Song Heung-min, captain of Korean men's national football team, reacts after a goal against Oman during their Group B match in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualification at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat, Oman, Sept. 10. Yonhap

After weeks of the Korea Football Association and Chung Mong-gyu, its president, dominating the headlines and facing criticism from the government, it is now time for the players to take center stage. World Cup qualification continues on Thursday with a challenging trip to Jordan, where the players are motivated by thoughts of revenge.

It was the 2-0 loss to Jordan in the semi-final of the Asian Cup on Feb.6 that proved to be a turning point and is a big reason why the KFA has been the focus of Korean soccer so much. It was such a comprehensive defeat against a team that the Taeguk Warriors had been expected to beat comfortably that it cost Jurgen Klinsmann his job as head coach – or perhaps it was the game that confirmed that the German really wasn't the right man for the job.

The chaotic search for the replacement eventually settled on Hong Myung-bo and the new coach is keen to put all that behind him. A win in Jordan would help.

He will, however, be without captain and star player Son Heung-min. The 32 year-old injured his hamstring while playing for Tottenham Hotspur recently and has not been called up. It is a blow for the team and the coach. It does however, leave the door open for others such as Bae Jun-ho who has been impressive for Stoke City in England's second tier.

"I am sure Son himself would love to play, even if he is not 100 percent. That's the way he has been," Hong said. "I know a lot of fans would love to see him play but I don't want to force the issue. We do have a Plan B in case Son can't play."

Lee Kang-in can step up and be the star of the team. The 23 year-old has been in fine form for Paris Saint-Germain this season and has the ability to make a difference to any team.

This is a question that Korea will have to face in the not-too-distant future. By the time the next World Cup comes along, Son will be turning 34 and it will surely be his last. Even though he is still very fit and in great condition, the player is not going to have too many more years at the top level of the European game.

“The most important thing is his health and physical condition for the long run,” coach Hong said. “Should we qualify for the 2026 World Cup, then his performance will be extremely crucial for our team. We will remain in touch with Son and his team and try to figure out a way to get the most out of him without running him into the ground."

There are still plenty of World Cup qualifiers to come. After two games, Korea has four points and is level with Jordan and Iraq at the top of Group B and after the game in Amman, will return home to host Iraq next Tuesday. These are a crucial few days. The top two from each of the three groups will advance directly to the 2026 tournament while those that finish third and fourth will advance to the next phase.

Any game in Jordan is tough but the team showed what it could do at the Asian Cup. There are some reasons to be cheerful. The coach who did so much at the Asian Cup –Hussein Ammouta– has left to coach in the United Arab Emirates.