Three finalists, including two foreign coaches, have been shortlisted for the national team’s head coach position, which has been vacant for about five months. After a long search, the Korea Football Association (KFA) chose “homegrown” Hong Myung-bo (pictured), head coach of K League 1 Ulsan HD.
At a briefing at the Football Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Monday, Lee Lim-sang, the KFA’s technical director, gave eight reasons for Hong’s appointment. The first and most important consideration was the philosophy of the game. Lee said, “Coach Hong has shown that he efficiently targets the space behind the opponent’s flanks through the use of defensive midfielders in the buildup and asymmetrical back three variations. He utilized the strengths of his players to attack through counterattacks, crosses, and combination play on the flanks. The team has strengths in controlling the tempo of the game, balancing the offense and 해외 카지노 사이 creating chances that we need to continue to build on.”
“Last year, Ulsan’s data showed that they were first in chances created, buildup, and pressure intensity. They were 10th in activity, but another way to look at it is that they played an effective game. Even Argentina, who won the World Cup in Qatar, was at the bottom of the list in terms of activity.”
Strong charisma was also a priority in the selection of the national team coach, as conflicts between players became an issue at the Asian Cup in Qatar in February. “The ‘one team, one spirit, one goal’ that Hong showed in Ulsan is what the national team needs right now,” Lee says. He has the ability to create the spirit, harmony, and one-team mentality that Korean soccer needs,” Lee said.
Lee traveled to Europe on Feb. 2 to meet with a shortlist of foreign coaches, including David Wagner and Gus Poyet. However, one of the candidates was unable to work from home and the other was unable to coordinate with his existing team.
After much deliberation, Lee decided that Hong was the right man for the job, and five days after returning home, he visited Hong at his home after a match against Suwon FC. Hong had reportedly expressed negative feelings about the national team, but Lee persuaded him to accept the job. After confirming Ulsan’s cooperation, Lee made the final decision by communicating with the directors personally, without convening a power-enhancement committee for security reasons.
However, the criticism from Ulsan HD fans will need to be addressed. “The KFA ignored the demands of the Cheryong Warriors and Korean soccer fans, drifted without a solution or vision, and eventually reached the worst situation of ‘returning the K League manager’ again,” Ulsan supporters ‘Cheryong Warriors’ said on social media (SNS) on Aug. 8. “The KFA’s decision ignores the wishes of the Cheryong Warriors and Korean soccer fans,” the organization wrote, “and we strongly condemn this decision, which has once again caused great hurt to soccer fans.”
