The South Korean Football Association has decided to discontinue their professional relationship with the national team coach, Jürgen Klinsmann. The 59-year-old coach, who has had an extensive career in football, has been informed about the termination of his contract, as per the reports by Yonhap news agency on Friday.
Chung Mong-gyu, the president of the association, expressed that Klinsmann has not been able to meet the performance expectations set for him. It is unclear if the dismissal also includes assistant coach Andreas Herzog, as no information regarding this was initially made available.
Klinsmann, who has had a successful career as a footballer and as a coach, has faced significant criticism in South Korea. This backlash was particularly strong following the national team’s shocking semi-final loss to the underdogs, Jordan, during the Asian Cup in Qatar.
Fans demanded resignation
As a result of the team’s performance, many fans demanded Klinsmann’s resignation. Throughout the tournament, the coach’s popularity took a hit, and his nonchalant attitude towards the issues plaguing the team was not well-received. The fact that Klinsmann was commuting between his hometown Los Angeles and South Korea also became a point of criticism.
Klinsmann, in collaboration with Herzog, has been managing the South Korean team, which finished fourth in the 2002 World Cup, since the start of the previous year. Herzog, who had previously worked with the USA national team from 2012 to 2016 under Klinsmann, a 1990 World Cup winner, was also part of the coaching staff. As per the initial contract, Klinsmann’s tenure was supposed to last until the 2026 World Cup final.
