Korean legend warns against overconfidence
Widely regarded as the greatest player his country ever produced, Korean icon Cha Bum-Kun's FIFA World Cup™ credentials are well established, given that he represented the Taeguk Warriors as a player at Mexico 86 and as a coach at France 98.
Cha, currently managing K-League outfit Suwon Samsung Bluewings, is nothing short of a legend in his native country and, in this exclusive interview with FIFAworldcup.com, he shares some of his many recollections and offers his thoughts on the national team's prospects at Germany 2006.
FIFAworldcup.com: What are your memories of the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico?
Cha Bum-Kun: I can still remember the whole tournament clearly, especially our first match against the eventual winners, Argentina. That was the first time Korea had reached the World Cup finals in 32 years and we were very tense. Whenever Maradona got the ball, we just freaked out and chased him.
You were called up to the national team just before the tournament. Was that difficult for you?
There was some controversy over my selection, because I hadn't had a chance to play with the national team after I went to Germany in 1979. However, I was able to lay those issues to rest when I joined up with the rest of the players, although I had become used to playing at a fast pace in the Bundesliga, so I did have some trouble at first adjusting to the other players' timing.
Some of the current squad who are with European clubs have not had much playing time lately. Do you think this could be problematic if those players are chosen for the national team?
Obviously, if athletes can't play, their competitive ability will suffer. But these players already represented the national team in 2002, so they can return to that role whenever they need to.
Korea Republic's failure to score goals is often cited as a weakness; what do you see as the solution?
Scoring goals is not something that can be taught or practised. The front men just need to stay focused and be ready to score at any moment. Of the current batch of Korean strikers, I think Lee Dong-Gook stands out.
Lee Dong-Gook appeared at France 98 but did not make the 2002 team. Do you think he will show his true colours this summer in Germany?
Of course. Lee Dong-Gook is a player who can score goals. The most important thing is not the player's form at a given moment, it's whether he has the ability. In fact, we might have done even better at the finals in 2002 had he been given an opportunity to play.
He has been criticised for not putting in the effort to match his brilliant talent.
It's a mistake to criticise a player just on the basis of how he is doing at the moment. In 1998, I looked to the future and I gave him a chance. You have to bring on youngsters carefully and let them show their talent, but it was difficult because people took a very critical view of my decision. Excessive criticism doesn't help the players or the coach, and it certainly doesn't help Korean football.
Was it that kind of criticism that made you step down in the middle of the 1998 tournament?
I think every country is the same in that they'll change coaches if the results aren't satisfactory. Because I had dedication and did my best for the team, they brought me back right after I was sacked. In the build-up to the 2002 World Cup, (Guus) Hiddink wasn't having the best of results. However, because of what happened to me with my unfair dismissal, he was allowed to lead the team all the way.
So have you finally set aside the events of eight years ago?
Yes, because it turned out that many reports from that time were false. I feel alright today because the misunderstandings have been resolved. Yes, the coach is responsible for selecting the players, but it isn't right to evaluate him purely on the results.
In your second group game in 1998 against the Netherlands, some people said that you had been crippled by the 'orange wave' that engulfed the Velodrome in Marseille.
(Laughs). No, that wasn't it. There was a huge gulf between the two teams in terms of ability. The Dutch side had the very best players. Of course, the atmosphere in the stadium made it like a home game for Holland. That match wouldn't have been easy for any team. (The Dutch beat Cha's Korean team 5-0.)
Korea Republic were weaker than the teams they faced eight years ago. How would you compare that side to the one bound for Germany?
The current team has a lot of experience. They had great results in 2002 and gained a lot of confidence, even if was on home turf. Prior to that tournament, we had never won a World Cup game.
In the first round of the 2002 tournament, Korea did not have to face any of the top seeds, like they do this time against France.
The 2002 tournament was different from other years in that many of the world's biggest stars were unable to make an impact. If they had managed to do so, it would have been a different story. Many teams were on an even footing at that tournament, and because we were the home team, our spirits were high and we rode our luck.
But in this tournament, the teams in Korea's group are not to be trifled with.
If our players stay confident, they can have a good tournament. But I myself am a bit worried about the defence. The attack is just fine, and the midfield is good, but if the defence doesn't hold firm it could prove problematic. The team have a wealth of experience and a good coach (Dick Advocaat). Many players also participated in 2002, so everything is set for them. If they don't unexpectedly stumble at the group stage, they could do very well. France are a strong side, but they were in their prime back at EURO 2000, and (Zinedine) Zidane is getting on. There are many young players in the Swiss squad, but Korea have good youngsters too.
How successful do you think Korea Republic will be in this tournament?
I'd say it's 50-50. It's possible the team will get past the first round, but there's also a chance they won't. If we go into the games expecting an easy match, we'll struggle, but if we brace ourselves for a difficult time, we can triumph easily. The confidence we gained from making the semi-finals in 2002 is a good thing, but we mustn't go overboard. If we are confident but humble, and play with honesty, we can hold our own with any team in the group.
