Korea Football Association Faces Crisis: A Call for Change and Reform

In front of reporters, Association President Chung Mong-gyu (Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Ryu Young-seok = After completing an executive meeting on the issue of the Korean national football team, the President of the Korea Football Association, Chung Mong-gyu, announces the results of the meeting at the Football Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 16th. 2024.2.16 ondol@yna.co.kr/2024-02-16 14:51:28/

This time, it is the first ‘disaster’ for 40 years.

Korean football has not competed in the Olympic finals for the first time in 40 years since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. This follows elimination in the quarter-finals of the Asian Under-23 Cup (U-23). Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which also serves as the final Asian qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Coach Hwang Seon-hong, who was on his way to leave the country with the aim of becoming the best player in Asia and not only wins the right to participate in the Olympic Games, which is given to the 3 best players, his head is the scene of his infamous return.

However, the Korea Football Association (KFA) remains silent in the face of the first disaster in 40 years. The only thing that happened was the absurd statement posted on the association’s website on the day the team’s bid to progress to the Olympics was cancelled. Chairman Chung Mong-gyu irresponsibly disappeared, as he always did when Korean football was in crisis. The same goes for Jeong Hae-seong, Chairman of the National Team Strength Improvement Committee, who entrusted Coach Hwang Sun-hong to be the interim coach of the national team and said, “If the results are not good, I’ll take responsibility.” Even before the Olympics, they held a surprise briefing about the Strengthening Committee and showed their will to communicate, but after being pulled out of the Olympics, they have remained silent as if’ n ‘someone else’s business’.

No one at KFA has offered a sincere apology, a responsible statement, or a specific direction for improvement. Instead, the disaster of being eliminated from the Olympics for the first time in 40 years seems to be overshadowed by the issue of appointing a national team coach. Immediately after being eliminated from the Olympics, specific real names of foreign head coaches began to emerge, attracting the attention of fans. Covering the issue with so-called issues was also the direction KFA wanted. In the same context he suddenly said in his statement after the disaster of being eliminated from the Olympic qualifiers, “I will successfully complete the immediate task of appointing a national team coach.”

The problem is that the Power Strengthening Committee under Chairman Jeong Hae-sung, which is in the process of appointing a coach, can never be free from responsibility for the disaster of being eliminated from the Olympics. This is because the current Power Strengthening Committee gave coach Hwang Seon-hong the burden of serving as the interim coach of the A national team a month before the Olympic qualifiers. It is an ironic situation that the people responsible for being eliminated from the Olympics are actually continuing the process of appointing a coach for the national team.

Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu attends an executive meeting (Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Ryu Young-seok = Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu attends an executive meeting held at the Hall of Football Association in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 16th. 2024.2.16 [공동취재] ondol@yna.co.kr/2024-02-16 10:26:04/

If you think all you have to do is appoint a good coach and do well in the World Cup qualifiers, it’s an irresponsible miscalculation. This is because the first disaster in 40 years goes beyond Hwang Seon-Hong’s sluggish performance and is an extension of the KFA’s successive failures under the ‘Chung Mong-gyu’ regime. Controversies surrounding the KFA have been endless in recent times, including the appointment of coach Jurgen Klinsmann, the controversy surrounding the surprise amnesty of football players, the elimination of the Asian Cup in the semi-finals, and the failure to manage the national team and the staff. It was KFA’s fault that Coach Hwang was given the bombshell of being the interim manager of the A national team and did not even provide proper support, such as discussions on recruiting foreign players.

Although the controversy continues like this, nothing really changes. Chairman Chung Mong-gyu is busy hiding or remaining silent whenever disputes escalate, and no one within the company is able to criticize Chairman Chung. Since there is no reflection or will to change, arguments are bound to erupt everywhere. This is the reason why there is sure to be a lot of distrust towards KFA, and the rumor about Chairman Chung’s intention to run for a fourth term is the background for strong criticism.

For now, what is more important than appointing a good coach is to change and reform KFA. Without change, KFA failures across all fronts are bound to repeat again and again. The disaster came from being eliminated from the Olympics for the first time in 40 years. If KFA does not change, what kind of disaster can happen to Korean football next?

Sports Team Reporter 2

Reporter Kim Myeong-seok clear@edaily.co.kr

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