U-23 manager Hwang Sun-hong: 'I will focus solely on the Olympics'

U-23 national team manageer Hwang Sun-hong [JOONGANG ILBO]

Hwang Sun-hong, the manager of the U-23 national football team, has his eyes set on an ambitious goal: to qualify for the Olympics for the 10th consecutive time.

“I just have one objective for the new year, and that is to go for the Olympics only,” Hwang said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at a café in Seongnam, Gyeonggi earlier this month. “The new year may be the most important time in my football career. The Olympics, a much tougher challenge than last year awaits me. I will focus solely on the Olympics.”

The U-23 national team has yet to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, as it is contingent on the team finishing in third place or above at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, which serves as Olympic qualifiers and is set to run from April 15 through May 3.

Qualifying for the Games would make Korea the first-ever country to reach the tournament 10 straight times. The Korean football team already holds the record for the most consecutive Olympic appearances, at nine.

Hwang saw great success last year, winning a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games with the U-23 squad that granted the players military exemption.

“The experience from [last year’s] Asiad will be helpful for us in terms of playing the Olympic qualifiers,” Hwang said.

Hwang faced criticism right before the Asiad began, as the squad showed a lackluster performance in tune-up matches. Despite all that, his side beat age-old rivals Japan 2-1 in the final to become the first-ever country to win the third consecutive Asiad gold medal.

Hwang's meticulous preparations with his coaching staff were key to that success.

Hwang’s Olympic squad also looks well-prepared for the upcoming qualifiers, as they thrashed the U-21 French national team led by Thierry Henry 3-0 in a friendly in November last year.

The highest finish Korea has ever managed at the Olympics was a bronze medal in 2012 when Korea beat Japan in the bronze medal match.

Since then, Korea has failed to reach the semifinals, finishing in fifth at both the 2016 and 2020 Games.

“We will prepare well and reach the Olympics for the 10th straight time no matter what,” Hwang said. “I then want to create history in Paris and feel the bigger joy than winning the Asiad.”

Hwang is also keen to choose the three best wild cards who can play crucial roles in the team.

“I want to pick [Kim] Min-jae, [Son] Heung-min and [Hwang] In-beom, and [Lee] Kang-in as well, as he is still 23 years old,” Hwang said. “I will make the best possible squad after a deep contemplation.”

The upcoming U-23 Asian Cup will likely be a tough competition for Hwang’s squad, however, as they are set to face long-time rivals Japan, China and the United Arab Emirates in the group stage.

BY PI JOO-YOUNG [kjdsports@joongang.co.kr]