"Korea Soccer Self-Destruct" "Similar to Germany" Klinsmann's Homeland Reaction 'Cold'

Shock defeat to Jordan, Germany says "Similar to coaching days"
USA, experienced earlier, advises "Look through a microscope"

"South Korea suffered a shocking defeat."

South Korea's national football team coach J?rgen Klinsmann (60, Germany) faced criticism from his home country's media after a poor performance led to a 0-2 loss to Jordan in the Asian Cup semifinals on the 7th. German media outlet Der Spiegel reported, "Klinsmann will have an even tougher time in South Korea." They added a skeptical note, saying, "The situation is similar to when he was the coach of the German national team."

Coach Klinsmann
Photo by Yonhap News

Klinsmann served as the head coach of the German national team from 2004 to 2006. During that time, he was often criticized for frequent trips to the United States, which sparked controversy over leisure travel, and there were suspicions that his assistant coach Joachim L?w was primarily responsible for the team's tactics.

Additionally, Klinsmann was the head coach of Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin from November 2019 to February 2020. The team was in danger of relegation, and across 10 matches including cup games, they recorded 3 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses. He abruptly resigned just three months after taking charge, drawing harsh criticism.

When the Korea Football Association announced Klinsmann's appointment as head coach on February 26 last year, negative reactions emerged in Germany. Online forums featured comments such as "South Korean football is self-destructing," "Klinsmann lacks tactical ability and only motivates players," "The Korea Football Association's foolish move," and "I don't understand how he continues as coach."

[Photo by Yonhap News]

Klinsmann also served as the head coach of the United States national team from 2011 to 2016. Under his leadership, the U.S. team won the 12th CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2013 and finished 15th in the 20th FIFA World Cup in 2014. Following South Korea's heavy defeat to Jordan, American media showed interest as well. ESPN criticized, "He was not a good coach in the early to mid-2010s." Meanwhile, BNN Breaking stated, "South Korea should immediately investigate Coach Klinsmann after this unexpected loss." They advised, "Don't just engage in debates about performance, leadership, and results since his appointment; examine everything under a microscope. Raise questions about the team's performance."