There’s been a little bit of news going around about Minsu Kim and Korea. Ibrox Noise has discussed how the lad has all the potential but has deteriorated a little in terms of form. This is due to his desperation to score and assist. Alas, neither of which he has actually managed to do in a Rangers shirt yet.

Kim is a talented player. He’s quick, he’s zippy, he has a low centre of gravity and he works hard. But his desperation to score or assist has rather taken over his game. It’s made him careless, reckless and a bit self-centred.

Minsu Kim Rangers Form and International Exclusion

Is this why Minsu Kim has been ditched from the South Korea senior national team? No, is the answer to that.

It is understood that Kim ‘lost’ his place in the national team and returned to U23s for one simple reason. And that reason was South Korea’s Olympic team.

South Korea requires eligibility for under 23s. Every men’s team at the Olympics has this requirement, although three overage players are permitted. Mostly, it’s meant to be youth players who represent their countries at that level at the Olympics.

Minsu Kim has become a bit of an outlier, per se, in that he is on the cusp of being a senior player. But he is still, of course, very young. He is naturally an under 23 international already and that call-up to the senior national side for the recent friendlies, including against club teammate Kevin Kelsey, saw him finally graduate to the seniors.

South Korea’s Olympic Plans

It is understood, however, that the national team wants him as part of the Olympic squad. Of course, the next Olympics are not exactly tomorrow, but are in 2028. That is now less than two years away.

That means Kim will still be under 23 by the time the Olympics arrive. He is regarded as a significant player for the Korean side at that showpiece event.

Essentially, he may still get some senior call-ups, but it appears that South Korea prefer, for now, to use him in the youth setup where he can develop as a player for that event even more.

Minsu Kim Rangers Development Continues

By the time the Olympics arrive, Korea will hope to have a strong player in Kim, ready to take on the other countries at that level.

We’re not sure how important the Olympics are to South Korea, but it is understood that this is a major part of the plan regarding Kim.

Consequently, he hasn’t been rejected from the national team. He is instead being prepared for the Olympics by his country, which is their decision, we guess.

A Different International Path

For Rangers, the situation does at least offer some clarity over why Kim has returned to the youth ranks despite having already made the breakthrough into senior international football.

His recent struggles at Ibrox are one thing, but South Korea’s longer term plans appear to be quite another. The national team clearly sees potential in the youngster and wants to make the most of his eligibility for the Olympic side.

For now, Kim’s priority at club level remains rediscovering the form and confidence that made him such an exciting prospect in the first place.