With the days of mystery and state secrecy slowly drawing to a close, North Korea head to the Emirates, as well known as they’ve ever been. With players seeking outposts in Europe, domestic teams succeeding in AFC competition, not to mention a greater dialogue politically with its neighbours, North Korea is starting to bring itself into the Asian football consciousness. While the spotlight has been lit, a change of management on the run up to the tournament is likely to see them continue to reinforce some long-held stereotypes.
Throughout the last cycle, North Korean football emerged from underneath a rock. A competitive schedule coupled with technological advances have allowed outsiders to watch more games than has ever been possible before. Opening the onlooking world to the sight of uniform attendance at the Kim Il-Sung Stadium Pyongyang, supplemented with the equally orchestrated travelling (or purposely shipped in) away support, most striking in Qatar for their away match with Yemen to start qualification.
It gave us the chance to truly assess the football being developed in the country, long eulogised as defensive, workmanlike and devoid of artistic attacking play, recently borne out of their infamous World Cup appearance in 2010. Instead, we saw balance, a team that could compete at both ends of the pitch, at home and away. A modern side, with players capable of making the leap outside of the national league.
The emergence during qualification of national team captain Jong Il Gwan was a revelation. The wide forward, has been a breath of fresh air, who took on individual responsibility and thrived off it. His move last summer to Luzern in Switzerland spurred a generation of North Korean players on to widen their prospects. The current squad now consists of players playing their football in Austria, Italy, Japan and Cambodia, and while the bulk of the team remains home based, the style of football has developed considerably.
Employing a foreign coach had much to do with this. The appointment of Norwegian coach Jorn Andersen, the first foreigner in charge of North Korea since the 1990s, brought with it an adventurous shift in approach that looked to dictate attacking play. Results including a 2-2 draw with Lebanon, back to back 4-1 wins against Malaysia, and a 1-1 draw in Hong Kong, were matches that saw Korea set up around their new-found strength, through an unassuming attack that’s still bubbling under the radar.
To supplement Jong Il Gwan’s initiative from outside, Pak Kwang Ryong, who’s developed a substantial CV over his career in central Europe, is a focal point to play off. The goals of Kim Yu Song, scoring six in the final qualification stage, has been another example of the array of talent North Korea can offer in attacking areas.
Then there’s the prospect of 20-year-old Han Kwang Song, the first North Korean player to play, and then score in Italy’s Serie A. Han alludes to a greater talent pool yet to be unearthed going into a new World Cup cycle, making this January’s Asian Cup, ever more important to signal-post development in the country’s game.
A wounding blow came upon qualification however, as Andersen ended his tenure with North Korea. Outside funding is often limited, given the heavy sanctions put on their domestic government, meaning the DPRK FA had to cut their cloth accordingly; Andersen’s contract wasn’t renewed. The result is likely to see Korea return to type, as Kim Yong Jun, a rookie coach, but an experienced domestic player who featured in their most recent World Cup outing in South Africa enters to fill Andersen’s sizeable shoes. Initial outings have seen Kim look to predominantly home-based call ups, too often deploying the ultra-defensive tactics of old, including the return of the flattest of back fives on occasion.
November’s East Asian Cup qualification failure suggests that the progress under Andersen has somewhat stalled. While they returned from Taipei unbeaten, failing to either overcome a Hong Kong side they bettered in Asian Cup qualification, or put the hosts Taiwan to the sword by a greater score line in the final matchday, meant the Koreans failed to make the East Asian Cup finals for the first time in five years, an early hammer blow to Kim’s fledgling managerial career.
Expectations heading into the Asian Cup, at least from anyone outside the country will be realistically modest. Having failed to make it out the group stage since the 1980s, without recording a victory in that time, recent results hardly suggest things will change. They’ll be up against also, drawing the likes of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two sides who have had promising transitional periods of late. While recent history suggests (losing 5-0 in Beirut last October), Lebanon are a notch ahead at present as well.
Judging the progress of North Korean football by their results and performances due to be showcased in the Emirates, would be underselling the progress Andersen achieved over his tenure. Regrettably we’ll likely see an untested, predominantly domestic based squad come January, a return to the start of a new phase, rather than a true test of the last four years. An interesting side note will instead assess which direction they go next; whether Kim sets up his side to play expansive attacking football, as was regularly the case under Andersen or retreat to their ambitions of old.
Key Men
Head Coach - Kim Yong Jun
Former international midfielder, who featured in North Korea’s infamous 7-0 reverse to Portugal at the 2010 World Cup. Has been brought in to finish the job of Norwegian Jorn Anderson who qualified the team for the Asian Cup. Has already alluded to returning to a more defensive set up than that of his predecessor.
Star Player - Jong Il Gwan
The most dependable attacking outlet North Korea has had over the last few seasons, Jong, now skipper of the national team provides creation and an end product from wide left and the work rate to press from the front. Has struggled domestically since moving to Switzerland two summers back, and will be looking for a new club to impress come January.
Under Pressure - Pak Kwang Ryong
Physical target man who has played in Europe his entire career, mainly in Switzerland but most recently Austria, has rarely illustrated his undoubted talent with the national team. Now, with a number of players plying their trade outside of North Korea, his place at the sharp end of their attack for once won’t be considered a sure thing.
Young Prospect - Han Kwang Song
Became the first North Korean to play in Serie A, when he made his debut as an 18-year-old for Cagliari before having an impressive goal scoring campaign with Perugia in Serie B last season. Has only just come into the senior national team fold towards the end of qualification and should provide stiff competition in an already strong area of the pitch for the Koreans.
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