“Because I am German, I have to think internationally. I will keep all possibilities open.”
Michael Müller (58), who will supervise the process of appointing the next Korean national football team head coach, said at a press conference held at the Seoul Soccer Center on the afternoon of the 11th at the Korea Football Association’s new national team strength enhancement committee that a foreign coach should be considered first.
After coach Paulo Bento (Portugal), who led Korea to the round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, stepped down, the appointment of the next head coach has become the top priority for the Football Association.
In the midst of this, Vice Chairman Lee Yong-soo, the former head of the Power Reinforcement Committee, stepped down and Chairman Müller was appointed.
Rumors circulated after the World Cup in Qatar that the Football Association was considering a domestic coach as the next coach of the national team.
Chairman Müller gave a principled answer to the related question. He repeatedly emphasized that he would appoint a new coach in accordance with the guidelines set by the team, keeping all possibilities open.
“I can’t answer (now) which country the new coach is coming from,” he said.
Regarding the contract period of the next coach, he said that it is difficult to answer at this point because there are many variables, but he prefers to leave it for 4 years until the next 2026 World Cup in North America and Central America.
“The contract period has not yet been set. This is an issue that needs to be finalized as a result of negotiations,” said Müller.
In April 2018, Chairman Müller took office as a leader training instructor for the Football Association and established a relationship with Korean soccer.
From October of that year, he twice served as the chairman of the Technology Development Committee, which established mid- to long-term policies for Korean soccer. He was praised for his specific achievements, such as introducing an 8-8 match for the elementary school.
Before coming to Korea, he served as a coach for the German Football Association, a coach for the German U-15 and U-18 national teams, and a scout for the U-21 national team.
When the Korea Football Association announced the appointment of Müller, it introduced him as ‘a person who has not only personally experienced advanced European football, but also has a good understanding of the Korean football environment, from youth to pros and national teams’.
Starting the press conference by saying, “Hello. Nice to meet you. Happy New Year” in Korean, Müller said that although he is German, he wanted to meet the “international standard” and asked for his name to be called “Michael” instead of “Michael.” I did too. 메이저사이트
The following is a Q&A with Chairman Mueller.
— How do you feel about being the chairperson?
▲ Hello. nice to meet you happy new year. My name is Michael Müller (above Korean). Please call me Michael, not Michael. I want to match the international standard. Michael is a more cosmopolitan pronunciation. It is a pleasure and an honor to serve as the chairman of the Power Reinforcement Committee.
— What stage are you at in regards to the appointment of the next director? Will the term of the new coach guarantee the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America?
▲ We made an approximate selection standard. We plan to start the process of appointing a director according to the guidelines. I’m German, so we have to have an international discussion (regarding the search for the next manager). When it is possible, it will be released to the media and the public. I want to do business in a sustainable way. I don’t want to invite any speculation at this point.
The contract period has not yet been determined. This is an issue that must be finalized as a result of negotiations. However, my personal opinion is that a successful relationship through a long-term contract is far better.
— There is a story that the next coach was selected as a domestic leader, but now it has changed to a foreign coach. Are foreigners a priority? Can a German coach with the same nationality be a candidate?
▲ Because I am German, I have to think internationally. I will keep all possibilities open. I can’t answer (right now) which country the new coach is from. I’m here to explain what the process goes through to appoint a bishop and what kind of leader to consider for the new one.
— Can you release the guidelines?
▲ First of all, we listened to the requirements of the Football Association and made five guidelines. Expertise, experience, motivation, teamwork, and finally environmental factors.
Environmental factors relate to how satisfied the football association and coach are with the conditions. For example, whether the manager candidate can live in Korea and whether his philosophy matches Korean soccer philosophy. All of these must be judged individually.
— I heard that the former chairman selected the first round of candidates.
▲ He received the grist. Thank you. However, we will review everything with a blank slate open. I will also utilize my personal network.
— Lee Jae-seong (Mainz) said players should actively voice their opinions in the process of appointing a new manager. can you accept this
▲ My role is communication and coordination. Just as I am communicating with you now, I will communicate with everyone including not only the players but also the coaching staff. However, not all communications will be communicated to the public.
— Do you have any plans to openly explain the background and principles of your appointment, as you did when you appointed the former Bento coach? In the process of searching for candidates, should we also consider whether we can continue our soccer philosophy that has been going on for many years?
▲ We will proceed with the selection process logically and comprehensively. We will first make a list of candidates, conduct interviews, evaluate them, and then select candidates. In the process, I will report to the Football Association. You will meet one last time to negotiate and sign the contract.
Of course, whether we can continue our football philosophy is also a consideration. Knowing what Korean football wants and how it has been done is an important requirement for the next coach.
— In what direction do you think Korean football should develop?
▲ Mental strength, will, and fighting spirit are the values that Korean football pursues. To make this a reality, individual players must become stronger. We need to know what we want and set that direction.
At the World Cup in Qatar, he watched all the matches as a member of the International Football Federation (FIFA) Technical Study Group (TSG). Now, the distinction between ‘weak team’ and ‘strong team’ is meaningless. About three teams that advanced to the semifinals or higher showed strong mental strength and fighting spirit.
Overall, there were many dynamic aspects. Not only did the players run fast on the ground, but the dynamic aspect also increased in the judgment process. Diversity also increased. Each team showed a variety of tactical changes between matches and between matches.
— You said you would reflect the opinions of the players, but please explain in detail at what stage of the coach appointment process you will reflect them.
▲ To be honest, I didn’t think about that part in detail.
— In the end, isn’t the budget the most important thing? How can a satisfactory coach be appointed within the budget set by the Football Association? If it is a necessary director for us, can we increase the budget?
▲ I’m sorry, but it’s difficult to comment on the budget from my current position.
— Appointment of a coach is an immediate task, but strengthening the competitiveness of each level of national team is also your task. There must be a plan to develop Korean soccer in general. What do you want to do during your tenure?
▲ Working for the Football Association for 4 and a half years has brought about many changes. The leader education system and the youth education system were changed. Now it is important how much further these can be developed. We will continue to develop not only the national team, but also individual players and coaches. I want to serve as a communicator so that leaders and teams can communicate more smoothly.
— The Korea Football Association was scheduled to finalize the process of appointing a new coach by the end of February. Since the process of appointing a new director has been restarted from a blank slate, will it be delayed?
▲ It is very difficult to predict the date in the business of soccer. Moving in the right direction is more important. Rather than ‘quickly’ (in Korean), we will make sure that the director is appointed according to the procedure.