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Togo targeting Korean scalp

12 Jun 2006 - 14:03:03

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South Korea's efforts to replicate their run to the semi-finals four years ago starts with a meeting with World Cup finals debutants Togo.

Guus Hiddink was the engineer of South Korea's success on home soil and the current coach is another Dutchman, Dick Advocaat, who is charged with trying to continue his predecessor's exploits.

Added pressure comes with Advocaat's side expected to sweep aside Togo, but the coach is confident that he has done his homework.

He said: "We have been following Togo in all the serious games they have played. We know everything about them."

Advocaat will be without defender Kim Dong-Jin, while Lee Chun-Soo and Song Chong-Gug have both been struggling with injuries.

Advocaat has only been in charge of South Korea for eight months, following the departure of Jo Bonfrere, but that is a comparatively lengthy spell in charge compared to Togo's recent coaches.

An ongoing dispute over bonus payments to the squad saw boss Otto Pfister quit on the eve of the finals, with his assistant Kodjovi Mawuena likely to take charge for Tuesday's game.

German Winfried Schaefer has been lined up to take over for the rest of the campaign, as long as the money dispute is settled.

All of which adds up to major problems for Togo, who recently flopped at the African Cup of Nations.

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor warned his team-mates to start focusing on the task in hand, saying: "We have been in Germany for two weeks and several of our players haven't woken up to the fact that we are at the World Cup finals.

"But we are okay. We have players and coaches with experience in order to bring the others into line and to show them how important this is.

"We have to be professional. However we are hungry, and want to have a good tournament."