The Korea Football Association (KFA) advisory committee has recently recommended the dismissal of head coach Jurgen Klinsmann following South Korea's semifinal exit at the Asian Cup. The committee's decision comes amidst criticism of Klinsmann's leadership and concerns about his commitment to the national team. However, it is the KFA's Executive Board that has the final say on whether to act upon this recommendation and terminate Klinsmann's contract, which currently runs through the 2026 World Cup.
South Korea, currently ranked 23rd by FIFA, suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to 87th-ranked Jordan in the Asian Cup semifinals earlier this month. This unexpected loss fueled the discontent among fans and even triggered calls for Klinsmann's dismissal from some politicians. The 59-year-old coach's popularity in Korea plummeted during the tournament, with critics primarily pointing out his demeanor, specifically his smiling nature even when the team was struggling on the field.
Off the field, Klinsmann faced criticism for frequently working in Los Angeles, where he is based, instead of spending more time in South Korea as promised. This lack of presence was deemed by some as disrespectful towards the public. Despite taking part in Thursday's advisory committee meeting via video call, it was ultimately concluded that Klinsmann can no longer effectively lead the national team and needs to be replaced, according to Hwang Bo-Kwan, the Technical Director at the Korea Football Association.
Jurgen Klinsmann, a former player who won the World Cup in 1990, has previously coached the national teams of Germany and the United States, as well as Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. He assumed the role of head coach for South Korea last year after Paulo Bento stepped down following their defeat to Brazil in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup.
Klinsmann's tenure got off to a rocky start, with South Korea failing to secure a win in his first five games in charge, experiencing losses against Uruguay and Peru and draws against Colombia, El Salvador, and Wales. However, the team's form began to improve leading up to the Asian Cup, with a remarkable run of six consecutive victories. Despite not performing at their best in Qatar, the Asian heavyweights managed to surpass their quarterfinal exit in the previous edition and reached the semifinals.
In the semifinal match against Jordan, however, South Korea struggled to create scoring opportunities and failed to register a single shot on target, ultimately falling short in their pursuit of a third Asian Cup title, which they haven't won since 1960.
As the KFA's Executive Board now deliberates their next course of action, it remains to be seen what the future holds for South Korea's national team and who will assume the challenging role of leading them towards future success on the footballing stage.
