Son to play limited minutes in FIFA World Cup qualifiers: coach
Expect Son Heung-min to play limited minutes, according to coach Hong Myung-bo, in the team’s upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying matches.
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SON TO PLAY LIMITED MINUTES IN QUALIFIERS AS HE RECOVERS FROM FOOT INJURY
Expect Son to play limited minutes, the South Korea coach said, as he recovers from a foot injury that forced him to miss matches in April and May.
Furthermore, Hong promised he and his staff will not push his team captain hard in major minutes in matches against Iraq and Kuwait.
Moreover, he acknowledged that his staff will strike a balance with his health and his passion to play for flag and country.
Son played limited minutes for Tottenham Hotspur when they beat Manchester United for the UEFA League title on May 21.
He (Son) and I have not yet discussed exactly how much he will play. But my staff and I already know all about his drive and his desire to play,” Hong told reporters at the Incheon International Airport before leaving for Iraq.
“Since we have two matches coming up (to try to qualify for the World Cup), I will not push him too hard,” he added.
TAEGUK WARRIORS TO CLAIM WORLD CUP TICKET WITH VICTORY OVER IRAQ OR KUWAIT
The Taeguk Warriors can snatch a ticket to the World Cup with a victory over Iraq on Thursday or Kuwait on June 10.
Moreover, South Korea leads Group B in the qualifiers with four victories and four draws, as they are three points ahead of Jordan and four above Iraq.
Furthermore, Hong plans to utilize Son and his other veterans in non-playing duties to help the Taeguk Warriors formalize their entry to the World Cup.
“We will probably play in a hostile environment in front of partisan fans,” the coach said.
“We have some players who have had experience playing in these situations. It’s something we should keep in mind going into the stadium for this match,” he added.
HONG NOT WORRIED FOR EUROPE-BASED PLAYERS HWANG, LEE IN TERMS OF CONDITIONING
Meanwhile, Hong is not worried for his Europe-based players like Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain and Hwang ee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers in terms of conditioning.
Furthermore, Lee is coming off PSG’s UEFA Champions League title victory on Saturday, as he still took part in the team’s training sessions right before the final.
Moreover, Hong is convinced both Lee and Hwang will manage to stay in shape in time for the qualifiers.
“I don’t think players like Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Kang-in will have any conditioning issues,” the coach said.
“Over the next couple of days, we will have to decide how to incorporate those players into our lineup,” he added.
