Hong Myung-bo, the head coach of the South Korean national football team, expressed regret over the absence of Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) due to injury and raised questions about Bayern's player management approach.

German media outlet 'Kicker' reported on the 17th (Korean time) that "the head coach of the South Korean national team criticized Bayern over Kim Min-jae's injury, pointing out that Bayern failed to adequately protect the player. However, Bayern's head coach, Vincent Kompany, was already aware of Kim Min-jae's Achilles condition. He has said, 'We need to manage the players' load and ensure they are not overloaded,' suggesting difficulty in understanding Coach Hong's remarks.

On this day, Coach Hong Myung-bo conducted training with players included in the March A-match roster at Goyang Stadium. South Korea is set to face Oman on the 20th and Jordan on the 25th in the third round of the Asia qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Changes have occurred in the roster. On the 16th, Kim Min-jae was excluded due to injury, and Kim Joo-sung (FC Seoul) has been called up as his replacement.

Before the first training session, Coach Hong met with reporters and said, "Kim Min-jae is an important player not only for Bayern but also for our national team. However, because Bayern did not protect him properly, we ultimately lost a key player." He added, "Signals of injury from Kim Min-jae had been apparent since last year. Although we have important matches ahead (against Oman and Jordan), we have decided to prioritize player protection and give him rest."

Since October of last year, Kim Min-jae has been suffering from Achilles pain. He even went so far as to directly request exclusion from the lineup at Bayern, saying, "I am always grateful for the chance to play."

However, Kim Min-jae's request was not fulfilled. He started every match except for the Bundesliga game against Bochum on the 9th.

As his injury worsened, Bayern officially announced on the 15th that Kim Min-jae would be absent due to injury. They stated on their official website, "Kim Min-jae will not be able to play for the Korean national team during the March A-match period due to his Achilles issue." He is expected to return in mid-April after a rest period of about a month.

'Kicker,' along with German media outlet 'Sport1,' reported that "Coach Hong Myung-bo claimed that Kim Min-jae's injury could have been prevented and referenced Bayern's responsibility."

There is a growing atmosphere of conflict between Bayern and the South Korean national team regarding player management methods.

Another German outlet, 'Bavarian Football Works,' expressed understanding of Coach Hong Myung-bo. The outlet noted, "Kim Min-jae has participated in many games throughout the season. Concerns over overworking alongside Dayot Upamecano were raised. While Bayern had several opportunities to provide adequate rest, it is difficult to avoid criticism for missing these chances. There are suggestions that both Kompany and Kim Min-jae could have approached the situation more cautiously to avoid the circumstances they currently face."

[OSEN]