The possibility of changing captain Son Heung-min mentioned by head coach Hong Myung-bo has only sparked controversy.
Head coach Hong Myung-bo announced the roster for the September A-match on the 25th of last month. During this process, a question arose about the possibility of replacing Son Heung-min, who has served as captain for seven years. Coach Hong noted, "This is something to consider in the future," implying that Son could actually be removed from the captaincy.
Son Heung-min, the face representing Korean football, has served as captain since 2018. Considering all factors such as skill, popularity, responsibility, and leadership, there is no one in the national team that matches Son Heung-min. After the retirement of Park Ji-sung, Son has become an iKON that has introduced Korean football to the world. Although there are candidates like Kim Min-jae and Hwang In-beom to inherit the captaincy for the next generation, some argue that it is premature to discuss this while Son is still active.
There are claims that head coach Hong Myung-bo mentioning the possibility of changing the captain reflects a lack of trust in Son Heung-min. Although Coach Hong may have intended to alleviate the burden on Son, who is now entering the veteran stage of his career, there is room for alternative interpretations.
As the controversy continued, Coach Hong clarified during a departure interview on the 1st that he was speaking about the possibility of changes to the team and added, "I said it was a 'possibility' because I do not know what will happen in the next 10 months."
However, it is not certain that Coach Hong has decided to keep Son as captain until the North and Central America World Cup. Coach Hong stated, "The decision on the captain cannot be made by me alone. I must listen to the opinions of all the members," leaving the door open for Son's opinion as well.
It is not an emergency situation like when Son Heung-min suffered an orbital fracture before the World Cup. Son left Tottenham in the Premier League for LAFC in Major League Soccer but still possesses world-class ability.
It has also been pointed out that it was inappropriate for Coach Hong to mention the possibility of changing the captain when there is no doubt about Son Heung-min's qualifications. Perhaps it would have been better to continue trusting him as long as no special disqualifications arose.
Son Heung-min is sincere about the national team, enough to say that he moved to the U.S. for the World Cup. He is adapting locally to achieve the best results in the U.S. In fact, during the upcoming U.S. tour in September, Son is expected to join the team directly in the U.S. to showcase optimal condition.
[OSEN]