"It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more." Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end

Jul 11, 2024

'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Coach Hong Myung-bo leaving Ulsan Home Stadium

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = Ulsan HD coach Hong Myung-bo, who was named the national soccer team coach at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on the afternoon of the 10th, leaves the stadium after greeting fans. 2024.7.10
'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Hello to fans

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = Ulsan HD coach Hong Myung-bo, who was named the national soccer team coach, greets the supporters' seats criticizing him after the game against Gwangju FC in Ulsan on the afternoon of the 10th. 2024.7.10
'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Criticism toward Coach Hong Myung-bo

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = Ulsan HD coach Hong Myung-bo, who was named the national soccer team coach, passes by the supporter's seat criticizing him after the game against Gwangju FC. 2024.7.10
There are always balls and balls in the world. At least there is no joy in the 2012 London Olympics, the first bronze medal in Korean soccer history.

The so-called national team members who give up the ground and play `Ipsoccer' also have the priority `Politics`. Some of them point out that if the foreign candidates they supported are not supervised, they will only point out 'unfairness'. The self-proclaimed `football experts' in name only are just hatched brains. The mistake of the Korea Football Association (KFA) is nothing new.

After failing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he never said it was difficult. This day was different. It gave Ulsan HD its first championship in 17 years. In the following year, he led the team to its first K League 1 consecutive win. But fans just throw 'DOL' at the drop-off. Still, "I'm sorry" he keeps bowing.

It is today of Korean soccer. Coach Hong Myung-bo, who was appointed as the head coach of the A national team for the first time in 10 years, expressed his feelings. Coach Hong held a press conference on the issue of the 'A national team' after leading the 22nd round of the 'Hana Bank K League 1 2024' against Gwangju FC at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on the 10th.

Ten years of time have crossed. Coach Hong said, `The biggest difficult time in my life was after the 2014 World Cup. My honest feelings were that I didn't want to go to the national team. I also know what happens next."

'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Replying coach Hong Myung-bo

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = Ulsan HD coach Hong Myung-bo, who was named the national soccer team coach, holds a press conference after the game against Gwangju FC at the press center of Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on the afternoon of the 10th. 2024.7.10
'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Head-down coach Hong Myung-bo

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = Ulsan HD coach Hong Myung-bo, who was named the national soccer team coach at the press center of Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on the afternoon of the 10th, is bowing his head during a press conference after the game against Gwangju FC. 2024.7.10
Coach Hong has been steadily listed as a candidate for the A-team leadership since Jurgen Klinsmann was replaced earlier this year. He said "It was really painful for my name to appear in the National Committee, the association, and the media regardless of my intentions. I felt like I was being robbed."

But fate was another way. Hong has repeatedly rejected offers to meet with Lee Im-saeng (Chairman of Technology Development Committee), who has the full power to negotiate the appointment. The meeting was held on the night of the 5th. Technical director Lee blindly waited for head coach Hong, who was returning home to his home in the Seoul metropolitan area after the away game against Suwon FC.

Director Hong said "Chairman Lee Im-saeng came to the front of the house. He couldn't shake off the chairman who waited for two to three hours. That's when I met Chairman Lee for the first time." He said the biggest reason for turning his mind was because of the KFA's announcement of 'technical philosophy'. Chairman Lee talked to me about the technical philosophy of `MIK(Made in Korea)" Of course, I was fully aware of the content when I announced MIK. On the other hand, I was very interested in the job while I was in administration. However, there is a limit to administration. The most important thing is execution. It's important for the person in the field to do it. I think who should do it in that is the coach of the A national team."

Coach Hong couldn't decide on the spot. I agonized all night, and I was honestly afraid. However, Hong said, `As a result, something inside me started to come out. I thought this could be the last challenge in my football life. Considering the process of failing in the past and what happened afterwards, it is a terrible thing, but it is also true that I have a strong desire to try again. I really wanted to make a new team and make a really strong team and try it," he stressed.

And "Thinking, agonizing all night, that time was too long for me. Because you have to protect me. I barely played fun soccer and had fun with the players for the first time in 10 years, and as a result, I thought I had to abandon myself. I abandoned me. I don't have any more. There is only Korean soccer."

