Jurgen Klinsman came. Tall height, relaxed expression, fluent English, accurate understanding of questions, and a knack for avoiding burdensome questions. As evidenced by the fact that he has lived as a superstar throughout his life, new director Klinsman did not lose his composure even in front of unfamiliar Korean reporters.
Words and practices are, of course, different. Interviewing skills do not imply leadership skills. Coach Klinsman himself said, “A football manager is a position that is evaluated based on results.” The evaluation of the new coach in Korea is not based on various past information on the Internet or a press conference, but on the contents and results of the game that we will witness in the future. In that respect, Korean football is lucky. It is thanks to one year left until the AFC Asian Cup.
The three recent Asian Cup tournaments were held just seven months after the World Cup. Korea participated in all three matches under the manager system appointed right after the World Cup. The preparation period was short for the new coach to transplant his soccer philosophy to the team. There was a national team call before the Asian Cup, but training time excluding travel and games is not enough for the new soccer to take root. Even with dissatisfied results in the Asian Cup, it was difficult to hold the manager accountable.
This Asian Cup is different. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been pushed back to winter. The 2023 Asian Cup was pushed back to January 2024 due to a change in the venue. Head coach Klinsman, whose appointment was decided at the end of February, will be summoned five times, starting in March and ending in June, September, October, and November. In addition to convocation, the K-League can also observe a season almost completely. If you prepare for the Asian Cup for a year, you can give meaning to the result.
From the time of his appointment, manager Klinsman had negative public opinion in Korea. His failures at Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin were more prominent than his two World Cup appearances as a coach. Domestic fans questioned Klinsmann’s tactical ability and pointed out his irresponsible social network resignation announcement. The sloppy press conference by Technical Committee Chairman Mikhail Müller fueled public opinion. It can be said that the fact that the reporters directly brought up the issue at the inauguration press conference reflected sharp public opinion. Fortunately, coach Klinsman succeeded in reversing the atmosphere in his first meeting with Korean football with his seasoned interview skills.
In the third week of March, director Klinsman will make his debut as a Korean director. Since it is right after the World Cup, a big change is virtually impossible. The new coaching staff only had data and videos of Korean players, but never directly checked them. There is a high possibility that a roster centered on the Qatar World Cup will emerge. The two matches between Colombia and Uruguay can be seen as an example of meeting new coaching staff and players. The maximum that coach Klinsman can do is to show the whole picture of the football he pursues and give direction.
No director can guarantee success. It is also not appropriate to be blindly optimistic or pessimistic based on prior information. We have a year to evaluate Klinsmann. Klinsman’s skills can be judged by the results of the Asian Cup held in Qatar in January 2024. You just have to go there and see what the coaches’ telecommuting will bring. Even if the contents and results of the tournament are the worst, and Klinsmann finishes after one year, the replacement of coaches is a common occurrence in the soccer world. There is two and a half years between the Asian Cup and the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America. It’s time to make up for the threading failure. 토토사이트
The 2023 Asian Cup is important for Korean football in many ways. So far, for various reasons, Korea has not been able to achieve results in the Asian Cup. Now that diplomatic power has fallen to the bottom under the regime of Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, if the Asian Cup fails to achieve results, the position of Korean football will be further narrowed. Good grades are essential. In addition, it is an opportunity to properly evaluate Klinsmann. Thanks to the short preparation period, coach Paulo Bento was not threatened with his coaching job despite the sluggishness of being eliminated in the quarterfinals. Coach Klinsman is different. The results of this Asian Cup are directly related to sustainability.
