Just in.. Reportedly, KFA is going to hire new coach for the national team by end of January 2003. The candidates are Blazevic (ex-iranian and '98 croatia coach), Aime Jacques, Arsene Wenger, and Frank Rijkaard. My concern is how the heck Blazevic become one of the candidates?? He failed miserably with Iran and i remember there was no Iranian speaking good of him. And my other concern is would Arsene Wenger want to coach our team? I don't think so. Rijkaard seems to be the best bet as of now.
i seriously doubt Blazevic will coach the Korean NT. You know how KFA and Koreans in general about pedigree, and Blazevic's pedigree doesn't speak too well for him. It's one of those damn sportswriters again. I think the nation of Iran is still waiting for Blazevic to hang himself off a goal post like he promised if Iran didn't make the World Cup.
You have to understand that Blazevic's success with Croatia in 1998 was fueled more by the fact that he had a golden generation as the nucleus of his team. He had Zvonimir Boban, Davor Sukur, Robert Procineski, Asanovic and Robert Jarni to mention the starts of the team. As a Croatian, Blazevic also was more motivated to bring Croatia far onto the world stage considering the fact that only seven years before Croatia was fighting for its sovereignty from Yugoslavia. Generally speaking, Blazevic is not the suited candidate for the Korean national team. I'm not really concerned about his success/failure rate at Iran. His character and personality however don't seem to fit the requirements the Korean team and people have in the post-Hiddink days. Something just doesn't click. Arsene Wenger would be a dream. But let's be honest. He's more likely to coach Japan first if he ever gets out of his Arsenal contract. I said in another post... Wenger is next to a deity at Highbury. Period. Aime Jacquet is certainly qualified. However, ever since the Hiddink days, my bias is more toward the Dutch brand of football. I know that Holland has never won the World Cup and that France has (under this particular man). But the Dutch school of football is the most efficient and matches well to the Korean temperment of playing football. That means that I would be completely for Frank Rijkaard coaching Korea. While Hiddink came from PSV and not the Ajax school of coaching, Rijkaard was a product of the youth system, played with Ajax before joining the Dutch duo of Gullit and Van Basten in the late 80s and early 1990s. He was a key member of the 1995 Ajax side that lifted the European Cup. And in 2000 he led Holland to a semi-final appearance against Italy only to lose on penalty-kicks. Why not Frank Rijkaard.
http://www.stoo.com/html/stooview/2002/1217/091907313411131100.html Looks like Aime Jacques is the clear favourite at this stage.
What happened to the KFA having first right of refusal when Hiddink's contract w/ PSV expires in 2005 (?). Is that still valid. What is this appointment (in Jan 03) supposed to be for? For the Asian games only? Does the new coach replace the current coach, he's just started. What do you think is the future of Hiddink as a Korean NT coach?
Our german media reports that former Senegal Coach Metsu and Humberto Coelho (Portugal) are in the smaller circle of candidates for the NT Coach. They refer this information to an official statement of the KFA. Source (german): http://www.sportschau.de/news/news.phtml?id=91931
Why is Hiddink out? I don't think he was ever asked. Nor did he ever rule out coaching Korean team again. Is this one those mysterious KFA's backroom deal?
umm...he is already signed with PSV for 2 years. If anything, KFA has a chance to sign with Hiddink AFTER that 2 year period passes. The reason why KFA is going to sign a 2-year contract with the new coach is to see whether or not the KFA would want to sign for the remaining years depending on how the new coach leads the Korean NT. If things go badly, and if Hiddink's situation with PSV goes badly, we have a chance of signing Hiddink 2 years from now on.
Senegal Coach Metsu and Humberto Coelho are the two final candidates announced by the KFA. Sports Today has already made a prediction that it would likely be Metsu. I like Metsu too. I have a feeling that it would be Metsu who gets picked and I think he'll do well. Coelho did great with the Portuguese NT at EURO2000, but he was bad with the Moroccoan NT after that. In other words, he is not so great with players who are not world-class. On the other hand, Metsu proved his ability to make the underdog step up and I like that.
