Lesson from German coach Stielike
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By Park Moo-jong
Which is the most difficult job in the Republic of Korea?
A suggestively joking answer is President and coach of the national football team.
Why?
People are almost self-claimed political analysts and most soccer fans claim to be good coaches themselves.
Probably, Korea's Presidents and football coaches may have something in common.
At the start of their new jobs, they enjoy absolute support of the people but soon lose public confidence. And their fates have not been that good, as history shows.
Just two years have passed, and President Park Geun-hye is experiencing her lowest ever popularity rate of below 30 percent.
Of course, the majority of people hope that Park will not follow in the footsteps of her predecessors and will reverse this dishonorable tradition during her remaining three years in office.
The reality, however, is still tough for the President.
Compared to Park’s ordeals, new national football team coach, Uli Stielike, appears to be quite different.
Just in four months after he took the helm of the soccer team, the German coach successfully led it to anchor safely.
Against all odds, the national squad advanced to the finals of the 2015 Asian Cup held in Australia last month and finished second behind the host country.
Though they lost 2-1 in extra time to the “Socceroos,” they made people happy when few nothing but bad news was haunting the nation, such as the wage earners' unexpected heavy burden from the year-end tax adjustment.
Our players have failed to bring home the Asian Cup for 55 years, but who could blame them? Rather, they boosted the morale of the people. They were given a hero's welcome on their return home despite defeat in the finals.
No winner lasts forever. In every game, not only in sports events, there is a winner and loser.
Last year’s Brazil World Cup reminded the people of the truth. The then undisputed champions Spain and Brazil went from heroes to zeroes.
In Australia, what impressed the people despite the loss?
Our players did their best on the pitch, demonstrating their indomitable spirit throughout the tournament under the new leadership of the foreign coach. They proved to themselves that they have the possibility for success in the days to come
How long has it been since the people got to be happy and joyful thanks to soccer?
Who or what created this kind of inspiring and touching moment in society of late?
It was 13 years ago back in 2002 when we, Koreans, rejoiced to the admiration of the world. Still vivid in our memory is the nation joining the final four in the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
The 2002 World Cup and 2015 Asian Cup are similar for Korea in that the team was led by foreign coaches ― Guus Hiddink of the Netherlands, and now Uli Stielike of Germany.
Hiddink became a national hero here and Stielike appears to be following suit. The German coach was exceptionally chosen as the best coach of the tournament, despite the defeat in the finals, by the Sydney Morning News.
The daily said: “He came into this tournament with a sizeable question mark hanging over his head, with many wondering how his patchy coaching CV (curriculum vitae) earned him one of Asia’s most enviable gigs. He hasn’t disappointed. His no-nonsense approach has synchronized seamlessly with the disciplined national stereotype, while also leaving just enough creativity for attacking individuals to do their thing.”
The key of his initial success is quite simple. He was well versed in employing his players.
Paradoxically speaking, unlike Hiddink he had little knowledge of Korean players. He relied on his eyes. He traveled the pitches to find "jewels" for himself, irrespective of the players’ previous “reputation” or record.
As Hiddink picked Park Ji-sung, he recruited unknown Lee Jeong-hyeop of the Army team as a striker and goalie Kim Jin-hyeon, both of whom rose to stardom in the tournament.
His predecessor Hong Myung-bo was a darling of Korean soccer with people still remembering his winning penalty shot in the quarterfinals against Spain in the 2002 World Cup and his success as coach at the 2012 London Olympics.
But Hong became “a nobody from a somebody” in last year's Brazil World Cup as the national team was mercilessly defeated without showing any "fighting spirit," the trademark of Korean soccer, to the anger of the people.
Hong failed because his selection of players was not “reasonable.” He was too dependent upon the players’ school backgrounds and past reputation. He hesitated to give chances to unknown players such as Lee Jeong-hyeop.
On the contrary, Stielike opened the door wide as a great motivator for all players, and they did their best.
President Park's lowest-ever popularity rate is a natural result of her failure to convince the people of her acumen in personnel management.
She did not open the door wide to find right persons for right places. Eventually, she used to resort to her old-fashioned style of employing only those whom she "knows."
Last year, the President, for instance, named 79-year-old comedian Johnny Yune (Yune Jong-seung) based in the United States as an auditor of the state-run Korea Tourism Organization, the second man in the hierarchy of the corporation, amid strong public opposition.
As far as she holds fast to such a way of employment, it is crystal clear that she will be losing supports from more of her voters.
She must think twice why not only the opposition camp but some of the ruling party continue to demand a sweeping reshuffle in her secretarial staff and the Cabinet.
Stielike said that the problem (with Korean football) is the way kids are taught, mostly schools and universities. “They teach them to win. We have to teach them to play football.”
The German soccer coach's saying is full of suggestions.
Contact the writer at moojong@ktimes.co.kr.