A crisis is looming over the wrong appointment of a coach at a good time to reach a golden age in Korean soccer.
In November 2022, the South Korean national soccer team managed to reach the round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after four years and four months of hard work by Paulo Bento's team and his players. It's not underestimating the team's efforts, but Korea is still a country that needs to work at that level to reach the round of 16 in the World Cup. 토토
Bento's result wasn't just about advancing to the round of 16 in the World Cup. Korean soccer has grown significantly with the efforts of Bento's coach. Son Heung-min has been revived, and Kim Min-jae is recognized as one of the best center backs in the world. Lee Kang-in moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and settled successfully, and Hwang Hee-chan has grown into a player who scores 10 goals in the Premier League (PL). Most European players, including Hwang In-beom, Hong Hyun-seok, Cho Kyu-sung, and Oh Hyun-kyu, are turning right.
The same applies to K-League players. Cho and Kim Young-kwon still displayed the highest level of competitiveness in the league. Park Jin-seop and Seol Young-woo, who newly joined the team under Klinsmann, are also best even-class players in the league. Only full-back positions were pointed out as relatively weak points, and they have built the strongest team in the history of Korean soccer. Following the round of 16 best teams at the World Cup and the gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, it was time for Korean soccer to have a golden age if they achieve the Asian Cup title.
However, in just a year and two months, everything is going up in smoke. On the surface, the Asian Cup semifinals may not seem like a bad performance, but advancing to the semifinals was the worst. Starting with a draw against Jordan, the team relied on miracles to advance to the semifinals. While all the members advanced to the round of 16 at the World Cup, the team had the worst record of 10 goals scored in six matches and zero effective shots in a single match.
Coach Klinsmann, who should be responsible for his performance and results, has been acting almost like an outlaw for the past year. The promise to stay in Korea has disappeared, and he is acting shamelessly to the point where he seems to be the one who made the pledge to win the Asian Cup.
It is even worse because the coach Klinsmann's system, which continued the worst game ever, may continue. Coach Klinsmann clearly expressed his opinion that he would not voluntarily resign even after being eliminated from the Asian Cup and at a press conference in Korea. Coach Klinsmann's contract still has more than two years left. Even if he is dismissed right away, he needs an astronomical penalty.
It is problematic even if Klinsmann is dismissed after paying huge penalty. The KFA was criticized nationwide for its capability in appointing Klinsmann. Although it is said that internal personnel management has changed compared to the past, the organization is still governed by what KFA President Chung Mong-kyu said. In other words, KFA could let Klinsmann go and bring in another Klinsmann.
