It’s a bad day for the team.
The South Korean national soccer team, coached by Jürgen Klinsmann, will take on Saudi Arabia in an exhibition match at 1:30 a.m. ET today at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England. Before the game, all eyes are on Klinsmann, not the players.
Klinsmann is no stranger to controversy. Since taking over the reins of the national team in March, Klinsmann has made a name for himself by staying in the United States and traveling frequently to Europe, despite promising to stay in South Korea. In addition to the poor performance, the public sentiment was exacerbated by the fact that the contents of the matches were said to be colorless.
Klinsmann’s behavior also came under scrutiny before and after the September A match. While traveling abroad and giving interviews to foreign players such as Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) and Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) that had nothing to do with the national team, he stirred up controversy by eliminating the press conference to announce the Korean roster.
After a goalless draw against Wales in a desperate need of a win on Aug. 8, Klinsmann approached his opponent, Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff City), and asked for a jersey. It was for his son, who was a fan. After the Wales game, there was talk that Klinsmann could take part in the Legends Match between Chelsea and Bayern Munich in London on October 10. Klinsmann’s inclusion on the Munich legends’ list sparked another uproar. He didn’t show up, but the public sentiment was only going to get worse.
On top of that, the team had lost the trust of their fans due to their dismal performance. After reaching the round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, South Korea went five games without a win (three draws and two losses) under Klinsmann. Klinsmann has been labeled the longest winless manager in Korean soccer history. It’s a shame, too, because he’s been chanting “win the Asian Cup” since he stepped foot on South Korean soil. 바카라사이트
With Klinsmann’s fingers crossed, Saein has a tougher task ahead of him than ever. The opponent is Saudi Arabia (ranked 54th in the FIFA rankings). Although South Korea is ranked ahead of them (28th), the Saudis have won four, drawn seven and lost six of their 17 previous meetings.
Furthermore, Japan’s 4-1 victory over Germany, the “Tank Corps,” on Oct. 10 put even more pressure on Klinsmann ahead of the Saudi game. If the team fails to win again, the chants of “Klinsmann out” will only get louder.