South Korea’s coach, Hong Myung-bo, has expressed concerns regarding Bayern Munich’s handling of Kim Min-jae, who has been withdrawn from the national squad for two World Cup qualifiers to seek treatment for an Achilles injury.
Kim was included in Hong’s 28-man squad last Monday for the upcoming qualifiers against Oman and Jordan. However, he was withdrawn on Saturday due to the need for treatment of his left Achilles tendonitis and subsequent rehabilitation.
During a training session in Goyang, Hong informed reporters that the national team coaching staff had been cognisant for some time of “warning signs” indicating that the injury could resurface.
“Regrettably, Bayern Munich failed to adequately safeguard the player against injury, resulting in a scenario where we must navigate crucial matches without a vital team member,” Hong stated.
“The significance of a match does not necessarily justify Kim’s presence on the pitch.” Warning signs have been evident since last year, and there was a complete awareness of these indicators.
“Our decision to not retain Kim Min-jae for these crucial matches aligns with our commitment to player welfare.” The decision has been made to rest him.
Kim was absent for Bayern’s 1-1 draw against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga last weekend. Yet, he has participated in 13 of the club’s 16 matches following the conclusion of the German winter break.
With just two prior international appearances, FC Seoul center-back Kim Ju-sung is set to step in for the Bayern player in South Korea’s defensive lineup, according to Hong.
Kim Ju-sung was part of the national team last year, bringing valuable experience to our system. The decision to select him was based on careful consideration. “He has demonstrated exceptional performance in the K League thus far,” Hong remarked.
