As South Korea's national team manager Hong Myung-bo publicly pointed out the injury management issues of Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich), local German media have also engaged in debates surrounding his remarks.

Some outlets have argued that Manager Hong's criticism is justified, raising questions about Munich's player management practices, while others contend that Kim Min-jae's desire to play should be taken into consideration.

Manager Hong Myung-bo included Kim Min-jae in the national team roster ahead of the March A-match, but ultimately canceled his call-up due to injury issues. Regarding this, Manager Hong noted, "Kim Min-jae is an important player for both the national team and Bayern, but despite the persistent signals of injury risk, he has not received adequate protection," directly criticizing Bayern's management practices. He added, "Taking this into account, we decided to give him rest in the national team."

As Manager Hong's remarks emerged, German media also took notice. 'Bild' reported, "Manager Hong Myung-bo strongly criticized Bayern Munich, claiming that player protection has not been properly implemented and pointing out that Bayern and coach Vincent Kompany have not sufficiently considered Kim Min-jae's health."

German media showed mixed reactions to Manager Hong's criticism. Some outlets sympathized with his remarks, asserting that Bayern Munich overworked Kim Min-jae. 'Bavarian Football,' covering Bayern-related news, stated, "There were ample opportunities to rest Kim Min-jae. However, coach Kompany continuously utilized him, exacerbating the injury," supporting Manager Hong's statements.

Furthermore, 'FCB Inside' also assessed, "Kim Min-jae has been playing with injuries for the past few months. However, due to a lack of core defensive resources, Munich continued to field him. Manager Hong Myung-bo's frustrations are entirely justified."

On the other hand, other outlets expressed the need to consider Kim Min-jae's own will. 'TZ' reported, "In past interviews, Kim Min-jae stated multiple times that he would rather play and help the team than sit on the bench. It cannot be simply viewed that Bayern overworked him," emphasizing that Kim Min-jae wanted to participate directly.

'Kicker' further remarked, "It's not that Manager Hong Myung-bo's criticism is incomprehensible. However, we must also consider that Kim Min-jae insisted on playing. Additionally, given Bayern's shortage of defensive resources, there was also a backdrop where they had no choice but to utilize him," presenting a more balanced perspective.

Ultimately, Manager Hong Myung-bo released Kim Min-jae from the team and called up Kim Joo-seong (FC Seoul) as a replacement. The national team is set to face Oman on the 20th and Jordan on the 25th, and if they win both matches, they will secure a spot in the World Cup finals.

The controversy surrounding Kim Min-jae's injury management issues has evolved beyond a mere difference of opinion between Bayern Munich and the South Korean national team, becoming a topic of various opposing views within German media. The debate on whether Manager Hong Myung-bo's criticisms represent a legitimate concern for player protection or an unbalanced claim that does not adequately consider the circumstances of the club and the player is expected to continue for the time being.

Meanwhile, the South Korean national football team conducted recovery and tactical training at Goyang Sports Complex on the 18th, with many overseas players joining ahead of the match against Oman. A press conference featuring Manager Hong Myung-bo and Son Heung-min is scheduled for the 19th, where they will discuss their determination for the match against Oman.

[OSEN = Jung Seung-woo, reporter]