Essay 'The Era of Soccer' Published
Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association, defended the leadership of coach J?rgen Klinsmann regarding the disappointing early exit at the Asian Cup held in Qatar earlier this year. He did so through his recently published essay, The Era of Football.
This book is a memoir reflecting on Chung’s 30-year football career since entering the football world. It attracted attention as it was published amid the turmoil in Korean football, including controversies surrounding coach J?rgen Klinsmann, the sudden pardon related to match-fixing, and the appointment of coach Hong Myung-bo.
Regarding the Asian Cup, where the team aimed for the championship for the first time in 64 years with the participation of Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, and Lee Kang-in but was eliminated, he said, “Domestic football fans and the public seem to expect a fatherly or teacher-like leadership from the national team coach. Coach Klinsmann had a firm belief that each player should be professional on their own. He tried to allow as much freedom as possible in daily life, activities at the dormitory, and meal times.”
He also implied criticism of the team for failing to become a ‘one team.’ “Trust is needed that the player next to you can cover your shortcomings and mistakes. Not only players but also staff, equipment managers, performance analysts, athletic trainers, chefs, and everyone must become one and show a restrained and mature attitude without expressing their feelings or moods openly to become a one team,” he said. “The numerous upsets and results of past World Cups show that a team composed only of famous and good players does not necessarily achieve good results. The 2023 Qatar Asian Cup seems to be one such case.”
He also mentioned the clash between Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in. “Fans judged the conflict within the national team at the Asian Cup as an incident where ‘young players with a creative and free atmosphere offended the seniors and broke the hierarchy.’ However, I do not fully agree with this interpretation,” he wrote.
Chung Mong-gyu, as a businessman and president of the Korea Football Association, said he wrote the 30-year history of Korean football with the spirit of a historian, hoping that everyone who loves football would gain various insights, both big and small, alongside the development of Korean football.
The first part of the book, Chung Mong-gyu’s Yesterday, covers his connection with football and the background of his candidacy for the Korea Football Association presidency. The second part, Chung Mong-gyu’s Today, deals with records related to the World Cup and controversies surrounding the football association. The final part, Chung Mong-gyu’s Vision, contains various proposals for the future of Korean football.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
