Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the Korean men's national football team, speaks at a press conference at the Korea Football Association House in Seoul, March 10. Yonhap

For Korea's two upcoming World Cup qualifying matches at home, head coach Hong Myung-bo would have liked more than one K League player in his 13-deep midfield corps. Ideally, he would have had more balance between domestic leaguers and those based overseas, which, in turn, would have created healthier internal competition for playing time that benefits both groups.

However, K League players did not give Hong that chance this time because, in Hong's words, they tried too hard to impress.

Hong on Monday announced his 28-man squad for matches against Oman on March 20 and Jordan on March 25 in the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hong said he and his staff gave K Leaguers long looks, thinking that they wouldn't have to deal with the jetlag that often plagues players traveling in from afar.

The coach, though, came away disappointed with some players who had been on the national team in the recent past.

"I noticed how some of them performed differently than last year. They had a lot of unnecessary movements and touches in moments when they should have been quicker and more decisive," Hong said at the press conference at the Korea Football Association (KFA) House in Seoul. "Maybe it was because they had become too confident after playing for the national team last year. I thought a few players had taken steps back. I understand they wanted to make an impression on me and my staff, but I thought they tried too hard."

As Hong was explaining his decision, assistant coach Kim Jin-kyu nodded his head in agreement while watching the presser from the side.

Hong chose not to close the doors on such players entirely, saying: "These are the players we always have on our mind. If they can improve in those areas I just mentioned, they will always have a chance to return to the national team."

As it is, Hong will carry 12 midfielders from overseas and one midfielder from the K League, Lee Dong-gyeong of Gimcheon Sangmu FC. Overall, Hong's 28-man squad features nine K Leaguers.

Earlier this year, Hong and his staff went on a scouting trip to Europe to visit with Korean players there and see them in match action. As productive as it was to meet some players and have long conversations, Hong said it was particularly difficult to put together the squad this time compared with recent months due to players' underperformances and injuries.

"While we were there, most Korean players didn't get to play much, and some of them were sidelined with injuries. And there were those who couldn't crack the lineup after a coaching change in their clubs," Hong said. "At least we got to see firsthand how well or poorly they were playing, and had a chance to determine whether they really deserved a chance to play big minutes or they were only playing because their teammates were hurt. It all made for a difficult selection process."

Ultimately, Hong concluded that Europe-based players were still superior to those in the K League.

Son Heung-Min of Tottenham runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Britain, March 9. AFP-Yonhap

That overseas group will once again be led by longtime captain Son Heung-min, who scored a penalty goal for Tottenham Hotspur in his latest Premier League match Sunday.

It was only Son's seventh goal in 25 matches this season, putting him well off his usual pace.

Amid whispers that Son has begun declining at age 32, Spurs have attempted to scale back his minutes. Hong said he could do the same with the national team but it likely won't happen right away.

"Of course, he is not playing as many minutes and is not scoring as often as before. But we must not forget about what he has done so far, both for the national team and for his club," Hong said. "I will sit down and talk to him about his role with us, and we will try to find the best option."

Korea's two matches will be played outside Seoul, with poor pitch conditions at Seoul World Cup Stadium, considered the mecca of Korean football, once again forcing venue changes.

Last October, the KFA moved the match against Iraq from Seoul to Yongin, about 40 kilometers south of the capital, due to field issues. This time, the Oman match will be at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, about 20 kilometers northwest of Seoul, followed by the Jordan match at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of the capital city.

These decisions are also costly, because they are both smaller than the 66,000-seat Seoul World Cup Stadium and the KFA won't generate as much gate revenue at those alternate stadiums.

Hong said pitch conditions can serve as a clear indicator of a team's performance level.

"Football is becoming more technical and tactical than before, and the quality keeps improving. If the pitch can't support that, it's a massive problem," Hong said. "It may not be important to some people, but this is not just about the players. We have fans watching, and this is about the quality of play. So I'd like to ask maintenance workers to be more responsible. I can guarantee you that our players will perform better on a better pitch. Fans will watch better football." (Yonhap)