Tae Tak

Is Versatility Quietly Hindering Korean Players? why a multi-faceted skillset could be holding Koreans back in Europe

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🆕 Is Versatility Quietly Hindering Korean Players?

Inside:
• The double-edged sword of versatility
• Lee Kang-in & Luis Enrique
• Misprofiling, Championship wingers, and more

Full story below 👇

Seeing Football Differently: Lessons from the NBA where hardwood concepts impact football

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🆕 Seeing Football Differently: Lessons from the NBA

Inside:
• Moreyball and the analytics revolution
• How spacing translates across basketball and football
• Guardiola's system on display vs Newcastle

Full story below 👇

Why K League 2 Could Be a Fun Football Manager Save in 2026 and Beyond Korea’s second tier is more interesting than it seems

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🆕 Why K League 2 Could Be a Fun Football Manager Save in 2026 and Beyond

Inside:
• Revisiting FM nostalgia
• A sleeping giant's potential revival
• Ambitious projects and major rule changes

Full piece below 👇

My Way-Too-Early South Korean U23 Squad for the 2026 Asian Games building the perfect roster with military exemption in mind

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🆕 My Way-Too-Early South Korean U23 Squad for the 2026 Asian Games

With the Asian Cup less than a week away, I broke down the potential AG roster.

Inside:
• My full 22-man team + reasoning
• Debating the 3 over-age wildcards
• Picking my best XI

Full story below 👇

10 Things on My X-Mas Wish List: Korean Football Edition ten hopes and dreams for Korean football

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Happy holidays ❄️🎄

🆕 10 Things on my 🎄 X-Mas Wish List: Korean Football Edition

I talk about:
• Coupang Play coverage
• Bae Jun-ho & Eom Ji-sung
• The next generation
• Raising the bar in Korean football
• and more . . .

Full story below 👇

5 Lessons I've Learned in my First Full Year as a Professional Football Scout what this year taught me about scouting, players, and people.

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🆕 5 Lessons I've Learned in my First Full Year as a Professional Football Scout

What's inside:
• What makes the best collaborations
• No, I am not Rodri
• Managing environments

Full story below 👇

I grew up reading @johnduerden.bsky.social's articles in Asian football, so for him to recommend my Substack newsletter is an absolute honor. Thank you John.

Make sure to follow his work as well!

I still think he should have left Wolves in the summer. The Eredivisie could have been interesting. Had some interest from PSV

Physicality + technique can go a long way.

Just ask Hwang Hee-chan. Early on he was raw: erratic decisions, inconsistent passing, frustrating to watch at times.

But his strength & ball striking were always a threat.

Things started to click once the game slowed down for him.

Confidence & trust shape careers.

Look at Hong Hyun-seok, one of the most reliable playmakers in Belgium a few years ago.

800 league minutes in the past 2 years. He lacks confidence right now, and he's always been a bit of a confidence player. The poor guy badly needs a loan.

Next year's K League 2 looks fun 👀

⬇️ Suwon FC
⬇️ Daegu FC
Suwon Samsung
Seoul E-Land
Seongnam FC
Jeonnam
Gimpo
Busan
Chungnam Asan
Hwaseong
Gyeongnam
Cheongju FC
Cheonan City
Ansan
🆕 Gimhae FC 2008
🆕 Yongin FC
🆕 Paju Frontier

With Bucheon beating Suwon FC in the playoff, next year's K League 1 is set:

Jeonbuk
Daejeon
Gimcheon
Pohang
Gangwon
FC Seoul
Gwangju
FC Anyang
Ulsan
Jeju
⬆️ Bucheon
⬆️ Incheon

Poyet is standing with Taricco in solidarity, his staff will leave after today's cup final unfortunately.

I have zero tolerance for racism, but looking back at the clip again, I don't think Taricco was being racist. Just (rightfully) mad over a terrible call.

Looks even worse when you consider Park Yong-woo was suspended only one game for actually being racist.

What an embarrassment for the K League that Gus Poyet is leaving Jeonbuk after a title win bc of a referee's fragile ego & the league's inability to admit their wrongs.

Hopefully this is the catalyst for change because the league needs it after this year.

Horrible PR.

South Korea’s Best Pure Finisher (Not Named Son Heung-min) identifying the best young Korean goalscorer based on video scouting and data

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🆕 South Korea’s Best Pure Finisher (Not Named Son Heung-min)

I broke down 🇰🇷’s top U25 goalscorers across Europe & Asia with a new 7-metric PFI model.

What’s inside:
• Son’s elite finishing profile
• Oh Hyeon-gyu & Lee Kang-in's big numbers
• Kim Min-su + others 👀

Link 👇

K League Season 🔚

• Sad to see Daegu relegated despite Cesinha's 24 league G/A
• Ulsan escapes relegation playoffs
• Sabbag crowned top scorer (17)
• Cesinha + Lee Dong-gyeong most assists (12)
• Incheon United ⬆️

If you missed it, here's my end of season piece below 👇

Jo Jin-ho vs Trabzonspor

50/53 accurate passes (see map below)
94% passing
2/3 successful dribbles
3/4 long balls
4 tackles
8 recoveries
7/13 ground duels won

Elite performance in Konyaspor's 3-1 away loss. Very underrated player.

2025 K League 1 Season Review + Award Picks Looking back at a revitalized Jeonbuk Hyundai side, MVP talks, and more . . .

Remember to subscribe, thanks for the support so far! 🙏

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2025 #KLeague 1 Season Review + Award Picks

With the end of the season looming, my new Substack post covers:

• How Gus Poyet led Jeonbuk back to the top🏆
• Cesinha doing Cesinha things (as always)
• My Best XI + award selections

Link 👇

Kim Min-su scored a goal vs Castellon yesterday, continuing to play like one of FC Andorra's top players at 19.

🥇Leads the team in:
Goals (4)
Assists (3)
Succ. dribbles per 90 (2.25)

There's a reason I've been raving about him since last year. Great to see him make the most of his chances.

A Need for Servers, not "Self-servers" in Korean Football How Korean football can take the next step with selfless direction

Please support my work by subscribing, my hope is that we'll hit 40 by the end of the year!

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🆕 A Need for Servers, not "Self-Servers" in Korean Football

Korean football's biggest issue isn't talent. It's selfishness & short-term vision.

A results-driven culture has bred:
• Pragmatist coaches
• Shortsighted decisions
• Inefficient recruitment

Link 👇