Klinsmann
On February 14, according to South Korean media reports, before the South Korean team lost to Jordan in the Asian Cup, Son Heung-min clashed with his teammates, resulting in a dislocated finger. There is discord among the older players led by Son Heung-min and the younger players led by Lee Gang-in, as well as between the players who play overseas and those who play in the Korean domestic league. And as the head coach of the South Korean team, Klinsmann has lost control of the team.
The dinner before the match against Jordan would have had a special meaning, as it was the occasion to confirm the starting line-up before the decisive match. However, Li Gangren and other young players had dinner early and then went to play table tennis. The players who were eating a little later heard the noisy playing sound of Li Gangren and other young players while eating, and Sun Xingmin wanted to stop it, but the young people didn't listen. Angry, Sun Xingmin grabbed Li Gangren by the collar, Li Gangren hit back with his fist, and Sun Xingmin dodged. As the other players separated the two, Son Heung-min dislocated his finger.
Captain Sun Heung-min
After that, the veteran players approached Klinsmann and asked Li Gangren not to participate in the match against Jordan, but Klinsmann did not agree. According to Korean media, Lee Gang-in is the "prince" who played a central role in Klinsmann, who fell into an extreme slump in the early days of his tenure, and in the second half of last year to achieve a five-game winning streak. Since the second half of last year, the contradictions between Li Gangren and Sun Xingmin and other veteran players have deepened. In this case, the "table tennis incident" seems to have intensified the relationship between the two players.
So Sun Xingmin and Li Gangren went on together and played alone for 90 minutes. Klinsmann chose to continue to believe in Lee Gang-in, and Son Heung-min said after the game, "I think I should think about whether I can be a member of the national team in the future." Because the coach may not think about me anymore and don't know what the future holds. ”
Korean media believe that throughout the game, the players are playing separately according to age. When training in groups on the training ground, the athletes are in the same boat. It's not just the age split, but there are also contradictions between the overseas faction and the domestic faction. In the training before the knockout round, the reporter captured a scene of an overseas striker dissatisfied with the domestic defender who launched a strong physical confrontation against him, and kicked the ball hard to get angry.
The national team not only did not unite into a "team", but participated in the Asian Cup "in pieces". The goal of winning the championship again after 64 years was as unattainable as it was at the beginning. In the case of criticism for the "lack of tactics", even the mistakes of poor player management have surfaced. Because he is a star player, he is good at controlling the psychology of the players, which is a positive evaluation for coach Klinsmann, and this time it is overshadowed.
Whether it's a resignation or a replacement, the breakup of South Korean football and coach Klinsmann seems inevitable. The Football Association will hold a meeting on the 15th to evaluate the results of the Klinsmann Qatar Asian Cup, and finally decide whether Klinsmann will stay or not. Even if the new coaching system is established, the national team will usher in the March international A-level competition period (18~26 days) while the flame of conflict between players still exists. They will play Thailand in March for the third and fourth matches of the World Preliminary Tournament.