Term until 2027 Asian Cup Treatment at the level of foreigners, at least 2 European coaches. Im Saeng’s earnest persuasion at home. “Please dedicate yourself to Korean soccer”
Hong Myung-bo, Ulsan HD coach, appointed as head coach of the national soccer team
Hong Myung-bo, the coach of Ulsan HD in K League 1 who has been nominated as the next head coach of the Korean national soccer team, has been consistently and strongly expressing his intention to refuse.
He also said, “My position is always the same, so fans don’t have to worry so much,” when meeting with reporters before the game against Pohang Steelers on the 30th of last month.
However, on the 5th at 11 PM, Coach Hong met with the Korea Football Association’s Technical Director, Im Saeng, who was waiting in front of his house, and suddenly reversed his position and accepted the offer to become the national team coach.
What could have shaken Director Hong’s resolute mind?
While Coach Hong has not yet made an official statement, Director Lee revealed how the final negotiations with Coach Hong proceeded during a briefing held at the Football Association Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 8th.
Director Lee, who had gone to Europe to meet with foreign directors such as David Wagner and Gus Poyet, returned to Korea on the 5th and visited Director Hong’s home.
The ‘late-night meeting’ held informally at 11 p.m. was essentially a place for Director Lee to earnestly persuade and for Director Hong to listen.
The conditions proposed by this director were unconventional. The immediate task for Korean soccer is the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America. The third preliminary round to determine who will advance to the tournament will be held starting in September.
However, the director went beyond this and offered to guarantee his term until the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia in January or February 2027.
“Rather than evaluating short-term results, I wanted to give them enough time to establish a connection between the national team and the age-group national teams,” the director said.
Additionally, it is said that he promised to appoint at least two coaches from Europe, the center of world soccer, to complement Coach Hong’s tactics.
The director explained, “(Coach Hong) also accepted (these conditions). I think that if Coach Hong’s rich experience and knowledge are in harmony with the European coaches, it will help to establish a connection between the national team and the national teams of each age group.”
The annual salary was also significantly raised to the level of foreign leaders.
Coach Hong is known to receive the highest salary in professional soccer K League 1. However, even Coach Hong is treated poorly compared to coaches active in Europe and other countries.
The director said, “There is a difference in the salaries of foreign and Korean directors, and I have boldly demanded this as well. I cannot reveal the amount, but I believe that Korean directors should now be treated no less than foreign directors.”
Aside from these objective conditions, what disturbed Coach Hong’s firm mind was his ‘responsibility’ for Korean soccer.
As a player, Coach Hong led the team to the semifinals of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, and as a coach, he is a ‘hero’ of Korean soccer who created the bronze medal myth at the 2012 London Olympics.
The success of the Korea-Japan World Cup created many ‘2002 heroes’ like Coach Hong.
However, among these, there are not many people who have tried to contribute to Korean soccer as leaders on the front lines.
Coach Hong, who experienced his worst period as a coach after failing to win a single game at the 2014 Brazil World Cup, has tried to fulfill his responsibilities in various ways without leaving the soccer field.
As an executive director of the Korea Football Association, he worked as an administrator, supporting the appointment of former manager Paulo Bento, and later took charge of Ulsan, leading the team to its first championship in 17 years and two consecutive championships, bringing joy to the fans.
As coach Hong, who has shared the glory and shame of Korean soccer since the Korea-Japan World Cup, it must have been difficult to continue watching the national team falter as it failed to find a suitable leader.
The director said, “I had concerns and fears about whether Director Hong would meet me and whether I would be able to meet him,” and added, “When I first met Director Hong, I explained the parts that I had evaluated and decided.”
He added, “I told him why Coach Hong should dedicate himself to Korean soccer. I asked him several times to lead the establishment of the philosophy and game model of the Korea Football Association by securing connections not only with the national team but also with age-group representatives.”
It appears that the move was intended to persuade the national team players by emphasizing that Coach Hong is currently the only coach with a football philosophy that can quickly adapt to the World Cup.
The director said, “Haven’t you seen Ulsan HD soccer? They are No. 1 in K-League in build-up and opportunity creation,” and confessed, “I couldn’t help but worry about how we can somehow improve the style that our Korean national soccer players have been playing (so far) to pass the third qualifying round and advance to the World Cup.” 온라인카지노사이트