “weed” partly because he had never been in the mainstream and his career path was far from that of an elite player. He retired after playing for the Kookmin Bank football team. Years later, he returned to Kookmin Bank's team as coach.

Kim took the helm of the national team for the Asian Games earlier this year.

The Korea Football Association's selection of him initially caused a stir. Kim himself had never represented Korea as a football player, so critics questioned how the former football player, who had no experience in the national team, would stack up.

Criticism continued when Kim unveiled the members of the national team. At the center of the controversy was his inclusion of Hwang Ui-jo on the team. There were three “wild card” players older than 23 Kim could have chosen for the national team. He chose Hwang, Son Heung-min and goalkeeper Jo Hyun-woo.

Some accused Kim of cronyism for his selection of Hwang as a striker. Kim served as manager of Seongnam FC football club in 2006 and Hwang later played for the club. Critics alleged Kim chose Hwang because of personal ties.

He denied any allegations of cronyism, nepotism or personal ties that influenced his choices when he handpicked the members of the national team.

“I chose him because his physical fitness is at its peak,” he said. “I know his reputation is poles apart and some fans don't like him. But please note I am the manager and I will take all responsibility for my selection of the members of the national team.”

Kim's gambles paid off. Hwang became a hero of the Asian Games, scoring nine goals, including two-time hat-tricks in the games against Bahrain and then Uzbekistan.

Kim said “wild card players” had suffered a lot before the Asian Games, because of the negative public opinion heaped on them. “I know they were desperate to win the gold,” he said on Monday.

Lee Young-pyo, a football analyst for KBS2, commented about Kim being a flexible, hardworking leader and his leadership was one of the key factors behind South Korea clinching the gold at the Asian Games.

“In retrospect, his selection of Hwang for the national team was a smart choice,” Lee said after the gold medal game on Saturday. “Kim is an open-minded, flexible leader. He accepted criticism about his defense alignment and admitted he was wrong and then fixed it.”

In the wake of the Asian Games, football has become popular again in Korea. Manager Kim said he hopes the popularity can continue and have a positive spillover effect on the local K League.