The national team requested for the clubs of 13 abroad players to be released for the upcoming friendly against Nigeria at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 11th of next month.
Captain Park Ji-sung (Man Utd), Lee Chung-yong (Bolton), Ki Sung-yong (Celtic), Park Chu-young (Monaco), Lee Young-pyo (Al-Hilal) and Lee Jung-soo (Al-Sadd) were called up for the national team. Cha Du-ri (Celtic) was not included.
In addition to the players mentioned above seven Japanese-based players Kwak Tae-hwi (Kyoto), Lee Keun-ho (Gamba), Lee Bo-kyung (Oita), Park Joo-ho (Iwata), Cho Young-cheol (Niigata), Kim Min-woo (Sagan Tosu) and Kim Young-gwon (Tokyo) were also called up.
The new head coach looks set to start the generation shift in the national team by calling up the stars of the Korean U-20 team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Young players such as Kim Bo-kyung, Kim Min-woo, Kim Young-gwon and Cho Young-cheol will be looked upon to lead the transition to a younger generation in the national team. The finalized squad is expected to be announced on the 5th of next month.
The national team will have its first match under Jo Gwang-rae against Nigeria. The returning Nigeria squad will be without Yakubu Aiyegbani, but stars such as Vincent Enyeama, John Obi Mikel, Peter Odemwingie and Obafemi Martins will participate.