'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Yonhap News
'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Yonhap News
'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
The KFA announced on the 7th that it has appointed Hong as the next commander of the national team. Technical director Lee said on the 8th "The association appointed Hong Myung-bo as the new coach of the national soccer team preparing for the 2026 World Cup in North Korea and the U.S. The contract period is until the Asian Cup, which will be held in Saudi Arabia in January 2027."

He also revealed eight reasons for choosing Hong. The technical director "First, we considered KFA's philosophy and game model. Coach Hong efficiently targeted the build-up shown in Ulsan, using La Volpiana, taking the back three, and the back space. He showed various aspects such as attacking third, line breaking, attack through crosses, and combination. Based on last year's data, he ranked No. 1 in opportunity creation, No. 1 in build-up, and No. 1 in pressure intensity in the K League"The activity ranking was 10th, but that means that he played effectively. Argentina, which won the Qatar World Cup, was also at the bottom of the list. That is a lesson for Korean soccer. Hong also has extensive experience as a leader of the A-team, 23-year-old and 20-year-old national teams, and as an executive director of the association, he has a broad perspective in technical administration" he said.

He then explained that Hong's leadership emphasizing "one team, one spirit, one goal" was higher than the two foreign candidates based on his leadership, foreign coach's resident problem in Korea, Hong's performance as a leader from his 20-year-old national team to Ulsan's second consecutive K-League, the third qualifying round for the World Cup, which begins in September, the time to apply a new philosophy to the national team, and his experience as national team leaders at all levels.

'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Coach Hong Myung-bo watching the game on the bench

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = Ulsan coach Hong Myung-bo watches the game from the bench in the match between Ulsan HD and Gwangju FC in Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on the 10th. 2024.7.10
'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Head-sweeping coach Hong Myung-bo

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = Ulsan coach Hong Myung-bo watches the game from the bench in a match between Ulsan HD and Gwangju FC in Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on the 10th. 2024.7.10
When Hong pointed out the problem of the supervisor appointment system, he said, `I don't know how the system worked. I asked him to meet, and he said, `What kind of evaluation did you get?' and he said, `I got the highest score.' The system doesn't know."

What is the picture of Hong Myung-bo in 2014 and Hong Myung-bo in 2024. "I think it's very different. At that time, he lacked experience and was in a position to start as a leader. Of course, there are still many shortcomings. I had more K-League experience than 10 years ago and it was a very good time as a leader. There are still many shortcomings, but we have to work hard in the future. It is true that the Korean national team has many good players. But we're team sports people. If you think about what is most important, I think it will change depending on where you put your talent on top. You will have enormous power if you place your talent on the basis of dedication or sacrifice. It puts it on egoism and fails to exert its power. There are good players, but how much trust you build is important."

The story of Park Joo-ho, a former member of the committee, is an argument. Director Hong said "I watched the video and checked the contents. Personally, I felt that Park Joo-ho worked hard on the entire competition through his connection"I think these things should continue to happen." Each individual's opinion is respected and can play an important role in moving toward a unified goal. Park Joo-ho's words may sound uncomfortable, but I hope he will embrace it and develop for better soccer now."

'It feels like I'm being robbed. I don't have any more.' Coach Hong Myung-bo's Korean soccer, unfortunately Ulsan's time has come to an end
Criticism toward Coach Hong Myung-bo

(Ulsan=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = Ulsan HD coach Hong Myung-bo, who was named the national soccer team coach, is looking at the supporters' seats criticizing him after the game against Gwangju FC in Ulsan on the afternoon of the 10th. 2024.7.10
Ulsan fans are just apologizing. "I was so sorry. I've been so happy, but of course, there will be a time when I have to leave someday, but I didn't want to say goodbye like this, but I left like this because of my mistake. I'm really sorry to Ulsan fans, and I have nothing to say. When I chose Ulsan after working at the association, I chose it only for the individual. It was good to spend time in Ulsan thinking only about players, fans, and soccer. I had a lot of thoughts today. The chants of support were booed not long ago, and I'm solely responsible for that. Once again, I would like to apologize to Ulsan fans and Cheoyong warriors. I'm sorry."

Coach Hong's time in Ulsan virtually ended with the match against Gwangju.



newsme@sportschosun.com