Coach Klinsmann, Who Returned to Korea Amid Fan Criticism, “Asia Cup Semifinals is Not a Failure”
Demand for resignation after defeat in Jordan… “The national team is growing in the right direction,” he dismissed,
“Son Heung-min continues to be the captain and leader of the national team… He will join in March as well.”
Coach Jurgen Klinsmann of the national soccer team, who failed to achieve his dream of winning the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup by being eliminated in the semifinals,
returned to Korea amid criticism from fans, but dismissed public calls for his resignation.
On the evening of the 8th, when the national soccer team returned from Qatar after finishing the Asian Cup,
about 300 fans gathered at the arrival hall of Incheon International Airport.
The national team was eliminated after losing 0-2 in the semifinals of the 2023 Asian Cup against Jordan held in the early morning of the 7th, Korean time. Came back that day.
Although they recorded a better performance than the quarterfinals of the 2019 Asian Cup,
they were disappointed as they were aiming to regain the top spot in Asia for the first time in 64 years amid evaluations that they had the highest level of power in history, led by Son Heung-min (Tottenham).
Fans’ disappointment grew as they lost to Jordan,
who had drawn in the group stage, and failed to advance to the finals. 슬롯사이트 순위
In particular, criticism of coach Klinsmann intensified.
Skepticism has also begun to arise as to whether Coach Klinsmann can be entrusted with the 2026 North and Central America World Cup,
where the second round of qualifying in the Asian region is underway.
At the arrival hall on this day, most travelers stopped on their way in and out of the airport for the Lunar New Year holiday,
but there were also some soccer fans who were seen shouting at coach Klinsmann,
“This is soccer!” or “Go home.”
Some people protested, shouting “Go home”.
In an interview with reporters, ‘Do you have any intention of resigning?
In response to the first question, “Do you think you are qualified to continue leading the national team?”,
Coach Klinsmann smiled and said, “Nice question” (good question), and protested,
“I wanted to win this tournament just as much as you all.”
“Jordan was a much better team in the semifinals and fully deserved to advance to the finals,” he said, adding,
“I don’t think I can say that advancing to the semifinals was a failure.”
He continued, “Until the match against Jordan, we were undefeated in 13 games, and there were positive aspects of this tournament.
It is important to think about such things and prepare for the World Cup qualifiers that are just around the corner.”
Coach Klinsmann, who was the leading striker of the German national team and a ‘world star’ during his time as a player, expressed the opinion that criticism after such a loss was natural.
He said, “I think the joys and sorrows of soccer are a part of soccer.
Many people would have been happy when we won the round of 16 or the quarterfinals, and if we are eliminated,
public opinion will change and negative and extreme comments are bound to come out.”
“Knowing how to play is the attitude of a leader and soccer player,” he said.
However, Coach Klinsmann said, “We are in the process of growth.
There are some new things we have discovered as we have grown over the past year.
I would like to say that we are looking forward to the North and Central America World Cup by adding young players to the team.”
He added, “The national team is moving in the right direction.
“I think we are growing,” he emphasized.
He continued, “I had a lot of conversations with Chung Mong-gyu, the president of the Korea Football Association, on the spot.
We talked about a lot of positive things as well as negative points that need to be improved,” and “We talked about things to prepare for the future, including the two-game series against Thailand in March.
“We shared it,” he said.
After being criticized for his frequent overseas schedules after his appointment,
he stated that he would stick to his existing way of performing his duties.
He said, “I can’t be away for a long time because there are World Cup qualifiers,”
but “the national team coach has to do various tasks, including business trips,
in a different way than the professional team coach.
I know there are criticisms, but my way of working will not change.
“It won’t happen,” he said.
Meanwhile, regarding captain Son Heung-min, who said after the game against Jordan,
“I think I need to think about whether I can play for the national team in the future,”
Coach Klinsmann declared that he would remain in the national team in the future,
including during the international match period next month.
Son Heung-min’s remarks could be seen as a ‘general statement’ to the effect that no player has a position on the national team and the future cannot be guaranteed,
but there was also analysis that he was contemplating retirement from the national team.
In relation to this, Coach Klinsmann said, “Son Heung-min is still the team’s captain and leader.
Of course, he will join the national team as captain in March.”
He added, “Son Heung-min must have dreamed of bringing the Asian Cup trophy to Korea,
but I think it was an emotionally difficult moment because he couldn’t.
Now, we have to set a different goal.
I hope we can prepare well and create a new goal together.”