“Coach Bento also received a lot of criticism. Coach Klinsmann will also pass.”

It’s not often, but I often hear stories like this. Like former Korean national soccer team coach Paulo Bento, there are those who are positive, saying that current national soccer team coach Jurgen Klinsmann will see bright sunlight after going through a long tunnel. It makes me tilt my head.

Similarities: Going downhill to Korea

Of course, there is something in common. Both are leaders who were going downhill before taking charge of the Korean national team. For this reason, I accepted a love call sent from the other side of the world rather than the ‘mainstream soccer world’ in Europe.

Coach Bento was only in his 40s when he took charge of his country’s Portugal national team and participated in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, but was eliminated in the group stage. Afterwards, he coached Cruzeiro (Brazil), Olympiacos (Greece), and Chongqing Lifan (China) before taking up his post in Korea in August 2018.

Director Klinsmann is similar. In his early 40s, he led his country’s German national team to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but withdrew immediately after the tournament. He also coached Germany’s most prestigious team, Bayern Munich, but was dismissed after less than a year. Afterwards, he played for Toronto FC (Canada), the U.S. national team, and Hertha Berlin (Germany) before taking charge of the Korean national team early this year.

Difference ①: Undefeated vs. Drawn

The difference is clear. First of all, ‘grades’ cannot be left out. Coach Bento had 2 wins and 3 draws in his first 5 games in office. They did not lose against Costa Rica (2-0 win), Chile (0-0 draw), Uruguay (2-1 win), Panama (2-2 draw), and Australia (1-1 draw). Coach Bento gave a taste of his build-up philosophy.

Coach Klinsmann’s record in 5 games is 3 draws and 2 losses. There is no victory. They did not win even once against Colombia (2-2 draw), Uruguay (1-2 loss), Peru (0-1 loss), El Salvador (1-1 draw), and Wales (0-0 draw). He is the longest-serving coach without a first win in the history of foreign coaches on the Korean national team. This record is currently in progress.

For reference, Coach Bento lost for the first time in the 2019 United Arab Emirates (UAE) Asian Cup quarterfinal match against Qatar (loss 0-1), which was his 12th match in Korea. The next loss was a 0–3 friendly loss to Brazil in 2019, which was his 22nd match. This match was also held in the UAE. There has been no loss at home for nearly four years. (*First home loss: 1-5 loss against Brazil in June 2022)

Different point ②: Team reliability ‘FULL vs. FULL’

Coach Bento was completely trusted by the players. Occasionally, when there was criticism asking, “Will build-up soccer work?”, the players took the lead in defending the coach. Captain Son Heung-min said every time, “The players all understand the style the coach pursues. “Even if someone has a vacancy, another player can come in and perform the same task,” he said repeatedly. Bentoho’s key players, including Hwang In-beom, Lee Jae-seong, and Kim Young-kwon, also responded in the same way as if they had made a promise.

Player A, who was often selected for the national team at the time, said, “I only heard about the benefits of coach Bento’s training from my seniors, but after experiencing it myself, I understand why. It’s very systematic. Each position has a defined role. “I hope to be selected again next time and learn more,” he said.

On the other hand, 7 months since Klinsmann’s launch, what is the current team like? After the Wales game, Son Heung-min said, “It is clear that I will continue to try new things. The director must also have a clear idea. “I empathize with the fans’ concerns, but please wait a little longer.” You can see that Director Klinsmann’s color has not yet been revealed.

Even looking at the positions of some K-League players, questions arise. Ahn Hyeon-beom, who played as an aggressive fullback for Jeonbuk Hyundai, took on the role of last defender in his A match debut. Lee Sun-min, who played as a defensive midfielder or central defender at Gwangju FC, also played as an attacking midfielder in his A match debut. Both of them felt awkward, as if they were suddenly wearing clothes they had never worn in their lives.

Different point ③: On-site check ‘many vs. small’

Manager Bento and the coaching staff divided into groups and often visited the K-League site. I didn’t just watch big clubs with many national team players or K-League 1 games. He also appeared frequently at K League 2 stadiums. Toured all over the country. Coach Bento was seen in Sangam, Suwon, Incheon, Ansan, Mokdong, Seongnam, Chuncheon, Gangneung, Ulsan, Daegu, Jeonju, Sangju, and Gimcheon.

An official from K League 2 club B said, “I was surprised that they came to our home stadium even though a K League 1 game was held in the metropolitan area on the same day. At that time, our game was not a big match, and we did not have national team-level players. “Coach Bento watched the players intently for 90 minutes and quietly left,” he recalled.

Coach Klinsmann is difficult to encounter in the K-League or domestic soccer field. This is because they are watching the K-League from far away in California, USA. Coach Klinsmann spent more than half of his tenure abroad. He can’t even make sure he watches the K-League on time. This is why confidence in player selection is low.스포츠토토

He often tours Europe with his coaching staff. It is a schedule that does not necessarily require the director to go along. There is also something that Coach Klinsmann said directly at his inauguration press conference. Regarding the controversy over working from home that arose in the past, he said there was no need to worry, saying, “As a coach, I will reside in Korea, and coaches in Europe will travel to see European players in person.”

Difference ④: Director selection process ‘transparent vs. opaque’

Coach Bento was personally summoned by Kim Pan-gon, former head of the National Team Coach Selection Committee. At the time, Chairman Kim Pang-gon said, “The budget set by the association was higher than before, so I had confidence in appointing a coach. We looked for a director whose philosophy matched ours. However, I have encountered many rejections after interviewing candidates in person. There are also candidates who requested an amount that the association cannot afford. “Director Bento was the most realistic director,” he explained directly.

On the other hand, when asked who was responsible for selecting the coach, Michael Müller, Chairman of the Power Strengthening Committee, said, “Coach Klinsmann has been to Korea several times and likes Korea. He repeated, “He was more motivated than other candidates.” He was also asked whether there was a condition for residing in Korea in Director Klinsmann’s contract, and he answered, “I don’t know.”

Difference ⑤: Press conference ‘Sincerely vs. Why bother?’

The attitude towards Q&A is also different. Coach Bento regularly held press conferences whenever he announced the national team roster, whether it was a major tournament or a friendly game, and faithfully answered questions from reporters. Player injury status could also be checked here. When the COVID-19 pandemic spread, we responded with a video press conference.

Director Klinsmann shortened the press conference ‘because he was not in Korea.’ When announcing the list this September, expected answers were prepared in advance and distributed through a press release. Answers such as “It is difficult because of the setback due to Lee Kang-in’s injury” and “Kim Jun-hong and Kim Ji-soo, who were first selected for the national team, were selected based on their future prospects, not their immediate ability,” were also written in text in advance before reporters asked questions.

Asian Cup Opening Coach D-135

Klinsmann declared his goal to be “winning the Asian Cup.” The Qatar Asian Cup will open in January next year. There are only 4 months left. Considering the time of final entry announcement, there are slightly more than 100 days left. Can Director Klinsmann show a turnaround within 100 days? Worries only grow more than expectations.