South Korea announce replacement of Klinsmann
Hwang will also have to deal with infighting in his squad
Hwang Sun-hong, coach of the under-23 team, was named as temporary head coach of the national side to prepare for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers by the Korea Football Association (KFA) on Tuesday.
The National Team Committee, a KFA advisory body, was searching for a replacement after firing Juergen Klinsmann in the wake of the national side's semi-final exit at the Asian Cup and amid criticism of his leadership.
Hwang, 55, led the under-23 national team to gold in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, and was a member of the 2002 World Cup squad that reached the semi-finals under Dutch coach Guus Hiddink.
Hwang will also have to deal with infighting in his squad after a public quarrel between captain Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur and teammate Lee Kang-in of Paris St Germain as he prepares for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in April in Qatar.
Klinsmann’s popularity in Korea reduced during the AFC event, with many questioning his demeanour, smiling even when things were not going in favour of his team.
Klinsmann’s decision to repeatedly work in Los Angeles, where he currently lives, despite saying he would spend majority of his time in South Korea also didn’t go down well with the locals.
Klinsmann, who won the World Cup in 1990 as a player, has previously worked with the German and U.S. national teams, as well as Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
He took charge of South Korea last year after Paulo Bento stepped down following their loss to Brazil in the Round of 16 of the World Cup in 2022.
