Midfielder puts emphasis on team play over individual action

유지호 / 2022-01-20 10:09:05

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▲ South Korean midfielder Kwon Chang-hoon speaks with the Korea Football Association (KFA) in an interview at Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa Hotel in Antalya, Turkey, on Jan. 19, 2022, in this photo provided by the KFA. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ South Korean midfielder Kwon Chang-hoon (R) trains at Cornelia Diamond Football Center in Antalya, Turkey, on Jan. 18, 2022, in this photo provided by the Korea Football Association. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

football-player

Midfielder puts emphasis on team play over individual action

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- As skilled as he is at generating offense from his midfield position for South Korea, Kwon Chang-hoon believes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

"I always try to execute team-oriented plays, rather than making plays only for myself," Kwon said in an interview clip released by the Korea Football Association (KFA) on Thursday. He and the rest of the national team have been training in Antalya, Turkey, since Jan. 9, in preparation for World Cup qualifying matches against Lebanon and Syria.

As part of their training, South Korea scheduled two friendly matches in Antalya. They defeated Iceland 5-1 last Saturday, with Kwon chipping in a goal, and will next face Moldova on Friday.

Kwon said his coaches haven't asked him to do anything specific individually, because they also have that collective team-first mindset.

"I think if I keep doing what's best for the team, then it will help me find areas where I can contribute as an individual," Kwon said. "We have a great opportunity here to take some positive momentum into World Cup qualifying matches. We have to ride this wave."

The crafty midfielder is admittedly not in his optimal match shape. The 27-year-old is back with the national team for the first time since September last year. He was called up to the team in October but was dropped after suffering an ankle injury. Kwon began his mandatory military service on Dec. 27 and didn't have his usual football training while at his army boot camp.

"I am in better shape than I expected, but I still have a ways to go to get my feel for the game back," Kwon said. "I was with my military unit the whole time before coming to camp here, and then had about a week of training. I think I am up to 80 percent now (in terms of match shape)."

Without Kwon, South Korea posted two straight victories in their final World Cup qualifying round in November, shutting out the United Arab Emirates 1-0 and then Iraq 3-0. These wins pushed South Korea to the verge of locking down one of two automatic berths for the World Cup out of Group A.

"Players that have been here all along have built a solid foundation, and I watched them all come together to chase the common goal of making it to the World Cup," Kwon said. "I came to this training camp thinking about how I can help the team and how I can make up for the time that I was away."

With three of his eight international goals having come in his last six appearances, it doesn't appear as though Kwon has to change much about his game.

"We all understand the importance of the next two World Cup qualifiers," Kwon said. "We've had some light moments at camp here, but we've been serious when we had to be."

(END)