First Report on Table Tennis Gate by 'The Sun' Columnist
No On-Site Reporter at the Time, Suspicions of Internal Whistleblower
Attention on Media 'Link' Through Klinsmann's Actions
Former South Korea national football team coach J?rgen Klinsmann is set to work as a columnist for the British media outlet The Sun, which first reported on the 'Table Tennis Gate.' This has led to suspicions among some that Klinsmann might have been the original whistleblower of the 'Table Tennis Gate.'
Jurgen Klinsmann, former head coach of the South Korea national football team. [Photo by Yonhap News]
On the 9th (local time), The Sun revealed four columnists ahead of 'Euro 2024' (2024 UEFA European Football Championship). Among them was Klinsmann, who was dismissed as South Korea's head coach in February and has since been working as a columnist for the US-based ESPN. The outlet introduced them as a "dream team of star columnists," adding, "The German legend J?rgen Klinsmann is also cheering for England."
As Klinsmann began his role as a columnist for the media that first reported the conflict between Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min, some raised suspicions that Klinsmann might have been the initial source. There were speculations that there might have been some connection between the parties involved. Previously, The Sun reported a week after the Asian Cup match against Jordan that "Tottenham star Son Heung-min dislocated a finger during an argument with teammates at a dinner the night before South Korea's Asian Cup semifinal." Although The Sun reportedly did not send reporters to the Asian Cup, it was the first to provide detailed coverage of the South Korean team's situation. Later, the Korea Football Association acknowledged the facts, confirming that most of The Sun's report was accurate. At that time, there was also suspicion about who inside the football team had leaked the information to the British media, as the report included details that only an insider could have known.
Klinsmann, who was dismissed after the Asian Cup due to controversies over so-called 'remote work,' poor player management, and lack of tactical ability, has recently continued to deny his mistakes in several interviews, blaming the players for the conflict between Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in.
In an interview with the sports media outlet The Athletic on the 6th, Klinsmann explained, "The night before the Jordan match, some of the younger players left the dinner a bit early. They moved to the next room to play table tennis, and when they got noisy, Son Heung-min walked over, and suddenly Son and Lee Kang-in got into a physical fight." He added, "Son's finger was dislocated, and the team atmosphere flew out the window. I told the coaches, 'It's over now. I know we can't fight a strong team in the Asian Cup semifinals right now.'"
Klinsmann further stated, "If that fight hadn't happened, we could have beaten Jordan and played the final against Qatar. In Korean culture, someone has to take responsibility. They shifted the blame onto us." He implied that someone had to be held accountable for the loss against Jordan, and he became the scapegoat.
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