[Exclusive] "Then, he swung his fist"...Behind Lee Kang-in's 'Table Tennis Incident'

February 7th, 2024 (KST). It all happened at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium where the Asian Cup semifinals was held.

Lee Kang-in, Seol Young-woo and Jung Woo-young were squatted on the ground.

The three 'national representatives' were in the middle of flipping water bottles seriously. Lee Kang-in failed, Seol Young-woo failed, and Jung Woo-young failed.

So the three threw water bottles again. Lee Kang-in failed, Seol Young-woo succeeded. Seol Young-woo congratulated himself on setting up (water bottles) with a "dab" ceremony.

Lee Kang-in challenged again and succeeded. Jung Woo-young failed until the end. Lee Kang-in and Seol Young-woo gave Jung Woo-young a flick on his forehead.

A fan left a message on social media after seeing this video.

"What are you guys doing? Aren't you nervous? It's just me who's nervous."

Of course, each player has their own various ways to relax. If a 'bottle flipping' is great method for relieving tension and anxiety, then that's totally okay.

However, it becomes a different story for Lee Kang-in, Seol Young-woo and Jung Woo-young. What they needed to do was to put themselves in place and remain nervous. Why? Because these three players are the main characters of the controversy over table tennis the previous day.

Here is an organization of the case by 'Dispatch', based on the testimonies from a number of officials at the site during the Qatar Asian Cup.

# Unsystematic Meal

Following is the philosophy of "meal time" directed by Jurgen Klinsmann.

"Whether you shower then eat or eat then shower. Take care of it yourself!" (Klinsman)

The duration of dinner time for the national team is two hours. Coach Klinsmann had nothing planned for this strategic break either. He left everything to the team to decide personally.

Dinner time for a 'national team' is not just a place to fill up a stomach. It is a time to discuss the game and strengthen their commitment, especially important when it is the evening before a game.

On February 6th, the team held a practice for the game against Jordan. Back then, the teamwork was off as well. It is said that the atmosphere was heavy as the performance of the team did not quite meet expectations.

In the evening, players gathered one by one (at a restaurant) after taking a shower. The coaching staff also came out at the same time. However, Lee Kang-in and the others were not found.

# Playroom

At that time, Lee Kang-in, Seol Young-woo, and Jung Woo-young were in the middle of a table tennis session in the 'playroom'. The playroom is a resting area right next to the (dorm) restaurant.

While the other players and coaches were having dinner, excited chants were spread throughout the playroom. And like that, they swung around their ping-pong paddles for a long time.

One senior player had enough, couldn't stand it and called them. (Another youngest player brought them.) Son Heung-min came forward and said "Are you guys here for off-season training? Focus on the game," he reportedly scolded the players.

Lee Kang-in then complained. "It's not wrong to play table tennis during dinner." he responded. Of course, table tennis is not the problem. The timing and location were the problem.

# Fist Fight

Son Heung-min grabbed Lee Kang-in by his collar. Lee Kang-in fought back, swinging his fist at Son Heung-min. Son Heung-min had no time to avoid it. He was punched straight in the face.

The restaurant became a mess. The players got tangled while the bodyguards tried to stop them. In the process, Son Heung-min's finger got caught up in clothes and was bent almost 90 degrees back. His finger was dislocated in the process.

Son Heung-min decided to be the big person, calmed himself down, then visited Lee Kang-in (first). He offered a hand, saying, "Let's focus on tomorrow's game." Lee Kang-in is also said to have apologized, saying, "I'm sorry."

But did it really end that way? The senior players could not tolerate Lee Kang-in's behavior. But it was fair, as the players were now tired of Lee Kang-in acting out at unexpected times.

# Remove Lee Kang-in

Some players ended up visiting Klinsmann. It was the day of the semifinal. "Please exclude Lee Kang-in from the lineup." They decided that building teamwork was a priority.

Klinsmann, who left everything up to the players, declined this time. He ignored the team's problems and the concerns from the players. "Lee Kang-in is a player that I have to use," he said, as he sent Lee Kang-in as a starter.

In fact, Klinsmann was aware of the problem. On the night everything went down, he wrote on his social media, "It takes a team to build a dream."

Nevertheless, the coach neglected the crack. While emphasizing the importance of teamwork, he actually looked for the player who would 'take care of it on their own,' which is a bigger problem than no tactic at all.

# "Ferguson's Win"

Sir Alec Ferguson said,

"What happened in the locker room ends in the locker room."

Ferguson emphasized the trust of his team. He stressed numerous times that internal problems must be addressed from within, and the moment it is leaked to the outside, the trust collapses.

However, the KFA was quick to acknowledge what happened in the locker room, well, inside a restaurant. They even ignited the fire, saying, "We received reports of players having a fight."

Again, Sir Ferguson.

"No player is greater than a team."

Lee Kang-in may be the future of PSG. However now, he cannot be the future of Korean soccer. Soccer is not table tennis singles. It is a team sport in which 11 players must play together as one.

<Photo=KFA, Social Media>