Cha, currently managing K-League outfit Suwon Samsung Bluewings, is nothing short of a legend in his native country and, in this exclusive interview with FIFAworldcup.com, he shares some of his many recollections and offers his thoughts on the national team's prospects at Germany 2006.
FIFAworldcup.com: What are your memories of the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico?
Cha Bum-Kun: I can still remember the whole tournament clearly, especially our first match against the eventual winners, Argentina. That was the first time Korea had reached the World Cup finals in 32 years and we were very tense. Whenever Maradona got the ball, we just freaked out and chased him.
You were called up to the national team just before the tournament. Was that difficult for you?
There was some controversy over my selection, because I hadn't had a chance to play with the national team after I went to Germany in 1979. However, I was able to lay those issues to rest when I joined up with the rest of the players, although I had become used to playing at a fast pace in the Bundesliga, so I did have some trouble at first adjusting to the other players' timing.
Some of the current squad who are with European clubs have not had much playing time lately. Do you think this could be problematic if those players are chosen for the national team?
Obviously, if athletes can't play, their competitive ability will suffer. But these players already represented the national team in 2002, so they can return to that role whenever they need to.
Korea Republic's failure to score goals is often cited as a weakness; what do you see as the solution?
Scoring goals is not something that can be taught or practised. The front men just need to stay focused and be ready to score at any moment. Of the current batch of Korean strikers, I think Lee Dong-Gook stands out.
Lee Dong-Gook appeared at France 98 but did not make the 2002 team. Do you think he will show his true colours this summer in Germany?
Of course. Lee Dong-Gook is a player who can score goals. The most important thing is not the player's form at a given moment, it's whether he has the ability. In fact, we might have done even better at the finals in 2002 had he been given an opportunity to play.
He has been criticised for not putting in the effort to match his brilliant talent.
It's a mistake to criticise a player just on the basis of how he is doing at the moment. In 1998, I looked to the future and I gave him a chance. You have to bring on youngsters carefully and let them show their talent, but it was difficult because people took a very critical view of my decision. Excessive criticism doesn't help the players or the coach, and it certainly doesn't help Korean football.
Was it that kind of criticism that made you step down in the middle of the 1998 tournament?
I think every country is the same in that they'll change coaches if the results aren't satisfactory. Because I had dedication and did my best for the team, they brought me back right after I was sacked. In the build-up to the 2002 World Cup, (Guus) Hiddink wasn't having the best of results. However, because of what happened to me with my unfair dismissal, he was allowed to lead the team all the way.
So have you finally set aside the events of eight years ago?
Yes, because it turned out that many reports from that time were false. I feel alright today because the misunderstandings have been resolved. Yes, the coach is responsible for selecting the players, but it isn't right to evaluate him purely on the results.
In your second group game in 1998 against the Netherlands, some people said that you had been crippled by the 'orange wave' that engulfed the Velodrome in Marseille.
(Laughs). No, that wasn't it. There was a huge gulf between the two teams in terms of ability. The Dutch side had the very best players. Of course, the atmosphere in the stadium made it like a home game for Holland. That match wouldn't have been easy for any team. (The Dutch beat Cha's Korean team 5-0.)
Korea Republic were weaker than the teams they faced eight years ago. How would you compare that side to the one bound for Germany?
The current team has a lot of experience. They had great results in 2002 and gained a lot of confidence, even if was on home turf. Prior to that tournament, we had never won a World Cup game.
In the first round of the 2002 tournament, Korea did not have to face any of the top seeds, like they do this time against France.
The 2002 tournament was different from other years in that many of the world's biggest stars were unable to make an impact. If they had managed to do so, it would have been a different story. Many teams were on an even footing at that tournament, and because we were the home team, our spirits were high and we rode our luck.
But in this tournament, the teams in Korea's group are not to be trifled with.
If our players stay confident, they can have a good tournament. But I myself am a bit worried about the defence. The attack is just fine, and the midfield is good, but if the defence doesn't hold firm it could prove problematic. The team have a wealth of experience and a good coach (Dick Advocaat). Many players also participated in 2002, so everything is set for them. If they don't unexpectedly stumble at the group stage, they could do very well. France are a strong side, but they were in their prime back at EURO 2000, and (Zinedine) Zidane is getting on. There are many young players in the Swiss squad, but Korea have good youngsters too.
How successful do you think Korea Republic will be in this tournament?
I'd say it's 50-50. It's possible the team will get past the first round, but there's also a chance they won't. If we go into the games expecting an easy match, we'll struggle, but if we brace ourselves for a difficult time, we can triumph easily. The confidence we gained from making the semi-finals in 2002 is a good thing, but we mustn't go overboard. If we are confident but humble, and play with honesty, we can hold our own with any team in the group.
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