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| Ulsan and Jeonbuk, which are competing for the lead, were mixed in the selection of the national team entry. © News1 |
Another road stretches in front of Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai, which formed the lead in the K-League 1 in professional soccer with 3 wins and 1 draw (10 points). A whopping six people were named in Ulsan on the list of soccer national teams to be launched Korea and Japan before, while Jeonbuk did not have any. Ulsan is usually a happy situation, but when I digest the April schedule, I cannot laugh as if it is more difficult than Jeonbuk.
Coach Paulo Bento held a press conference at the Shinmunro Football Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 15th, and announced a list of the list to be played at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Japan at 7:20 pm on the 25th.
It is interesting to note that the number of national players from Ulsan and Jeonbuk, which consisted of a squad of’super-luxurious corps’, was greatly different.
In Ulsan, six people were selected, including goalkeeper Jo Hyun-woo, defenders Hong Chul, Won Doo-jae, Kim Tae-hwan, and midfielders Yun Bit Garam and Dong-jun Lee. On the other hand, no one was selected from Jeonbuk.
The number of national teams selected by the two teams showing a big difference can act as a big variable in the ranking competition in April. It is not yet the time to talk about’impact on the winning’, but attention is focused on what outcome the national team variable will lead to as the two teams are in fierce competition.
The national team from Korea and Japan will return to Korea on the 26th after the match on the 25th, and will conduct cohort isolation and training at Paju NFC from the 27th to April 2nd.
The two teams will play three games for a week starting on April 3, one day after the cohort was released from quarantine. Ulsan faces Seongnam FC on April 3, FC Seoul on 7 and Suwon FC on the 11th. Jeonbuk will play Suwon Samsung on April 3, Pohang Steelers on 6, and Incheon United on the 11th.
During this period, Jeonbuk has no effect on the operation of the squad, but Ulsan has to play without team training with six players in almost all positions, from goalkeeper to midfielder.
Of course, when the cohort is quarantined, training is done at Paju NFC. The Football Association has prepared a device to minimize the damage caused by the selection of the national team. Still, there are restrictions rather than when training in a perfect situation in the team.
There is also a variable that another schedule may be added in April. The Asian Football Federation (AFC) postponed the Champions League (ACL) from April to June. The K-League, where 4 teams including Ulsan and Jeonbuk participate in the ACL, is in a position to fill the vacant schedule in April and leave June vacant again.
The Korea Professional Football Federation explained, “We are discussing in various ways. There is also a way to advance the schedule and play it in April.” If the K-League schedule is added in April and a tighter schedule is to be handled, the burden may be more in Ulsan than in Jeonbuk.
Meanwhile, Bento said he was not particularly conscious of the relationship between Ulsan and Jeonbuk.
Manager Bento said, “We chose a player based on how well we can understand the football we are pursuing,” he said. “The team it belongs to is not important.” It is explained that the difference in the number of national team players in Ulsan and Jeonbuk was not intended at all.