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Korean coach to step down before WCup
Source: Agencies |
December 23, 2011, Friday
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CHOI Kang-hee, the newly-appointed coach of South Korea's national team, says he will take the team through qualifying for the 2014 World Cup but will step down before the tournament itself.
Choi was appointed on Wednesday to replace Cho Kwang-rae, who was fired following a shocking 1-2 defeat in Lebanon that jeopardized South Korea's qualification hopes. The 52 year-old Choi refused initial approaches from the Korea Football Association but eventually agreed to take the reins.
Reports in the Korea media suggested that the KFA was ready to talk with Portuguese coach Nelo Vingada, who led FC Seoul to the 2010 K-League title, before Choi's change of heart.
Choi leaves Jeonbuk Motors after seven seasons in charge of the club and just weeks after delivering a second K-league title. If possible, he intends to return to the club after his short stint with the national team.
"I have requested that I be replaced before the World Cup if we get that far," Choi said.
Choi's first game is a vital qualifier against Kuwait on February 29, with South Korea needing a point to be sure of a place in the final round of qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
"That game is the only important thing right now," said Choi, who was a national team assistant coach from 2002 to 2004. "K-League players could be more important than our foreign-based players as many of those are not playing much for their club teams and could have suffered from a lack of match practice."
As the longest-serving K-League coach, Choi has been on the receiving end of requests from players to spend more time preparing with the national team, and now he is making the same call.
"We need to train with the best talent from the K-League and from overseas and then I believe we can defeat any Asian team. Although time is short before the Kuwait game, we have to make sure that we maximize our ability."
Choi was appointed on Wednesday to replace Cho Kwang-rae, who was fired following a shocking 1-2 defeat in Lebanon that jeopardized South Korea's qualification hopes. The 52 year-old Choi refused initial approaches from the Korea Football Association but eventually agreed to take the reins.
Reports in the Korea media suggested that the KFA was ready to talk with Portuguese coach Nelo Vingada, who led FC Seoul to the 2010 K-League title, before Choi's change of heart.
Choi leaves Jeonbuk Motors after seven seasons in charge of the club and just weeks after delivering a second K-league title. If possible, he intends to return to the club after his short stint with the national team.
"I have requested that I be replaced before the World Cup if we get that far," Choi said.
Choi's first game is a vital qualifier against Kuwait on February 29, with South Korea needing a point to be sure of a place in the final round of qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
"That game is the only important thing right now," said Choi, who was a national team assistant coach from 2002 to 2004. "K-League players could be more important than our foreign-based players as many of those are not playing much for their club teams and could have suffered from a lack of match practice."
As the longest-serving K-League coach, Choi has been on the receiving end of requests from players to spend more time preparing with the national team, and now he is making the same call.
"We need to train with the best talent from the K-League and from overseas and then I believe we can defeat any Asian team. Although time is short before the Kuwait game, we have to make sure that we maximize our ability."
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