Oh NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No Metsu!!!!!!!!!!!!! No No No No No No No No No No No! First, I hate his hair. Second, I don't think the success of Senegal has anything to with Metsu being a good coach. Well maybe 5%?? Look at Senegalese players, they ARE good. Frankly, they're better than Korean players in terms of skills, physique, and technique. Thirdly, his name rhymes with Matsu!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh wait, it could be Coelho because the "king" has spoken! http://www.sportschosun.com/news/sports/200212/20021225/2cy06003.htm It seemed like Metsu was getting higher points until Hiddink's comments on both coaches came out. Hiddink commented that Scolari and Coelho are the two most adaquet candidates for the team. Of course, since Scolari is now headed to Portugal, only Coelho is left. Hiddink does not know Metsu personally so he didn't comment much about him. I have this feeling that Coelho could be picked by the technical advisors because of this recommendation. In a sense it seems unfair as Hiddink just does not know Metsu. One question: why does "humanism" have to be such a big factor?
What I heard was that the next new coach they sign will be for 2006 world cup. No foreign coach worth his track suit would sign to be replaced by Hiddink before the next world cup.
it's all set. Whoever becomes the new head coach for the Korean National Team, will be signing a 2year term. The result at the Asian Cup 2004 will determine the new coach's contract renewal.
Coelho, who led Portugal to the last four of Euro 2000 will be Korea's new National Team coach until next year. What will constitute as a success for this man? Final four in the 2004 Olympics? Will Korea media and the infamous KFA have leaned their lessons and give him time to work his way thorough the Koreans? Will be compared to Hiddink on his every move?
Coelho won't be coaching the olympic team, as it is under-23+wildcard only. That's still Kim Ho-Gon's job... I think his main target would be winning the 2004 asian cup.
His success will be determined through his ability to uncover "the pearls from the mud" as commonly stated by the Korean media. Hiddink discovered the now 21-year old Park Ji-sung and surpringly dropped veteran striker Kim Do-hoon and wonder boy Lee Dong-guk who played in the finals during '98. Instead Hiddink chose to go with a group of potential-filled youngsters, such as Cha Du-ri and won his prize as Guus turned the team around into a "never-die" type of team full of spirit energy stamina...and more stamina. Honestly, I believe the KFA is wasting precious money hiring this man. Although Coelho will be regarded as the skipper for the entire KFA under Hiddink, who is still the technical advisor for Korea, I still believe that Hiddink has left Coelho with little work for the new Coach. Think about it..this man is just coaching the National team for about 2 years..where U-23 coach Kim Ho-gon has to do all the dirty work like going around the country looking at high-schoolers, college students, professioanls, and fighting with K-League clubs to let their players out for a week or two for training sessions. Then there is Coelho...who willl probably win a few good number of friendly "A" matches for about 2 years...using the same players that constituted the 2002 World Cup team then will go out onto the Asian Cup and get defeated by Iran and Japan and then will be considered as a loser by all korean fans and their media. I say SCREW KIM HO GON and let this man do the navagating of Korean football and its future or SCREW the damn muslim-lookin dood by the name of Coelho because he's so damn expensive and let Kim Ho-gon do the job cuz either way...they're both gonna get fired and we know it.
As long as Coelho achieves the following, I won't have any problems - 1. Win the Asian Cup in 2004. 2. Sustain or improve upon Korea's FIFA top 20 ranking. 3. Replace the current line of defence adequately with a new generation of defenders. 4. Develope the techniques and organisation of the Korean NT players without sacrificing their speed, tenacity and stamina.
Poor Coelho. The guy is in a no-win situation. He will be under a lot pressure to win friendly's in the buildup to the Asian Cup. I wonder how patient people will be if he focused on scouting and developing players, like Hiddink did in the preparation for the World Cup, and not emphasize winning friendly's?
Coelho in Korea! The new head coach finally arrives in Korea. Here are some of the comments he made. http://sports.hankooki.com/lpage/soccer/200302/ds2003020420465913590.htm http://sports.hankooki.com/lpage/soccer/200302/ds2003020420575113610.htm http://www.sportsseoul.com/html/view.asp?filename=20030206ab040