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| Michael Muller, the newly appointed head of South Korea's national football team committee at the Korea Football Association (KFA), speaks during a press conference at the KFA Hall in Seoul, Jan. 11. / Yonhap |
By John Duerden
One major soccer tournament may have finished just a few weeks ago but the international game does not stop for long. The 2023 Asian Cup is probably going to take place next January and qualification for the 2026 World Cup starts in October. It sounds like there is a lot of time remaining but in reality, there is not. Rivals such as Japan are already starting to prepare and its national team is already in a better place.
At the moment, however, the Taeguk Warriors are without a coach. Paulo Bento took the team to the Round of 16 in Qatar where Brazil proved to be much too strong. After four years in charge, it was the right time for the Portuguese tactician to return to Europe. The search for a new man is the responsibility of Michael Muller, the newly appointed head of the National Team Committee at the Korea Football Association (KFA).
"We're thinking in all directions. The doors in each direction are open," Muller told reporters at a press conference at KFA House in Seoul. "I can't answer where the new coach is coming from. I want to work sustainable and holistic. I don't want to be a part of any speculation at this moment."
Want it or not, speculation on who may be the new coach and debate on who should be the new coach is a time-honored tradition among the Korean media. Already there have been reports of approaches made to Spanish boss Pepe Bordalas as well as Tite, the former boss of Brazil.
The speculation will go on until a new man is in place. There are those of us who remember the rumors about who would replace Guus Hiddink after he left in 2002 and then pretty much every time a coach went on his way, and there have been a few of those.
The KFA hopes to have a new man in place in February. Most fans care little whether he is domestic or foreign. Giving the responsibility of recruitment to a German suggests that an outsider is probable; after all, if it was going to be a Korean then the KFA would be able to do the job without much stress.
Also, the domestic pool really isn't that great. All 12 teams in the K League are coached by locals and there is a lack of variety in terms of playing styles.
Hong Myong-bo would usually be the leading candidate after taking Ulsan Horangi to the league title. The former national captain led the team at the 2014 World Cup but it was a disastrous campaign. That probably came too soon in his career but he has had his fingers burned. There are more choices overseas but sometimes that makes it more difficult to find the right person for the job.
"We'll try everything to bring this process in the right direction," he said. "We need to be really sure with our decision. I am confident we're going to make it suitable."
It is easier said than done but getting it right can make a lot of difference. Saudi Arabia's hiring of Herve Renard in 2019 has been a turning point. A competent coach who is invested, hard-working and passionate could help take South Korea to a new level.
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