As Togo's coaching merry-go-round threatened to spin off its axis on Monday, South Korea held a solid final training session ahead of their Group G opener against the West Africans.

The 2002 World Cup semi-finalists shrugged off concerns that a closed stadium roof for Tuesday's match would make it hard to employ their high-tempo, pressing game in increased humidity.

"We are the fittest team in the world," assistant coach Afshin Ghotbi told reporters. "We are ready."

Otto Pfister, who quit as Togo coach last week over a squad pay row, says he will return to take charge of their first game at a World Cup finals. But the Africans' coaching crisis had no bearing on Korea's preparations, said defender Lee Young-pyo.

"The weather, the coaching -- you know every game at the World Cup has its own problems, we just have to be at our best on the day."

Coach Dick Advocaat was giving little away regarding his lineup, the diminutive left back said, but he was confident the frailties exposed by Ghana in a friendly had been ironed out.

"We've trained so much that you'll see no sign of the problems we had against Ghana," Lee said. "If we play the way we can, we'll win comfortably."

Four years ago a Guus Hiddink-led South Korea became the first Asian side to reach the last four of the World Cup. But a buoyant Advocaat knows playing on foreign soil will be an entirely different proposition to being at home in 2002.

NOT TOURISTS

"We have never won a World Cup game outside Korea," said Advocaat, who led Netherlands to the quarter-finals in 1994.

"After 2002 they are out to prove they can do it again."

Togo, who trained at the same stadium earlier on Monday, were a picture of confusion less than 24 hours ahead of their World Cup baptism.

While Pfister had already confirmed that the Togolese FA had invited him back, Kodjovi Mawuena, who was promoted to the top job on Saturday, was still confident he would remain in charge.

"I think I will stay coach until the end of the World Cup," said Mawuena. "I'm not aware of what's happening with Pfister."

Emmanuel Adebayor, Togo's only top class talent, seemed unaware Mawuena had been shunted down to assistant coach again.

"The most important thing is that we focus on the game," said the rangy Arsenal striker. "We are not amateurs, we are professionals and (the coaching problem) is part of the game."

France meet Switzerland in the other Group G game on Tuesday.