Temporary men's football coach stresses need to focus on controllables amid controversy

Cheonan — Amid controversy surrounding reported discord among key players, Robert Moreno, the temporary head coach of South Korea's national football team, emphasized Thursday the importance of focusing on controllable factors. Moreno unveiled a 26-player roster for upcoming friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Qatar planned for November.

However, the focus of his press conference at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, located approximately 80 kilometers south of Seoul, shifted to questions regarding the status of central figures involved in reports of tension within the team. The trio of Kim Min-jae, Hwang Hee-chan, and Hwang In-beom, collectively referred to as the "1996 group" due to their birth years, reportedly expressed their intention to retire from international football after securing a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan on October 6.

They alleged dissatisfaction with longtime captain Son Heung-min, who is four years their senior. While none of the three players followed through with their retirement declaration, the incident divided football fans and sparked speculation about the possibility of these four players never playing together again for the national team.