Mystery of a business trip to Europe Unanswered, director who prepared 50p PT 'Your philosophy doesn't fit with Korea'
Jul 09, 2024
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What kind of conversation did they have. Was the business trip to Europe a formality to `build up' Hong's appointment, as some have suggested. On the afternoon of the 8th, after the director's briefing, I was able to tell some of the related stories to a soccer official.
According to sources, Wagner was impressed and felt good by the Korea Football Association negotiating team led by Lee. 'Good vibes' was the expectation that he would take over the Korean national team. Coach Wagner reportedly appealed at the meeting that annual salary and sensitive domestic residency are not a problem. After former coach Jurgen Klinsmann's frequent overseas trips and controversy over his attendance, the foreign head coach's residence in Korea became an indispensable condition. Wagner reportedly delivered the conditions to the board of directors, who were on their way home immediately after the meeting, and waited for a call. Wagner's agent is Mark Kosike, who is also the agent of former Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp.
Wagner is known to have thoroughly prepared for the meeting. It is reported that he has prepared a long presentation of more than 50 pages, including how to operate the Korean national team and how to deal with Middle Eastern teams to meet in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup. Yang Min-hyuk (Gangwon), a former Olympic representative defender Lee Han-beom (Mit Willan), and Um Ji-sung (Gwangju), who moved to Swansea City, were aware of the existence of young resources to take charge of Korean soccer. It is said that he also introduced video clips of game models and training models to director Lee about how to run the game and organize training programs. Wagner was a leader who showed enthusiasm for his trip to Korea with an open attitude after Jesse March, the former No. 1 candidate for the national team.
However, instead of receiving a call from the association, Wagner's team learned that Hong was appointed as the coach of the national team on the afternoon of the 7th. It is said that he expressed displeasure beyond absurdity and disappointment. 'We may not be appointed, but how can we announce the appointment of another director without prior notice to the candidate?' he said.
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The association also did not have the slightest courtesy of the candidate. Director Lee said at the briefing site that "one person had a philosophy that emphasized very intense pressure. I respect that philosophy. (But) Is it right to attach someone with this pressure philosophy to the players when we start the build-up and go into the future. The opponent will cringe when facing the Middle East team, but we have to advance and give many chances through the build-up, but if we raise the defense line too much, we have struggled by allowing counterattacks to the opponent. Can I overcome this well. Will there be any physical problems until the second half. "I wondered if the players would be able to play within 10 days of the national team call-up period, understanding this firm philosophy..." It was about Wagner, who did not mention his real name, but obviously values forward pressure. Explaining why he had no choice but to appoint Hong, Wagner was criticized as a coach that did not fit the situation of the Korean national team. Coach Hong's performance is better than the other two candidates, and he also said things he didn't have to say. Wagner has a history of growing up in Dortmund's second division and promoting Huddersfield to the EPL. It has gone downhill in the last four to five years. Wagner, who was dismissed from Norwich City in England's second division last season, reportedly wanted a Korean job to rebound his career. If he was to appoint a coach who values build-up in the first place, he should have boldly excluded Wagner and other coaches with different philosophies from the candidate group. Why did Wagner come all the way to Germany to see us?one can only question '
The association's philosophy of appointing a director is also on and off. Director Lee said as if the build-up was 'Answer Tactics', and with this standard, the coach should not be the Korean coach's national team. As if the coach is also sticking to a style that values forward pressure. After the 10th meeting, the former chairman of the Korea Electric Power Reinforcement Committee, Jeong Hae-sung resigned and the director took over the role, which means that the standard for appointing the director has changed. Contrary to expectations that the director will relieve the itchy part of soccer fans, only suspicions about the coach's appointment process have grown.
yoonjinman@sportschosun.com
