Jürgen Klinsmann, the coach of South Korea, has been sacked, the Korean Football Federation announced this Friday, February 16, following the elimination of the national team in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup against the Jordan (2-0) on February 6.
“The KFA has decided to change the national coach after careful consideration,” KFA President Chung Mong-gyu said at a press conference.
The South Korean leader is particularly harsh against the German who has been in office since February 27, 2023: “He has failed to demonstrate the management skills and leadership expected of a national coach in areas ranging from tactics, personnel management to work attitude and other areas necessary for team competitiveness.
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To all players, my coaching staff and all Korean football fans with sincere gratitude!
Thank you so much for all your support taking us to the semi-final of the Asian Cup and an incredible journey over the last 12 months with not losing 13 games in a row!
Keep on fighting 💪 pic.twitter.com/ff1EAgEoN5
— J_Klinsmann (@J_Klinsmann) February 16, 2024
Upon this announcement, Jürgen Klinsmann, who previously coached the German (2004-2006) and United States (2011-2016) teams, explained that his mission in South Korea had been
“an incredible journey”
and thanked his players in a message on social networks.
He pays for the poor quality of his team's performances during the recent Asian Cup as well as internal rivalries.
Notably the lack of discipline among young players and the clash between Paris-SG player Lee Kang-in and Tottenham star Son Heung-min.
A quarrel notably took place before the semi-final against Jordan between Paris SG player Lee Kang-in and Tottenham star Son Heung-min, who injured a finger during the incident which occurred after a game of ping-pong.
Aged 59, a former player who played for Monaco in the mid-1990s, the globe-trotting German won the World Cup in 1990 and the Euro 6 years later.