World Cup - South Korea v Turkey Preview

The third place play-off means very little and its place in the World Cup finals contradicts recent statements from FIFA over the number of games played by the top stars.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has backed claims that many players were tired coming into the World Cup finals and this led directly to a poor standard of play.

The tournament started less than three weeks after the end of the European season – there was an extra ten days rest ahead of France 98 – and FIFA have expanded the number of finalists from 24 to 32 leading to an inevitable drop in quality and standard of play.

Blatter has been planning a unified world calendar for the game to be introduced in three years but there is no space for rest and the treadmill of the modern game is leading to half-hearted performances from players and injuries.

If the World Cup had produced even one classic match or one true star then the case against this glut at the top level of the game would be less pressing. But Blatter wants to reduce the club fixture list rather than raise the quality of the international game.

Next year will bring the usual number of meaningless friendlies for international sides and such dubious tournaments as the Confederations Cup which Blatter and his cronies are constantly trying to boost and market as something other than a series of friendlies.

It is laughable that in England managers such as Arsene Wenger and Gerard Houllier are backing plans for a winter break in the season.

Their argument is based on recent German success but Rudi Voller’s side had more serious injuries coming into the finals than any other contender. Four serious injuries to certain first team starters all but wrecked Voller’s training plans and in May and it is a remarkable testamant to Germany’s planning, preparation and attitude that their reduced squad will fight Brazil for the title tomorrow in Yokohama.

If a winter break was introduced in England Liverpool and Arsenal players would have almost a month off around the turn of the new year.

That is the theory and the spin put on the argument by Houllier and Wenger.

The reality is that all the English clubs would arrange lucrative friendlies in Asia and the near east to keep the cash coming in with no home fixtures. All the clubs would add tiring long-haul flights to their winter ‘rest’ schedules as they chased even more money.

Wenger’s side won the domestic double in England last season and the French coach has been doing lucrative media work in Japan in the summer break with clubs due back for training next week. Given the choice between rest and cash, the football professionals always go for cash and the short term aspects of this attitude has been seen in the World Cup finals.

Today’s game at least gives a chance for Korean fans to cheer again for Dutch coach Guus Hiddink and his side.

Hiddink is likely to leave the Korea job to join PSV in Holland soon but he has taken a moderate side a very long way in these finals.

While the home fans can celebrate today they have to be careful that the structure is in place to develop the national side in the traditions set up by Hiddink and his replacement will have a hard act to follow with club football in Korea still at a very basic level.

"There is a big difference between the third and fourth place so it is important for us to take third place by beating Turkey. We will do our best," said Hiddink this week.

There is a difference in prize money but the need to bring back the disappointed semi finalists for another show is a recent idea and a facile addition to the World Cup schedule.

Hiddink relied on just 14 of his 23-man squad at the finals and some players who did not feature regularly can expect to see action.

Choi Jin-Chul and Kim Nam-Il are injured with Yoon Jong-Hwan and Hyun Young-Min relacing them with veterans Hwang Sun-Hong and Hong Myung-Bo retiring from the side after this game. Hong in particular has been exceptional for the Koreans at the finals.

His defence is unlikely to face tricky winger Hasan Sas who is unfit which could leave Ilhan Mansiz to start the game alongside Hakan Sukur.

Home support and the great form of Song Chong-Gug and Yoo Sang-Chul could see Korea win this game but Turkey goalkeeper Rustu Recber should be able to manage the Korean attack allowing the better Turkish passing game to become the major factor.