Chapter 1075 World Cup (Third update, please subscribe)
Seoul Airport.
A group of men wearing suits and carrying suitcases were stopped by reporters who came after hearing the news as soon as they got out of the car.
A reporter asked loudly.
"Coach Kim Young-sik, coach Kim Young-sik, is the South Korean team confident of defeating the Nanyang team this time when they compete in Chang'an?"
As soon as the reporter finished speaking, a reporter from the side interrupted.
“Just like three years ago, we defeated the Japanese team!”
Four years ago, there were only two teams in Asia competing for the Asian qualification quota for the Football World Cup - South Korea and Japan. .
According to FIFA rules, there is a quota in the Asian region. Due to various reasons, only South Japan signed up for the competition in 1953, because only one country signed up, so South Japan can directly qualify for the World Cup.
After learning the news, the Koreans were quite brave. Just because they said "they don't want to see the former invaders step into the World Cup", the Korean Football Association gritted their teeth and decided to go to Japan to compete. Compare!
So, they urgently formed a national team, but looking at those players, it is undoubtedly miserable: since there has been no ball to play in the past many years, there will naturally be no fresh blood. The players in the team are generally older and basically They are all over 30 years old, and many are even thirty-six or seventeen years old. There are not enough people, so the Football Association has to bring in some athletes from other sports to make up the number.
Before going to Tokyo to compete, the Korean team assured all the people: We must defeat the Japanese team. If we cannot win, we will be thrown into the East China Sea!
In the end they won Japan 5-1.
Then this team, which couldn't raise the travel expenses and participation fees, and couldn't even afford regular sneakers, took a US military plane all the way to Switzerland to participate in the competition. A brilliant result of 0:9.
Well, the Hungarian team scored 9 goals. So in the end, the Hungarians were sympathetic and unwilling to play in double digits.
In short, for South Korea...this is their pride.
At least they defeated Japan, qualified for the World Cup, and also played against the Hungarian team, the top team in Europe at the time.
What now?
They are going to Nanyang to participate in a competition to compete for next year’s World Cup qualifications. Coincidentally, Japan did not register this year. South Korea unexpectedly signed up.
Faced with reporters’ inquiries, coach Kim Zhiying said.
"We are confident of defeating the Nanyang team. After all, the improvement in the technical level of our players in the past few years is obvious to all! I believe we will definitely achieve good results in Nanyang this time."
For a while, outside the airport There was thunderous applause, and many people cheered for them. In the cheers, these members of the Korean national football team, wearing garlands, walked into the airport. Carrying suitcases, they were all full of expectations for the next journey.
Finally I have a chance to go to Nanyang!
After getting on the plane, these athletes were discussing what to buy after arriving in Nanyang.
“I want to buy a real Nanyang skirt for my wife.”
"It would be great if I could buy a TV..."
The reason why they discussed how to spend money in Nanyang was not because they were rich - in fact, they were still a bunch of poor people. Even when they were in the national team, they could get a high salary of 7,000 won per month, but it was only a few dollars, not even as high as the income of Korean women who went to Nanyang as trainees.
But this time is different from the past. During the Nanyang competition, in addition to the appearance fee of 100 Nanyang, each of them can also receive a daily subsidy of 20 Nanyang, because... they are participating in the competition. Funded by the Nanyang Football Association.
Because they have money, they look forward to buying some Nanyang goods when they go to participate in this competition.
Just as the members of the Korean national team started their trip to Nanyang with great expectations, Li Huitang, the chairman of the Nanyang Football Association, finally breathed a sigh of relief after putting down the phone in the Nanyang Football Association office in Chang'an. , said.
"Okay, the Korean team is here."
Hearing this, Herberger also breathed a sigh of relief and clapped his hands.
“We can finally go to the World Cup.”
As the head coach of the Nanyang team, he participated in the Berlin Olympics when he was the head coach of the German national football team!
In the past few years, he has been the head coach of the Nanyang "Red Hunters". In fact, Nanyang had the opportunity to participate in the World Cup three years ago. However, considering the status of Herberger and others, plus the At that time, issues such as whether to allow the German national team to participate and the former Nazi identity of the players had not been properly resolved. Nanyang announced that it would give up participating in the FIFA World Cup. But what they didn’t expect was...the German national team, which had been banned for 50 years, finally made the final decision. are allowed to participate.
