Advocaat Rips K-League Officials
Korea’s national soccer team head coach Dick Advocaat let K-League officials know how he feels about with holding players from playing in an upcoming national team tour:
South Korea, who with fellow Asian teams Japan, Saudi Arabia and Iran, have qualified for Germany, will hold a training camp in the United Arab Emirates and compete in tournaments in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong in January.
They will have another training stint in the United States in February before playing Asian Cup qualifying matches.
Earlier this week straight-talking Advocaat warned K-League clubs that if they didn’t release their players they would not be selected for the World Cup.
“I was very surprised that one or two clubs are not willing to release players for the trip and I dont understand it,” said the Dutchman, without naming the clubs or players involved.
“If the clubs dont give me the players then I will think about not taking those players to Germany, which is not in the best interest of the players or clubs.
“If I was a player and told I could not go, I dont know what Id do — the players can only move abroad through performances in international matches, not the K-League.”
Some of you may remember the problems former head coach Joe Bonfrere had in dealing with the K-League that ultimately helped lead to his firing. However, Bonfrere seemed easier to push around than Advocaat is willing to be. It is going to be interesting to see if the K-League gives into Advocaat’s demands to let the players play.
