"Unilateral Appointment Process of Hong Myung-bo... Football Coaches Association Criticizes, Calls for Chung Mong-gyu's Resignation"

"Interview Standards Changed Only in Front of Specific Candidate"

The Korea Football Coaches Association has called for the resignation of Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association, stating that the appointment process of Hong Myung-bo as the national football team coach was carried out unilaterally without procedural legitimacy.

In a statement on the 12th, the Coaches Association pointed out that the National Team Strengthening Committee of the Football Association, which was responsible for the coach appointment, pushed forward with the new coach selection despite only five members remaining after some members resigned. The organization said, "It is common sense to reappoint the chairman and add more members so that the committee can properly conclude this matter," and added, "If the intention was to transfer the matter to the Technical Committee, the remaining members should have agreed and the process should have gone through the board of directors."

They also criticized Lee Im-saeng, the outgoing technical director of the Football Association, for visiting Coach Hong late at night to ask him to accept the coaching position, saying that proper procedures such as interviews were not followed. The association stated, "Why did the interview criteria, which should be fair to everyone, suddenly change to subjective and arbitrary interpretations only for a specific candidate?" and added, "For our coaches, the procedural legitimacy of the association's administration is the only ladder of hope to move toward their dreams."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Furthermore, they said, "(Procedures and systems) become stronger through trial and error, and the resulting outcomes gain legitimacy and ultimately earn public support," criticizing, "President Chung has forgotten this common sense."

This criticism came in response to the Korea Football Association's announcement on the 7th that Coach Hong would be appointed as the next national team coach. Coach Hong had previously expressed that he had no intention of joining the national team.

After the match between Ulsan HD and Gwangju FC on the 10th, Coach Hong said in an interview, "I thought this might be the last challenge of my football career," adding, "Something inside me started to emerge. A strong desire to challenge again and win has arisen."