Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Epaper
BREAKING: ● Sailor dies after oil tanker catches fire in Ctg      ● Ex-president Badruddoza Chowdhury passes away      ● Killing during students' movement: 9 bodies to be exhumed in Sylhet      ● Malaysian prime minister leaves Dhaka for home      ● CA seeks Malaysian support for Bangladesh to be ASEAN dialogue partner      ● Malaysian PM assures of attention to 18,000 Bangladesh workers       ● Bid to kill Khaleda Zia: Sheikh Hasina among 113 sued      

Klinsmann sacked as South Korea coach after 12 months in charge

Published : Saturday, 17 February, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 418
SEOUL, FEB 16: Jurgen Klinsmann was sacked as South Korea coach on Friday following defeat to Jordan in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup and revelations about a bust-up between star players.

The 59-year-old former Germany striker, a World Cup winner as a player, was in the post for just under a year and never won over South Korean fans or media.

"The KFA has decided to change the national head coach following a comprehensive review," Korea Football Association president Chung Mong-gyu said.

"Klinsmann has failed to display managerial capability and leadership expected of a national head coach in areas ranging from tactics and personnel management to work attitude and others required to bring about competitiveness to the team."

Klinsmann, whose managerial record has not matched his stellar playing career, said it had been "an incredible journey" and thanked his players in a post on social media, just before the axe fell.

The KFA was under huge pressure to fire Klinsmann. Its national team committee had on Thursday said that "a change of leadership is necessary".

The South Korean team have been in the eye of a storm.

On Wednesday came revelations about a fracas between players that left Son Heung-min with an injured finger on the eve of the 2-0 loss to Jordan in the last four in Qatar.

Paris Saint-Germains Lee Kang-in subsequently issued an apology after Yonhap news agency said the 22-year-old had tried to punch skipper and Tottenham star Son.

Lees representatives have denied there was a punch.

The conflict was reportedly triggered by younger players -- including Lee -- rushing through their dinner so they could leave early and play table tennis.

This angered some of the older players, including Son, who wanted to honour long-standing tradition that the pre-game dinner be a team bonding experience, triggering the brawl.

Lee and Son both played in the Jordan loss, the latter with two of his fingers strapped together.

Klinsmann, whose contract was due to run until after the 2026 World Cup, had promised to deliver South Koreas first Asian title in 64 years.

The altercation on the eve of the Jordan game fuelled calls for Klinsmann to be sacked, with some saying it was more evidence of his weak management.

KFA president Chung said "this incident reflects a lot to us for areas to pay attention to when it comes to managing a national team going forward".

"The KFA will right away embark on finding the next head coach for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers," said Chung, himself under pressure to quit.

Yonhap previously reported that the KFA would consider a temporary appointment for next months World Cup qualifiers home and away against Thailand.

Former United States coach Klinsmann was under the cosh from day one because of his managerial record and he had refused to move to South Korea from the US.

He was also accused by some fans and media of smiling too much, even when they lost.

The German is reportedly entitled to be paid up for the rest of his contract until July 2026, estimated at $2.2 million a year.

"If South Korea had been eliminated in the first knockout stage (of the Asian Cup) the KFA could have fired him without a package," Sports Chosun reported.    —AFP



LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Swiatek splits with coach Wiktorowski
Finally beaten Madrid aiming for Villarreal rebound in La Liga
Top EU court finds against FIFA in key transfer market ruling
Rising Kenya athletics star Anyango fails doping test
FIFA defers decision on call to suspend Israel
Top seed Sabalenka stunned by Muchova in Beijing last eight
Ten Hag faces make-or-break trip to Aston Villa
Sinner not 'comfortable' as doping case clouds Shanghai campaign
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: info©dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