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The top scorer in the K League 1, Lee Min-kyu (Ulsan Hyundai), will be able to board the Klinsmann.
With Hwang Eui-jo (Norwich City) facing the prospect of missing the Asian Cup next January after being questioned by police on suspicion of illegal filming, all eyes are on Jürgen Klinsmann’s options.
The Korean Football Association has decided not to call up Hwang Ui-jo,
who recently came under fire for illegally filming a sexual encounter with his ex-lover, until the facts are clear.
Hwang will not be able to play in the upcoming Asian Cup unless he is cleared by the judicial authorities before the final roster is announced.
It’s a significant blow to the national team’s chances of winning the tournament for the first time in 64 years.
Hwang has firmly established himself as the backup striker to Cho Kyu-sung (Meatwillan) in Klinsmann’s system.
If Cho Kyu-sung is out of shape or underperforming, Hwang is the primary backup striker.
If Hwang is unavailable for selection, the national team will need to find another striker.
This is a potential crisis for the national team, but in a way, the answer is simple: just pick a good player as a backup.
Ironically, the homegrown striker who has scored the most goals in the K League, the backbone of Korean soccer, has yet to be selected for the national team.
That would be In-Ju Gyu.
He is the top scorer in the league with 17 goals this season.
He was the top scorer with Jeju in 2021 and won another title this year after moving to Ulsan.
In fact, he’s a proven striker in the K League, not just a flash in the pan.
He first won the title in 2021 with 22 goals in Jeju’s colors, and last year he shared the title with
Cho Kyu-sung with 17 goals, but he missed out on the title for the second year in a row due to his high number of appearances. 호텔카지노
This year, however, he regained the title after two years.
Based on his performance over the past three years, Lee has been one of the most consistent and threatening strikers in the K League.
However, he hasn’t had much luck with the Taeguk Mark.
He was completely ignored under the previous coach, Paulo Bento, and despite being considered for every call-up under Klinsmann,he was never really noticed.
Of course, if Klinsmann is looking for a generational change for the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America, it could be difficult for the 1990-born player to be selected.
But the Asian Cup is about results, not process.
Given his performance in the K League, there is no shortage of alternative strikers.
Klinsmann has stuck to a three-man attacking system of Cho Kyu-sung,
Hwang Eui-jo, and Oh Hyun-gyu (Celtic) since his appointment and has lost backup striker Hwang Eui-jo.
With little time left until the Asian Cup and no upcoming A-League matches,
it’s hard to find a quick replacement, so it’ll be interesting to see if Klinsmann reaches out to In-Joo one last time.