Hong Jun-pyo "Why pay expensive money only for foreign coaches... We must end soccer subservience to foreign powers"

Mayor Hong Posts Consecutive Messages on Facebook on the 7th

As the South Korean national football team's bid for their first Asian Cup victory in 64 years, led by coach J?rgen Klinsmann, was thwarted, calls for 'coach accountability' emerged. On the 7th, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo also left a series of harsh comments on Facebook directed at the Korea Football Association, which insists on hiring only foreign coaches.

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo
Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

On the morning of the same day, Mayor Hong pointed out, "Our country's football players have reached a world-class level, and there are many highly capable coaches like Park Hang-seo, yet I don't understand why the Football Association insists on paying huge salaries to bring in only foreign coaches." He added, "Even if someone was an outstanding player, coaching ability is a different domain, and that person's coaching record is not impressive. How about reorganizing before Korean football deteriorates further?" He continued, "Having managed Gyeongnam FC and Daegu FC, I know that coaching ability is a separate matter."

In the afternoon, he posted a new message recalling his experience as governor of Gyeongnam Province from 2012 to 2017 and as the owner of Gyeongnam FC: "When Gyeongnam FC was relegated to the second division, we selected a coach who had been managing in the fourth division. That person lived and ate with the players, worked in unison with them, won the second division, and even reached the top ranks of the first division."

He also explained, "Although he was caught up in a scouting scandal and did not shine in professional football, his coaching ability was excellent. That coach is now recognized for his abilities and is active as a coach in the Chinese professional league." He emphasized that performance as a player and ability as a coach are separate matters.

He also criticized the convention of hiring foreign coaches with high salaries. "There are many Korean coaches who are better than foreign coaches without paying a 2.8 billion won salary," mentioning not only Park Hang-seo but also Hwang Sun-hong and Cho Kwang-rae. He then questioned, "Isn't it time to put an end to football's cultural inferiority complex?"

Coach Klinsmann Consoling Son Heung-min
Photo by Yonhap News

The South Korean national football team, coached by Klinsmann, lost 0-2 to Jordan in the semifinals of the 2023 AFC Qatar Asian Cup held on the 6th (local time) at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, failing to advance to the final. It was a complete defeat with no shots on target recorded during the full 90 minutes.

Expectations for victory were higher than ever before this tournament. Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan ranked among the top scorers this season in the English Premier League (EPL), the world's best league, showcasing peak form, and Lee Kang-in was expected to demonstrate sharp attacking skills as a key player for the prestigious French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). In defense, Bayern Munich's starting center-back Kim Min-jae was expected to reliably anchor the backline.

However, the performance shown in the tournament fell short of expectations. Despite having the best players, the team failed to produce satisfactory results, leading to intensified criticism of coach Klinsmann. Nevertheless, the coach made it clear that he has no intention of resigning, setting the 2026 FIFA North and Central American World Cup as the next goal.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.