Although it is a pity for the Nanyang national team to give up the game, for the German coaches and players, they know the reason - to protect them. Because of this, they have been looking forward to this competition for the past three years.
After the Nanyang national team excitedly signed up, no one except Nanyang signed up - because the cost of flying to Sweden was too high, Japan and Vietnam directly chose to give up, and the same was true for South Korea.
Just when Nanyang thought that it could automatically qualify like Japan in the previous edition, FIFA changed the rules and the qualifications must be passed through the national team competitions of at least two countries. get.
As the head coach, Herberger and the Nanyang National Team were all dumbfounded. As for the Chairman of the Football Association Li Huitang, of course... he was also dumbfounded. In order to allow the national team to successfully compete in Sweden, he immediately flew to Vietnam to negotiate and expressed his willingness to sponsor Vietnam to participate, but Vietnam did not have a national team at all. In the end We have no choice but to choose South Korea. After all, if we have a choice, Nanyang will not choose Japan.
In the end, with a check of 200,000 South dollars, South Korea agreed to form a national team and register to participate in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
I have to say that Nanyang’s road to competition is really a bit difficult. "Yes, it's not easy. This time, next time..."
After thinking about it, Li Huitang smiled.
"There will be Malaya next time, and they will definitely sign up."
There will be no need to look for those countries by then, it will be enough if Malaysia participates.
Otherwise, what if Mindanao is also pulled out? As a special administrative region, you are definitely eligible to participate in FIFA.
There is also Kyushu, which is also a special zone and is internationally recognized.
Well, these tasks can be prepared in advance. Including Siam, there will be at least 4 teams from Asia participating in the competition. Even if FIFA changes the rules, it will not be affected at all.
“Actually, I don’t want to play against the Korean team. I have watched their game against the Japanese team. It is not so much that they won the game, but that they won the game by fouling. "
Herberger said helplessly:
"I don't want our players to get injured during the game, but now we have no other choice."
Unlike Europe, where football has a broad foundation, there is a foundation for football in Asia, that is, in Nanyang. Even football has long become the most popular sport in Nanyang, and of course it is also the sport with the best foundation. All primary schools, middle schools and universities in Nanyang have their own teams. Not only the army and military academies have their own teams, but also the Companies also have their own teams, and the Nanyang Football League is the busiest season in Nanyang every year.
But now if you want to get the only quota in Asia, you must have another country register to participate, and then pass the competition to qualify.
"Well, I think it was against Japan. Koreans, like us, have old grudges with the Japanese. And it was raining heavily during that game, and the two teams were almost playing on the muddy grass. It was inevitable that they would foul due to the rain and mud."
Li Huitang said with a smile.
"I specifically learned about the Korean team with the Hungarian team. When they played against the Korean team four years ago, the sportsmanship of the Korean team was very commendable. During the 90-minute match, at least 7 people in the Korean team cramped and fell to the ground, including Many people still had cramps in their legs. However, even though they played so brutally, the Korean team did not commit a single foul in the game, which made the Hungarian team in awe and said that they are a group of opponents worthy of respect. "
Listen to Li Hui. Despite Tang's words, Herberger couldn't help but complain.
"Li, you must understand that the level of the Korean team is very low. It is not that they did not commit fouls, but because of the absolute gap in strength during the game, the Korean team committed continuous fouls throughout the game. There is no chance..."
Then, he emphasized again.
“After all, the Hungarian team is a strong European team, and in front of them, the Korean team is like a baby!”
All right!
This is a bit insulting to Korea.
But, this is the fact!
As a football coach, Herberger is very aware of the gap between the Korean team and the Hungarian team. With such a huge difference, it is impossible for them to commit a foul.
After all, the prerequisite for a foul is... that you have a chance.
"So?"
Herberger shrugged his shoulders and said.
"In order to ensure that our players can compete smoothly, I think using substitute players is the best choice."
Looking at Heberger with a serious face, Li Huitang said.
"Are you serious? This is a qualifying round, if you lose..."
Faced with doubts, Herberger's expression turned a bit resentful and he said.
"You are also a player, don't you see that the level of those Korean players is just a bunch of soy sauce."
Then, Herberger emphasized again.
“Our best players are going to Sweden to participate in the World Cup next year. It is simply a joke to ask them to participate in such a competition.”
Facing Herberger’s Persisting, Li Huitang shrugged his shoulders. said.
"You are the head coach, and everything depends on your decision. The Football Association is just helping you to provide good services."
(End of Chapter)