Jürgen Klinsmann (GER), the head coach of the South Korean national soccer team who has been criticized for the so-called stay-at-home/work-abroad controversy, has “finally” stepped foot on South Korean soil. It’s been 45 days since he left the country on March 1. After completing an away trial in Europe, Klinsmann abruptly changed his plans to tour Europe and returned home. Klinsmann called for support rather than criticism until the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup next January, and added that he plans to continue traveling overseas, including Europe, rather than promising to stay in Korea.
Klinsmann, who led the national team to two European away trials (Wales and Saudi Arabia), returned home with the K-Leaguers on Thursday through Incheon International Airport Terminal 2. Until the previous afternoon, Klinsmann was scheduled to return home at the end of the month after staying in Europe to watch Kim Min-jae’s team Bayern Munich play, but he suddenly changed his schedule the previous afternoon and returned home. Fans criticized his work schedule to the point that there was even a controversy about negligence, but in the end, there were voices saying that he was returning home conscious of public opinion.
Coach Klinsmann said, “I heard that many people were waiting for me. The KFA (Korea Football Association) also told me that when the players return home after an overseas trip, the coach usually returns with them, so I had to think twice about that.” “I was actually scheduled to watch Bayern Munich and Leverkusen play this week, but it wasn’t a big deal to change my schedule. I thought it would be a good idea to travel with the team, so I’m here, and I’ll be seeing you all this weekend in the K League.”
“When I was working in Germany or the U.S., I rarely had so many people welcoming me when I went abroad, and it’s a new experience to have so many people welcoming me after a friendly (not a competition),” he said, adding, “I heard a lot of stories this time, so I decided to make a change.” The answer to the question of whether or not he returned home because he was urged to do so by those around him, and whether or not he was aware of the critical public opinion surrounding him.
He did not show any signs of changing his work style in the future. When asked if he would be traveling again, Klinsmann said, “I have a schedule of traveling back and forth (overseas),” explaining that he has games to watch in Europe and elsewhere. This time, he traveled home with the national team, but he could be traveling again to watch games in Europe.
When asked about the “bad publicity,” Klinsmann responded with a quirky answer that the team has a “very positive and developing atmosphere,” adding, “Our benchmark is the Asian Cup. Until that big tournament, the team needs to have positive publicity and positive momentum. If we don’t do well at the Asian Cup or don’t get the results we want, I think it’s never too late to point fingers, to criticize, to criticize… Of course, I think we’re going to be tested when the results aren’t good, and I think that’s the fate of a coach.” He added.
Klinsmann has spent only 67 days in the country since his appointment in March, with the rest of the time spent abroad, sparking a home-and-away controversy. He skipped a press conference to announce the national team roster and attended the UEFA Champions League group stage draw, leading to controversy over his absenteeism. To make matters worse, since Klinsmann’s appointment, South Korea has been winless in five consecutive matches (three draws and two losses), with a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia recently snapping the winless streak. The five-match winless streak was Klinsmann’s first since taking over. Klinsmann will announce his October A-match roster early next month, followed by two exhibition matches against Tunisia (Seoul) on Oct. 13 and Vietnam (Suwon) on Oct. 17.
Here’s what Klinsmann had to say on his return home.
- On stepping foot on Korean soil after a month away.
“It would have been nice to see you guys in England. I feel pretty good every time we convene. I think we can find a lot of positives. We had the March, June and now this September. I felt a lot about how much we’ve improved internally and the importance of going through this process towards the Asian Cup. Playing in Cardiff (Wales) and Newcastle (England), I’ve been thinking and discussing with the staff about how we’re growing and improving and how we need to prepare for the next call-up.”
- On the sudden change of plans to stay in Europe and observe the European wave.
“I heard that a lot of people were waiting for me. Apart from that, many people from the Korea Football Association also told me. I was told that usually when the players return home from an overseas trip, the coach comes back with them, so I thought about those things again. I was actually scheduled to watch Bayern Munich play Leverkusen this week. It wasn’t a big deal for me to change my schedule, so I thought it would be a good idea for me to travel with the team. I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the K League this weekend.
When I was working in Germany or the United States, it was very rare that I was welcomed by so many people when I went abroad, so it’s actually something new. It is also a new experience to be welcomed by so many people after a friendly match like this. I’ve heard a lot of stories and it’s made a difference.”
- What is your next travel schedule and do you have any plans to travel abroad after the October A-Match?
“I have a schedule of traveling back and forth. I have some matches to watch in Europe and other countries. I don’t have a lot of time before the October A matches. After the game in England, we analyzed the coaching staff and our next opponents. We only have two friendlies left. After the October friendlies, you’re going straight into World Cup qualifying. We are still thinking about how to prepare, how to organize the players, and how to build the team. After October, we’ll go straight to the World Cup qualifiers and the Asian Cup. I think we need to do a better job. Having Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae back in the squad was a big boost and helped us as a team. Obviously, it’s important that they stay healthy and stay together. As you know, we don’t have much time left. We don’t have a long time between the A-Match and the next call-up, so we need to continue to analyze our A-Match opponents internally and prepare for the upcoming matches.”
