South Korea’s new nationwide soccer crew head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. File
| Photo Credit: AP
Jurgen Klinsmann has arrived to start out his job as head coach of South Korea’s nationwide crew and instantly set a goal of ending an Asian Cup drought that has stretched for greater than 60 years.
The 58-year-old Klinsmann, who received the 1990 World Cup as a participant after which coached his native Germany to the semifinals in 2006 earlier than guiding the U.S. males’s crew to the second spherical of the 2014 World Cup, was employed by the Korea Football Association late final month.
South Korea has not been a continental champion since 1960 and has already certified for the 2023 event, which has been delayed till subsequent January.
“The goal is to win the Asian Cup,” Klinsmann, whose contract runs till the tip of the 2026 World Cup, informed reporters after arriving at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday.
“When the offer came, I was proud and honored to accept. I have visited Korea several times and it is a good country, with good people and a good team.”
The Asian Cup will happen in Qatar, the place the Koreans reached the second spherical of the World Cup final December below Portuguese coach Paulo Bento.
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Klinsmann left the United States in 2016 after 5 years with the crew and his solely teaching job since then was a 76-day spell in cost of Hertha Berlin that ended in January 2020.
The former Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur striker mentioned that he’d adopted South Korea progress as a part of his duties as a member of FIFA’s Technical Study Group on the World Cup, a seven-member group that gives complete evaluation of the video games.
“Korea performed well at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and I will do my best to continue the success,” Klinsmann said.
“From coach Guus Hiddink (the Dutch coach led South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semifinals) to coach Bento, they have built good teams that can beat strong teams such as Portugal and Germany at the World Cup.” Klinsmann’s first take a look at will come in a pleasant recreation in opposition to Colombia on Mar. 24 after which Uruguay 4 days later. Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will probably be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, begins in October.
