Another uninspiring performance keeps Klinsmann winless as Korea coach
Korea's head coach Jurgen Klinsmann listen with team members to the national anthem ahead of the International friendly soccer match between Wales and Korea at the Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Sept. 7. AP-Yonhap
The fifth time didn't prove to be the charm for Jurgen Klinsmann and his Korean men's national football team, as another anemic showing by the Taegeuk Warriors left the German tactician winless after five matches in charge.
The team's latest match resulted in a goalless draw against Wales in Cardiff on Thursday (local time). Korea barely threatened to score at Cardiff City Stadium in the Welsh capital, while their defense got caught napping a couple of times to allow the home team open looks at the target.
Klinsmann now has three draws and two losses as Korea's head coach. It is the longest winless skid by a foreign-born head coach to start a Korea tenure.
Klinsmann needed a win to change the narrative surrounding his work habits. He has faced heat for spending more time in his U.S. home than in Korea, leaving his assistants to do the grunt work of scouting domestic league players while he has dabbled at television analysis and visited with Europe-based Korean stars who, for all intents and purposes, don't need extra scouting to be selected to the national team.
A win Thursday would have quieted down some of that criticism, but the draw didn't even feel like a missed opportunity for Korea, who had few scoring chances.
The amount of individual talent Klinsmann has at his disposal could be object of envy for other coaches, but Klinsmann has yet to figure out what to do with it. As a result, the whole has not been greater than the sum of its parts for Korea.
Korea are led by Tottenham Hotspur talisman Son Heung-min, just two seasons removed from leading the Premier League in goals. Their backline is anchored by Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, one of the top defenders in Europe today and the only Asian nominee for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award this year. A few other players ply their trade in Europe.
Korea's Son Heung-min gestures during the International friendly soccer match between Wales and South Korea at the Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Sept. 7. AP-Yonhap
Well before Klinsmann took the Korean reins, the common knock against him had been that he lacked tactical acumen and that he was more of a manager than a tactician. And five matches in with Korea, Klinsmann has done nothing to disprove that notion.
Korea found little room to maneuver against Wales' high pressing. Their outlet passes were often off the mark, and the few that connected with midfielders Hwang In-beom or Park Yong-woo simply died there, instead of finding their ways into the attacking zone.
Son, Korea's most gifted offensive player, tried to do his part to spark the offense, but only managed a couple of harmless-looking attempts toward the net. He was forced to take matters into his own hands because the offensive process from the back wasn't working.
Korea won the possession battle and completed more passes than their opponents, but those numbers were deceiving because Korea held on to the ball for long stretches and made several meaningless lateral or back passes.
In a handful of matches with Korea, Klinsmann hasn't put his players in position to succeed. He seems to be relying on their individual skills rather than creating a tactical framework in which they could thrive.
Klinsmann's next test is against Saudi Arabia in Newcastle, England, on Tuesday. (Yonhap)