- There’s a lot of bad publicity. Have you heard about it around you, and if so, what are your thoughts on it?
“We have a very positive and developing team atmosphere. In March, as you know, I was with the guys who played in the World Cup. Then in June, September, there were a lot of changes. In June, for example, we lost some key players and it was a test of how we organized the team as we brought in new players. The team is constantly changing, with new players coming in every time we call up. We’re trying to figure out how we’re going to fit in with players who haven’t played much before, how we’re going to build the team, how we’re going to develop and grow in the lead-up to the Asian Cup in Qatar, and how we’re going to have a positive team atmosphere. Every time we have a meeting, the players are getting a little bit more understanding of what the coaching staff wants and how we want to run the team. Those are the positive things I want to talk about.
It’s not long until the Asian Cup. Our benchmark is the Asian Cup. We have a lot of confidence and expectations to do well at the Asian Cup. Obviously, we need to improve and make corrections along the way. We have to prepare for that process. We have to do scouting to analyze our opponents. It’s all about analyzing the opponent, analyzing their key players, watching them play and preparing for them. We are going through that process of developing and growing together in a positive way.
At the association level and when it comes to building a team, there is bound to be quite a bit of change between one big event and the next. There are a lot of issues that come up in that transition. You go through a lot of different processes. It would be great to have all the pieces in place as a federation and as a team, but at the end of the day, you have to go to a big tournament and do well and be judged.
This time around, we have the U-22 and U-24 national teams, so we have the challenge of preparing for two tournaments in a row. It’s the same with the A team. It will be important to see how we grow as a team, how we finish the big tournament and how we prepare for the next one. November is the most important month. From November, it’s all about practice. We had eight A matches before that. During the A-Match, there will be a lot of things that we are not satisfied with, but at the end of the day, we will have the best players for the Asian Cup and we will prepare well so that we can perform at our best.”
- He has emphasized winning the Asian Cup since his appointment. Whether you’re based in Korea or overseas, the fans want results, so is it fair to say that your job depends on the outcome of the Asian Cup?
“I think the Asian Cup will eventually become our benchmark. The same goes for the coaching staff. The players are also preparing with the Asian Cup as a benchmark. Of course, if the results are not good, the fans and the media in front of me will ask me questions, criticize me, and I think I will be tested at that time. I think that’s the fate of a coach.
But I have a lot of experience with tournaments. I’ve always enjoyed tournaments quite a bit, both as a coach and as a player. I’ve been to the European Championships, I’ve been to the World Cup, I’ve been to those tournaments, so I have experience in how to prepare a team, how to build a team. I think we’re in a good enough shape and I think we’re going to have a good team, and I’ll tell you the positive things.
The most important thing is for all the players to be healthy for the Asian Cup. It’s the same with Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae. Hwang Hee-chan had just recovered from a hamstring injury and was not at 100 percent when he was called up. Lee Kang-in is also out with an injury. If the players stay healthy and prepare well together, I think we can go to Qatar with a good team, good players, and a top-tier team and do well. Again, I think the Asian Cup will be our benchmark for now.
I think the team needs to have a lot of positive publicity and a lot of positive energy when the competition is over and they’re preparing for the next competition, so that they can be successful. No matter how strong the team is internally and how positive they are, if a lot of people create negative publicity or talk about them, they will falter. A great example is the German national team at the last World Cup in Qatar. They were criticized a lot before the World Cup, everything was negative, everything surrounding the team was negative, and in the end, they were eliminated (group stage) and went home. The players need positivity, a positive atmosphere. At the end of the day, it’s the national team, it’s the dream of the people, it’s the team that represents the country. If we can create a positive atmosphere together, it will be very helpful for the team.
I think it’s never too late to criticize, criticize, criticize, criticize when you’re not performing or you’re not getting the results you want. What I’m saying is that if we go to Qatar with a positive vibe, with all of you, with the fans, with the players, with the coaching staff, with the media, I think we’ll have a better synergy and we’ll have a better result.”온라인카지노
- There is talk of interest from the German national team. If there is a real offer.
“For now, I will focus on bringing home the Asian Cup trophy. It’s great to see so many people here, and I hope to be there with all of you.”
- On whether Aaron Ramsey (Welsh national team) has his jersey packed.
“Actually, my son’s physiotherapist (who is Welsh) asked for it. I don’t know if it was a big deal. The sad part is that after it came out in the press, there were a lot of comments on my son’s social media, and I think that’s unfortunate. I have a lot of players’ jerseys at home, not just Ramsey’s. I can tell you that we have exchanged a lot of jerseys over 40 years.”
- There are reports that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are looking to delay the start of the Xi’an Cup next January.
“I haven’t heard anything about that yet. Lee Kang-in is still recovering,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique. I spoke to PSG coach Luis Enrique about him via text. The Asian Cup is a tournament that can be called off at the FIFA level. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”