Friday , March 29 2024

Spotlight on South Korea at 2023 AFC Elite Youth Online Session!

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conducted the latest edition of the AFC Elite Youth Online Session virtually on Thursday to discuss the best ways to develop the future stars of Asian football.

Led by AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh, the session was attended by 90 participants from 38 Member Associations and included a special discussion with AFC Professional Football Task Force Chairperson and South Korea legend Park Ji-sung on the Taeguk Warrior’s success on the world stage.

Speaking of the East Asian nation’s performance at the global showpiece, Park Ji-sung said: “I was immensely pleased with our performance against Uruguay. It was great to see that unlike our earlier stints at the FIFA World Cup, this time we exuded confidence and did not lose our focus.

“I believe that this has been a result of Asian players finding places in the top European leagues, which has enabled them to believe in themselves.”

Park went on to emphasise the need for the standardisation of youth development programmes on the Continent in order for players to develop in a protected environment where they are provided with the right resources.

Drawing on the example of the Korean “school system”, the former Manchester United star said: “The school system in South Korea plays an integral role in nurturing talented youth players as they transition to the professional tier.

“Since there are only a few professional clubs that have youth teams, many talented players get left behind since they take time to mature. The school system takes care of the late bloomers and allows them the space to grow and turn pro only when they are ready. The key is to find a way to make youth leagues and school systems co-exist in the most optimal way.”

The case study paved the way for the participants to discuss several interesting topics such as the need to develop team philosophies, and the changing mindset of the newer generations.

“The younger generation’s mind is completely different. As coaches, it is our responsibility to hone our communication skills in such a way that the youth players are encouraged to follow our guidance,” explained Park.

Trends from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 were discussed and those with development implications were highlighted. These included teaching players to be more efficient inside the penalty box, and tutoring goalkeepers to use their feet more efficiently.

This was followed by a presentation on the need for young players to be able to read the game in terms of understanding basic principles such as depth and mobility, recognising tactical signals, and anticipating the movement of players.

Reflecting on the future of Asian football, Park added: “I think Asia has immense potential and is like a treasure trove waiting to be mined.

“I am very optimistic about the future and I believe the way to closing the gap between Asian teams and the best of Europe and South America is through investing in youth development programmes.”

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