Otto Addo Shares Insight on Apologizing to Son Heung-min Before Ghana vs South Korea Match
Ghana’s head coach Otto Addo recently discussed a lesser-known aspect of his coaching journey, particularly regarding his early interactions with South Korean star Son Heung-min. Ahead of their friendly match on November 18 in Seoul, Addo reflected on his experiences nurturing the talented forward.
Background on the Match
The upcoming match is significant for both teams, capping off their international year. Ghana faces South Korea following a 2-0 defeat to Japan. In contrast, Son enters this game in excellent form after scoring a stunning free kick in Korea’s recent 2-0 victory against Bolivia.
Communication Challenges
Addo highlighted the challenging communication barriers during Son’s initial days at Hamburger SV, where he was an assistant coach. At the time, Son could not speak English, and Addo was not proficient in Korean. He revealed, “I had to ask Cha Du-ri, my former teammate at Mainz, to translate my instructions.” This language gap made it difficult for Addo to convey his tactical strategies effectively.
Apology to Son Heung-min
During his reflections, Addo expressed regret for Son’s limited playing time early in his career, stating, “I want to apologise to Son because he didn’t play much early on. I wasn’t able to explain the tactics properly, and it affected him.” Despite these challenges, Son’s potential flourished at Hamburg, setting the stage for his successful transfers to Bayer Leverkusen and later Tottenham Hotspur.
South Korea’s Strength and Son’s Skills
Addo is well aware of the threat South Korea poses in their upcoming encounter. He emphasized, “We know how strong South Korea are. They have great defenders and a strong front line.” Addo specifically mentioned the need for caution against set pieces, acknowledging Son’s exceptional free-kick ability, which makes him a difficult player to contain.
As Ghana prepares for this pivotal match, the coaching insights from Addo serve to highlight the intricate dynamics of player development and the importance of effective communication in football.
