FRANCE 98 – MatchQuotes

Match Number 41 BEL – KOR Quotes

The BELGIUM coach anticipates major changes

“We are obviously very disappointed. We got off to a good start and then collapsed after the Korean goal. I can’t give you a reason. Perhaps we were under mental stress or perhaps the Koreans played a very relaxed game. Of course, we could have iced the match by scoring a second goal, but we lost control. The key moment of the match occurred when SCIFO (14) was replaced by VAN DER ELST (6). Things went well for twenty minutes but then there was no football any more and we had to find some other solution — nothing was working. We had to find a solution for the midfield, which we weren’t able to do. Our failure was not due to a lack of form, but a lack of balance. After we scored, we just leaned back instead of moving forward. For me, at 1 to 0, we had already lost the match. We feel a major change is needed and I will give a press conference on this matter tomorrow, (Friday 26 June) at 10.00 a.m. at Cailloux sur Fontaines (near LYON).”

HONG Myung Bo (20): “With this, our third World Cup, the REPUBLIC OF KOREA has achieved an international level of play. Our level of play is comparable to that of other teams, but we still lack experience. Football is a team sport which demands a certain level of maturity from the entire team. I think that the level of play in Asia has greatly improved and we hope to be competitive at home in 2002.”

LEE Dong Gook (21): “We played a good match against BELGIUM. Even though we didn’t win, we showed our fans that we can compete with the best of teams. It was a great experience for me to participate in this World Cup in France. I don’t want to speculate about my future. My career with the Korean squad has just started, and I know that I have the potential to improve.”

Mbo MPENZA (9)

: “I would have preferred a different kind of disappointment. I have never been in a similar situation. Obviously, we are painfully aware of the future implications of our defeat. I’m going to take a two-week holiday. We felt liberated after our goal but unfortunately we sank quickly and couldn’t manage to put it together to score a second goal, which would have enabled us to ice the match.”

Marc WILMOTS (7)

: “Perhaps we weren’t sufficiently balanced. In the second half, we didn’t construct our attack, we just kicked long balls to the forwards. Nobody followed in the midfield. We should have varied our attack but we just couldn’t pull it off. We wanted a win and we did everything we could – perhaps somewhat clumsily… We pressed them and we created opportunities, but when they changed tactics, we failed to react. I’m now going off on holiday with my wife and my son.”

Gordan VIDOVIC (4)

: “We played three good matches, our match against MEXICO was the most important. We really should have won today, but unfortunately that wasn’t to be. Now, I’ll go home, back to Moeskroen, my club.”

Lokenda MPENZA (20)

: “Everyone thought we were going to make it into the second round – unfortunately we failed. The first fifteen minutes went well, but we didn’t manage to score a second goal, which would have given us assurance. We led 1 – 0 at that moment, we thought we had qualified, and yet they managed to equalise. Yes, I’m very disappointed, I’m going to avoid talking about football for a couple of weeks.”

Eric DEFLANDRE (22): “We are very disappointed with this draw, especially since we won’t be in the second round. After a good start, we unfortunately fell apart in the second half. We scored our first goal too early and then we kept getting repelled by the Korean attacks. Personally, I am satisfied with my World Cup experience. I was fit for this tournament and happy to be able to rub elbows with world-class players.”

Gert VERHEYEN (18), sidelined by suspension: “The atmosphere in the locker room was gloomy. Everyone was depressed, really crushed. The result of the NETHERLANDS-MEXICO match had no effect on our play, as we didn’t learn the score until we left the pitch. With a one-goal lead, we might have tried to hold on, but, sadly, we chose the wrong strategy.”