Suwon FC in crisis, worries, and a rebound point for ‘Ras’.
Suwon FC head coach Kim Do-gyun dropped Ras, the team’s top scorer, from the roster ahead of the team’s home game against Gwangju FC on Nov. 22. Kim said, “He’s not in good shape. In fact, there was a transfer issue during the break. I excluded him because he was not in a good state of mind or physical condition. Now, more than ever, it’s time for him to show his fighting spirit on the field. It was a decision I made because I thought it was right for a player who has the will to play.”
It was not an easy decision. Suwon FC is in the midst of a crisis. They hadn’t won in eight games before the match against Gwangju. They were being chased by the 11th and 12th place teams. With Gwangju a must-win game, taking out the team’s strongest “weapon” wasn’t something they would normally consider, but they did.
There was a reason. It was for the team. Ras had been having a bad week in training, and it was affecting the team’s mood. With a big game on the horizon, the players and coaches were shaking their heads. Kim, who would have hugged Ras if he could, had to make a decision. No individual could take precedence over the team.
Ras is now an “ugly duckling. Lars had been rumored to leave FC Seoul during the summer transfer window. There was talk of a trade for Ilyuchenko. It wasn’t actually an official offer. Seoul wanted Lars, and there were discussions through his agent along the way. But the cards weren’t in the right place, and Suwon FC said no early on. However, during this process, word of Seoul got back to Ras. Ras was so determined to get to Seoul that he even skipped training.
But in the end, there was no satisfactory offer, and he stayed with Suwon FC. He sent a text apologizing to the team. But Lars was at a loss. His body wasn’t feeling well, but his mind was even worse.
Lars has been unstable all season. Eight goals and five assists, not bad on paper, but not so good on the inside. He’s not focused on the game. Outside of a few moments in each game, he is often seen walking around and reacting nervously to every single refereeing call. Coach Kim has been coddling him, soothing him, and carrying him around for “one more shot,” but the recent situation has crossed the line.
Nevertheless, Suwon FC needs Ras. Even against Gwangju, with Kim struggling, Rath’s presence could have changed the game. The “twin towers” of Kim and Lars could have put pressure on Gwangju, who didn’t have much height. In Rath’s absence, Suwon FC failed to score for the second straight game. The defense has stabilized noticeably, but the lack of goals has prevented them from taking the points. Suwon FC lost 0-1 to Gwangju. Suwon FC is a team that needs Lass to break out. 안전놀이터
Luckily, they got a break with the All-Star break. Suwon FC plans to turn things around with a mini-training camp. Here, Kim will try to get Rath’s mind right. The mindset of the other players is fine. Kim is a good motivator, and the players are rallying around the idea of “bouncing back”.
The key is Ras. Kim and Lars have already played together for four seasons.
