Interim gaffer springs surprise call-ups for first matches at Korean helm

The first call-ups by the Taeguk Warriors' interim manager, Robert Moreno, included a pair of surprises: Jeong Seung-won of FC Seoul and Kim Min-su of Glasgow Rangers.

Moreno announced his first 30-man squad Monday at the Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong. The side will play four international friendlies across September and October.

The 49-year-old Spaniard made the announcement a day after arriving in Korea to begin his tenure as interim gaffer. He succeeded Hong Myung-bo, who resigned following Korea’s group stage elimination at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Moreno reportedly demonstrated a strong grasp of Korean football during the interview process, including the intricacies of Gimcheon Sangmu — a club made up of players completing their mandatory military service.

Asian Games duty also forced him to delve deeper into his scouting reports, as call-ups for wild cards Eom Ji-sung of Swansea City, Bae Jun-ho of Stoke City and Yang Hyun-jun of Celtic created openings for surprise selections such as Jeong and Kim.

Jeong returns to the national team for the first time since July of last year after emerging as one of the K League 1's standout performers this season. The FC Seoul midfielder has eight goals and six assists.

Kim, born in 2006, is another eye-catching addition. The promising youngster moved to the Scottish side this season and has impressed since his transfer.

Lee Seung-woo, however, missed the cut. The Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors forward had been hoping for his first national team call-up since October 2024 after playing a leading role in the club's attack this season.

Moreno’s first test will come against Ecuador at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Gyeonggi on Sept. 24. His results and the team’s overall performances across six matches through November will determine whether he remains in charge for the Asian Cup in January.

"We’ve narrowed down the squad after analyzing a database of 1,700 Korean players," Moreno said. "You don't earn a place on the national team because of your name. You earn it through your performances. I want players who can contribute both in attack and defense."

BY PARK LIN [[email protected]]