Klinsmann’s two September A matches have come to an end after a tumultuous period both on and off the pitch. To be precise, the public opinion exploded when Jürgen Klinsmann’s external activities and perception of domestic soccer mixed with a performance that didn’t know what it was doing.
Outside of Korea, the perception of Klinsmann outside of the country, especially in Europe, is even worse. When I checked into the hotel in Cardiff for the Wales game, I was genuinely surprised when the staff told me that Klinsmann was the head coach of the Korean national team.바카라사이트
With the name so deeply imprinted, it’s not surprising that Klinsmann himself is often asked for his opinion on soccer matters. That’s why it’s not a misconception that he’s half German, half American, and not the ‘reticent’ type.
The British public broadcaster BBC or the well-known sports channel Sky Sports asked Klinsmann a question before the Wales game that gave him a distinctly British perspective. The question was: Who else is playing in Europe besides Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)? Even with Son and a 2-1 win over Portugal in the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar, it doesn’t change the fact that South Korea is a soccer backwater.
Klinsmann, who knew what he was getting at, tried to promote Korean soccer by saying that there were players playing for Celtic (Oh Hyun-gyu and Yang Hyun-joon) and Mittwillan (Cho Kyu-sung). Considering that one of the qualities of a manager in modern soccer is not just tactics and strategy, but also PR and marketing skills, Klinsmann’s behavior was not bad.
The day after the Wales game, which was marred by questions about his participation in the Chelsea-Bayern Munich Legends Match, he trained in Cardiff and then traveled to London for what amounted to a night out on the town. It was clear that the players were not just soccer machines, but that they were also taking the time to recharge and build camaraderie amongst themselves, and that the support staff were also taking a break to prepare for the Saudi Arabia game.
It was confirmed that the players went out in small groups, and if they had family members, they had time to talk to them separately. Son Heung-min also showed leadership by organizing a meal with the players.
Outside of the game, Klinsmann was capitalizing on what Korean soccer has always been good at: order within autonomy.
The problem is not with the players, but with the entire Korean soccer community. There is so much pressure in Korean soccer that it is jokingly said that the powers and responsibilities of the national team coach are equivalent to those of the president. It’s a tough job, to the point where his predecessor, Paulo Bento, expressed some frustration at being called out to external events so often.
Back home in Wales and Newcastle, Klinsmann was not unaware of the Korean soccer community’s perception of him. However, it felt like he was continuing to do so from an ‘international’ perspective. The tide of modern soccer is always changing, so it’s not unusual for Klinsmann to travel to Europe to keep up with it, or to comment on the performances of Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) and Harry Kane (Bayern Munich).
The Chelsea-Munich legends match was still being suggested in the days leading up to the game, and aside from Klinsmann, most of the Munich legends were unfamiliar to English soccer fans. This is especially true given that Klinsmann also played for Tottenham, but it’s unprecedented for a national team manager to be out of the country on personal business during a call-up.
The fact that the decision to stay in Europe or return home after the Saudi game was made in a morning meeting with the coaching staff was perceived as such a difficult one, not only by the soccer world but also by soccer fans. Watching the UEFA Champions League (UCL) was deemed more important to Klinsmann. With his ESPN panel contract in place, it’s not surprising that his comments on world soccer will continue.
Korean Football Association president Chung Mong-kyu was extremely reticent when he met with reporters in Newcastle, and it was clear that he wanted Klinsmann to take his time with the game, as he had been approached by the organization himself, and he made similar comments to reporters.
The fact that Chung had to control Klinsmann himself in the end paradoxically shows how powerless and meaningless the KFA’s national team support and technical organization is. If he doesn’t know what the outside world thinks, the vice presidency should grab him by the crotch and tell him. It should be a one-on-one tutoring session on Korean history, culture, and perceptions of the soccer world.
After the Saudi game, Klinsmann said, “I fully understand what a lot of people who love Korean culture, Koreans, and soccer are thinking and what they’re worried about,” but he added, “I think what I want to make clear is that as a national team manager, you have to keep an eye on the international scene and how it’s changing, and you have to study it. “I’ve spent some time in Korea, and I think I have to play a role where it’s obviously needed,” he said, reiterating that the pair will not stop working together.
If Chung is controlling the big picture, connecting with Klinsmann in a big way, then the “hands-on top administrators” who are always mentioned in the articles have to inject details. Instead of just saying, “This will pass,” they need to make him harvest cabbages from the cabbage patch and make kimchi.
After the two-game series in Tunisia and Vietnam in October, I’m looking forward to the matches where public opinion will fluctuate more with each result. Is it a luxury to hope for a ‘positive Koreanization’ of the ‘international’ Klinsmann?