The team didn’t win, but the head coach wanted to swap jerseys.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, played Wales to a goalless draw in their September A match at Cardiff City Stadium in Wales on Aug. 8.
It was a disappointment. Klinsmann’s team came up empty with only one shot on target. That’s not to say that they didn’t do well on the counter-attack. They were exposed in many dangerous situations and would have lost if not for the luck of the goal.
Klinsmann hasn’t had the best of starts. He hasn’t won a game in his first five matches, including the one against Wales. This is the first time in the history of Korean soccer that a foreign coach has gone five games without a win. With a foreign oil controversy on the horizon, Klinsmann needs to silence the noise with results.
Against Wales, however, South Korea struggled to move forward. The lack of link-up play in the middle of the field made ball possession difficult, and mistakes began to limit the buildup to the flanks. The offense was dull and the defense was sloppy. Kim Min-jae had to make some tough saves as he won the speed battle with the opposing striker.
Meanwhile, South Korea struggled to get going in the first half, relying more on individual skill than promised play. In the 39th minute, Son Heung-min’s shot from a deflection was the only shot on target.
Continuing their frustrating pattern in the second half, the Koreans were relieved when Moore’s header hit the post in the 21st minute. South Korea brought on Hwang Eui-jo in an attempt to shake things up, but it made little difference. In the end, the Welsh finished goalless, extending their winless streak to five games.
After the game, Coach Klinsmann said, “It was a difficult game. We didn’t create a lot of chances. It was an even game. I think the draw is a reflection of the way we played,” he said, “It was difficult to break down a team that played five at the back. Wales were organized and we can see how we need to play against similar teams in the future.”
The controversy comes at a time when Klinsmann’s credibility is dwindling after his worst start to a tournament in history. In a surprise move, Klinsmann has been named to the roster for the Legends Match between Chelsea and Bayern Munich in London. It could have easily been a situation where the head coach left the national team in the middle of the A-match.
Fortunately, the Korean Football Association said, “Klinsmann is committed to the national team. He was invited to the Legends Match, but he did not attend. On the day of the Legends Match, the national team is scheduled to train in the afternoon.”
An unexpected issue followed. Klinsmann smiled broadly when he was handed Aaron Ramsey’s jersey in a post-match interview after the Wales game. There was no sign of any commitment from the coach, even though the team hadn’t won in five games. 스포츠토토
“My son, who plays goalkeeper for the LA Galaxy, texted me and asked me to get him a Ramsey jersey,” he said. He was only pampering his son and ignoring the disappointed Korean soccer fans.
Klinsmann is not immune to the controversy. Although he promised to stay in Korea when he signed the contract with the Korean Football Association, he has been criticized for staying at his home in Los Angeles for a long time. Last month, he held a video press conference with the Korean media via ZOOM instead of a face-to-face interview. Here, Klinsmann also raised eyebrows by explaining why he didn’t have to stay in Korea, contrary to his contract.
Since the process was not disclosed, the evaluation can only be the result. As such, there is a good chance that public opinion will turn against Klinsmann after the two A-match series in September. Even now, there are fans who are skeptical, and if the winless streak continues until the Saudi Arabia game, the naysayers will be in full swing.