Ulsan Fans Angry Over Hong Myung-bo's Appointment as National Team Coach... Coach Hong Turns Off Phone and Disappears?

Soccer YouTuber 'Saisamil' Coach Hong Accused of Going Silent
Soccer Fans Call Coach Hong a 'Double Standard' Liar

Hong Myung-bo, the Ulsan HD coach recently appointed as the national football team manager, reportedly turned off his mobile phone and cut off contact with the outside world amid various controversies surrounding his appointment.

On the 8th, the YouTube channel 'Saisamil,' which reports on domestic and international football news, posted a community message titled "Coach Hong Myung-bo turned off his phone and went underground." In this post, Saisamil stated about Coach Hong's current situation, "Immediately after the announcement of his appointment as the national team manager, Hong Myung-bo turned off his phone and is avoiding contact with the world," adding, "Director Lee Im-saeng, who attended the appointment briefing, was evasive and failed to properly answer the question, 'Was there really no contact between the Football Association and Coach Hong Myung-bo before the day you persuaded him on the 5th?'" The post continued, "As a result, Hong Myung-bo, who confidently told fans 'There is no need to worry about the national team manager position,' has become a liar and a betrayer," and "The Ulsan HD squad is currently in a very chaotic state, and players who transferred believing in Coach Hong are very confused."

Hong Myung-bo, appointed as the next head coach of the national football team and currently the head coach of Ulsan Hyundai.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Furthermore, "Especially, some players who stayed despite receiving large salary offers in the recent transfer market, persuaded and restrained by Coach Hong, have completely lost personal trust in him," the post said, recalling past events: "Previously, regarding Amano Jun's transfer, Hong Myung-bo publicly and harshly criticized the player for lying and transferring, saying 'People who lie are the worst.'" It added, "Now, Hong Myung-bo has ultimately betrayed with an even bigger and more shocking lie, and all football fans have lost faith in him," and "Currently, Coach Hong, in his capacity as Ulsan HD manager, is expected to lead the team until the match against Gwangju on the 10th. His opinions are expected to be heard at the pre-match press conference."

This post received over 25,000 'likes' and nearly 700 comments within seven hours of posting. Football fans commenting expressed strong criticism of Coach Hong, saying things like, "He refused the national team manager position and said he would protect Ulsan. As expected of Hong Myung-bo. The same unchanging frivolity," "I can feel the anger of Ulsan fans," "Has any national team manager ever damaged their image this much before taking office?" "Let's boycott the match," and "The worst coach who abandoned his own team."

Hong, who joined Ulsan in 2021, led the team to a league championship in 2022 for the first time in 17 years and set a record last year as the first in Ulsan club history to win back-to-back titles. Currently, Ulsan is ranked second in the league, challenging for a third consecutive championship. Amid this good form, Ulsan is facing difficulties due to the sudden coaching change. Therefore, not only players and officials but also Ulsan fans are strongly criticizing Coach Hong's decision.

Ulsan supporters group 'Cheoyong Warriors' issued a statement on the 8th via official social media, criticizing the Korea Football Association (KFA): "The KFA ignored the demands of Cheoyong Warriors and Korean football fans, failed to present solutions or visions, and ultimately led to the worst situation of 'K League coach recycling.'" They added, "The association's decision is a choice that disregards the wishes of Cheoyong Warriors and Korean football fans," and "We strongly condemn this decision that has inflicted great wounds on football fans again." They further stated, "The tragic outcome of the association's choice is obviously a failure," and "Even if it results in an ironic outcome, it will not be the association's credit but the unilateral sacrifice of K League fans, including Ulsan HD."

Lee Im-saeng, Technical Director General of the Korea Football Association, is briefing on the appointment of Hong Myung-bo, Ulsan HD coach, as the next national team manager at the Korea Football Association meeting room in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 8th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]
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On the 7th, the Korea Football Association announced that Coach Hong had been appointed as the next national football team manager. It was reported that Lee Im-saeng, the KFA's technical director in charge of the appointment process, earnestly persuaded Hong in front of his home at 11 p.m. on the 5th, and Hong, who had been firmly refusing, changed his mind.

At a briefing held on the 8th at the Football Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Director Lee announced that Hong had agreed to lead the national team until the AFC Asian Cup held in Saudi Arabia in January-February 2027. Regarding the reasons for appointing Hong as the national team manager, Lee cited eight factors: tactical aspects such as build-up, leadership in creating a one-team spirit, continuity with age-group national teams, achievements as a coach, the tight current national team schedule, experience in managing the national team, lack of time to instill foreign coaches' philosophies, and issues with foreign coaches' domestic stay. With this, Hong will lead the national team again for the first time in 10 years since the 2014 Brazil World Cup. The Korean national football team had left the manager position vacant for nearly five months after dismissing German coach J?rgen Klinsmann on February 16. A Korean coach has officially managed the national team for the first time in six years since Shin Tae-yong, who led the team until the 2018 Russia World Cup and is currently coaching Indonesia.