The Korea DPR manager An Ye Gun has said that he is extremely looking forward to helping the national team lift the AFC U-19 Championship for the second consecutive time. North Korea come into the tournament as the holders of the competition.
The Korea DPR manager An Ye Gun has said that he is extremely looking forward to helping the national team lift the AFC U-19 Championship for the second consecutive time. North Korea come into the tournament as the holders of the competition.
In the AFC U-19 Championship this time around, the national team will be up against the likes of Jordan, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan. Due to the quality of the opposition, the manager An Ye Gun reckons that it will be difficult for them to retain the title. However, he is extremely delighted to be participating in this tournament as the defending champions.
North Korea managed a stunning victory over Australia in the previous edition of the tournament to record their first win under the manager Yun Jong-su. An Ye Gun has acknowledged that replacing the former manager has not been easy, but he is looking to go one step further by defending the title. The 3-2 win over Australia in the previous tournament was extremely memorable because they scored in the match with only a few minutes remaining. The goal from Jong II-gwan helped them secure the title. North Korea have also set their sights on qualifying for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup if they finish in the fourth position.
“It’s nice to play as defending champions but it will be very difficult to retain the title. The training has been excellent but there are other crucial factors like the weather condition as our players are not used to play in these types of climate. The journey from Pyongyang to Ras Al Khaimah has been very tiring so the players would have to adapt as soon as possible,” said the North Korea manager ahead of this match. Meanwhile, the Jordan coach has said that North Korea are the favourites for this championship.