The national soccer team’s frustrating performance against Wales left fans with nothing but sighs. As if that wasn’t enough, the controversy surrounding their manager continues. The spark of hope that was ignited by reaching the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is fading.
Jürgen Klinsmann’s men’s national soccer team drew 0-0 with Wales 홀덤사이트 in an exhibition match on Aug. 8. The result was a draw, but it was a poor performance, as the team struggled to penetrate the Welsh defense for the entire 90 minutes, passing and back-passing, and conceding a whopping 10 shots on goal.
After five consecutive games without a win (three draws and two losses), Klinsmann was understandably criticized. The criticism was exacerbated after the game when it was revealed that Klinsmann had asked Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff City) for a jersey. Speaking to UEFA after the game, Klinsmann explained the situation, saying, “My son, who plays for the LA Galaxy (USA), texted me and asked if I could get him a jersey, so I asked for it.”
It’s not common for a manager to ask a player for a jersey. But it’s not unheard of. The problem is that he did so in a situation where there was a lot of scrutiny surrounding him and the national team.
The controversy didn’t stop there. The team’s base camp for the upcoming match against Saudi Arabia in Newcastle, England, on Nov. 13, was not in Newcastle, but in Brentford, near London. Newcastle and Brentford are separated by more than 400 kilometers, which is not ideal for a base camp.
Add to that the fact that Klinsmann was named on the Munich squad for the Chelsea-Bayern Munich Legends Match at Stamford Bridge in London, England on Tuesday. There was speculation that Klinsmann had set up a base camp near London to attend the match. While it was eventually confirmed by the Korean Football Association that Klinsmann was still training with the national team, the fact that the controversy arose at all is troubling.
When Klinsmann was hired in March, public opinion was a mix of excitement and concern. But as time has gone on, the concerns have only grown. His colorless tactics and the fact that he didn’t live in South Korea as he had promised, but instead moved to the United States and worked from home, as well as his personal schedule, have led to controversy. If the team doesn’t turn things around in Saudi Arabia, fans’ patience is likely to run out.