The problem with bringing in too many famous coaches. Jürgen Klinsmann has stirred up another controversy, this time over his decision to attend the Legends Match. The controversy came on the heels of a disastrous performance against Wales, which only intensified the criticism.
The South Korean national football team (ranked 28th in the FIFA rankings), led by Jürgen Klinsmann, drew 0-0 with Wales (ranked 19th in the FIFA rankings) in a friendly match at Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on September 8 at 3:45 a.m. (KST). The draw was not enough to break out of the slump of three draws and two losses in five games since Klinsmann’s arrival.
In fact, the Welsh were the perfect opponent to get that first win. The Welsh were on a poor run of form with just one win, four draws and eight defeats in their last 13 matches, and were facing strong criticism at home as they finished fourth out of five teams in Group D in Euro qualifying with one win, one draw and two defeats.
However, South Korea did not dominate the game and were outplayed by their opponents. South Korea managed just four shots in the 90 minutes, with only one on target. This was in contrast to Wales, who had 11 shots on goal and four on target. In the end, South Korea were unable to get both the content and the result, and despite having their best players in Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, and Lee Jae-sung, they failed to get their first win.
The criticism of Klinsmann only intensified. Since taking over the reins of the Korean national team in February 2023, Klinsmann has been criticized for his lack of tactical skills, his time spent in South Korea, and his frequent trips abroad. In particular, while traveling abroad for various events and interviews, he did not hold a press conference to announce the roster.
Now, there’s news of his participation in the Legends Match. Chelsea and Bayern Munich will host a charity match in honor of the late Gianluca Vialli at Stamford Bridge in London, England, on September 9 at 3:15 p.m. Klinsmann’s name was included on the roster.
It was immediately controversial. That’s because it falls during South Korea’s September A matches. South Korea will play a friendly against Wales on Sept. 8, followed by a second friendly against Saudi Arabia on Sept. 13. South Korean soccer fans were outraged because if Chelsea’s announcement was true, Klinsmann would have to travel to London for the Legends Match after the Wales game.
It ended in humor. An official from the Korea Football Association said, “We have a training session at 4 p.m. that day. It’s an impossible schedule. It’s true that we were invited, but we already informed them that we couldn’t make it. It seems that the organizers have not been updated,” but the criticism is still strong. 바카라
Is there a problem with inviting too many famous coaches?
Since taking over the reins of the Korean national team, Klinsmann has been on the road more than at home. He promised to stay in Korea and show a different side, but he left for Europe after the March A-Match and returned to his home in the United States in May to rest. He returned to the U.S. again in July after a lackluster June A match, drawing 1-1.