04/20/24
June 22, 2002
"Smug ``We knew it'' expressions: : Okay, we could have told you this team was good, but that would have spoiled a lot of the enjoyment" says Eoghan Sweeney, Chief Football Writer for the Korea Times. This prompts a question, is South Korea's success a fluke in this tournament, or are they an emerging power? Of the semifinalists they've had to go through the most difficult opponents, will they get further? What do you say?
With all the bad calls, Italy has a right to feel gypped. They were not, however, equipped to beat Korea this time. I believe that was due, in equal parts, to Korea's home-team advantage, Italy's defensive strategy, and a strong finishing Korean team. Spain no more dominated the quarterfinals match than did Korea, but in a just world, Spain would still be in the tournament because they scored (and after looking at the play again, it all really happened too quickly for the Korean team to totally stop playing by the time the ball was headed into the net -- that was an earned goal). Bad officiating is just about the only thing a team has no way to prepare for, and I take back what I said in a different thread about Spain not being robbed. They were, and they should feel like it. But I do feel a bit sorry for the team that's still in it. The solid work ethic behind the Korean game is obvious, I think, to everyone who's seen them play in this tournament. The Korean team is the only one I've seen that appears to get stronger as each game nears its final 10 minutes or so. I don't think even Brazil can claim that. Such being the case, I seriously doubt that the Koreans ever wanted to be given a game (or two, depending on your viewpoint). It's a bit sad that the FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan (TM) looks as though it's going to be remembered by many as a sham that was molded from the start by bad refs. And even should Korea win against Germany and in the final match -- let's assume, for the moment, they do this without the refs' generous assistance -- they'll be the first Cup winner, to my knowledge, that will still be left with something to prove to the established football nations before being named as one of the great sides in the sport. And until they prove it, as FB says, away from home, Korea will indeed be remembered as a fluke. That said, I'm still picking Korea over Brazil in Yokohama - 2-0.
posted by Bixby23 at 12:57 AM on June 24, 2002
Some people are still calling France's world cup win a fluke. They think there was a Nike conspiracy that forced Brazil to play with an unfit Ronaldo. They shut up a little bit after Euro2000 but came back in force when France didn't make it through the group stages. They seemed to have quieted up a little bit after Portugal, Italy and Argentina went home as well. That said, I've heard that the assistant ref (who I believe are not allowed to comment on any calls they've made) called the ball out of play in the air, not on the ground. Though I haven't seen anything on the web about it. And in a just world that-Spanish-guy-whose-name-I've-forgotten would have been sent off for that brutal studs-first tackle on Kim Nam-il. That was just nasty. I heard someone the other day on the BBC talking about an exhibition match he had seen featuring Korean preteens which he had been extremely impressed by. The impression I've gathered from all this is that before Hiddink came along they were inhibited by cultural factors (such as always deferring to their elders, i.e. rather than shoot, a young player would pass it to an older player. Another thing was that they should keep their emotions in check, always) and not by technical skills. I think this tournament has also proved to them that they needn't be afraid of anyone (as Saudi-Arabia was of Germany) and that if they put in the necessary effort they can be just as good as any team in the world. Because of that I think that South-Korea at least (if not the rest of Asia) will continue to do well in future World Cups. Fat Buddha: Spain didn't really fuck up, at least not in the same style they've done previously. I think that if they'd have won now they would have been front-runners for the cup. But they do seem cursed. But yeah, Bixby, nothing will be certain until after a decade or so. And even so, countries have had golden periods only to sink back into obscurity (Hungary anyone?).
posted by Kattullus at 08:43 AM on June 24, 2002
Korea will never win another World Cup game away from home, i guarantee it....they are being dragged through this tournament by the refs...its sad.
posted by StarFucker at 11:21 AM on June 24, 2002
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating. Lets see how they get on away from home before we start bigging them up. Don't forget they have had 5 good goals against them disallowed, they really shouldn't still be in it. You yourself Kattullus told us with remarkarble prescience that Spain would fuck up, so should the credit really go to Korea, or the little Iberian devil that gets in Spanish footballers heads? I'm happy for the fans of South Korea but given at least 2 twenty year old healthy males have kicked the bucket with the excitement of it all, I'm not sure if I should be. It's rabid nationalism really, and I find it distasteful when my own compatriots do it, but it seems ok if it's a country from far away of which we know little. I would be happy to see Korea go out now; I think at least two of their opponents can feel very hard done by and that sours it for me. Mostly though, I think the poor wee dabs need time to visit a decent barber.