S. Korea coach taking challenges in stride ahead of Olympic football qualifiers

In the days leading up to the Asian Olympic men’s football qualifiers in Qatar, South Korea head coach Hwang Sun-hong has already faced some challenges. He will be without a couple of key players for the tournament that kicks off next week due to their club commitments, and some that did join the team have dealt with injuries.

The 55-year-old tactician, though, is taking these issues all in stride.

Hwang will lead South Korea at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup, which doubles as the regional qualifying event for the Paris Olympics. South Korea’s first match in Group B will be Tuesday against the United Arab Emirates, with China and Japan to follow.

After holding training camp in Dubai, South Korea arrived in the host country of the AFC tournament on Wednesday. They held their first training session in Doha on Thursday.

In a video clip released by the Korea Football Association on Friday, Hwang said the preparation for the competition is going well.

“We’ve had some difficulties, but these things happen when you prepare for a tournament,” Hwang said. “We will try to overcome adversity the best we can and grab our ticket to the Olympics.”

Hwang was referring to his inability to take two overseas-based players, Celtic FC forward Yang Hyun-jun and Brentford FC defender Kim Ji-soo, to Qatar. Since this AFC event isn’t on the FIFA international match calendar, clubs are not obliged to release their Asian players for the occasion.

Hwang initially put five players in foreign leagues on his squad, but has already had to replace Yang and Kim, considered important pieces for offense and defense, respectively.

Kim Min-woo of Dusseldorf joined Hwang’s team last Saturday, and Jeong Sang-bin of Minnesota United is scheduled to do so Monday.

One remaining name is Stoke City midfielder Bae Jun-ho, and it doesn’t appear likely the second-division English club will send him to Qatar, as they are fighting to avoid relegation to the third division with four matches left this season. Bae has been voted Stoke City’s Player of the Month for November, February and March this season.

From the 16-nation AFC U-23 Asian Cup, the top three teams will grab spots in the Olympics. The fourth-place team will play Guinea in an intercontinental playoff.

South Korea have played at every Olympics since 1992, when the under-23 age limit was first put in place.