Former national team coach Hong Myung-bo said he will continue to monitor how much Son Heung-min contributes to the team and his future performance [1].
These comments signal a potential shift in how the team manages its star talent and leadership structure. Because Son is a central figure in Korean football, any questioning of his immediate impact or the stability of his captaincy carries significant weight for the squad's internal dynamics.
During an interview at the YTN Newsquare studio in South Korea, Hong addressed the widespread positive perception of the player [1]. He said that while he respects the opinion that everyone believes Son is doing well, he believes there are aspects of the player's actual utility and performance that must be observed moving forward [1].
This cautious approach follows a history of evaluation, with Hong having made previous remarks regarding the team's direction as far back as August 2013 [1]. More recently, in August 2025, Hong participated in a broadcast at 2 p.m. where he further detailed his perspective on team management [1].
One of the most critical points of the discussion involved the possibility of replacing the team captain [1]. Hong said the coaching staff is continuously thinking about that specific issue. He described the decision as a critical juncture, not only for the individual involved, but for the team as a whole [1].
By separating the public's admiration for Son from the tactical requirements of the team, Hong emphasized a performance-based metric for leadership. This approach suggests that tenure or popularity may not be the sole criteria for maintaining the captaincy in the current era of team operations [1].
“I believe there are aspects of the player's actual utility and performance that must be observed moving forward.”
Hong Myung-bo's comments indicate a move toward a more clinical, performance-driven evaluation of leadership within the national team. By questioning the gap between public perception and actual on-field utility, the former coach suggests that the captaincy is not a permanent fixture, but one that must be justified by current contributions to team success.
