‘Many challenges’ – Bae Junho opens up on settling in England and trust at Stoke City
Bae Junho is desperate to show his best form at Stoke City and repay faith in him from team-mates and the new head coach
Bae Junho believes he is starting to feel at home in England as he strives to repay the trust shown in him by Narcis Pelach and his team-mates.
The 21-year-old playmaker found game-changing form as his debut season with Stoke City went on to end up being crowned player of the year. His pre-season this time around was disrupted by injury but he has chipped in with three assists in four games since Pelach took charge.
He is back in South Korea at the moment, preparing for a World Cup qualifier against Iraq in Yongin on Tuesday (12pm), before flying back for Stoke’s Championship home game against Norwich on Saturday (3pm).
“There are many challenges living alone in a foreign country but I think I’m gradually overcoming them and gaining recognition from my fans and team-mates,” he told local media, having come off the bench to lay on a goal in a 2-0 win over Jordan on Thursday.
“The new manager trusts me and I can feel that the players rely on me a lot, so I’m playing with confidence because I want to show a lot on a personal level.”
Junho has starred for South Korea at youth level and earned a call up to the senior squad for the first time over the summer. He has three caps now and is staking his claim to be a permanent fixture under new boss Hong Myung-bo as they bid for a place at World Cup 2026 in North America and Mexico.
He said: “First of all, it is meaningful for me personally to be able to play in games like this and spend a lot of time with the squad.
“It is a rare opportunity and you have to be ready for when you get the chance to go on the pitch. I think it is the same for other national team players who play home and away games back-to-back. There may be opportunities in the Iraq match. I always prepare with the mindset that I must seize any chance to help the team.”
