- The German was branded “disrespectful” after his elimination in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup.
- The South Korean camp descended into chaos on the eve of their loss to Jordan.
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Jurgen Klinsmann has been sacked as South Korea head coach after just 12 months in the role, following their shock Asian Cup semi-final defeat to Jordan.
The German was appointed in February with a deal that would run until the end of the 2026 World Cup.
However, amid reports of infighting on the pitch ahead of their defeat to Jordan earlier this month, which extended the nation’s 64-year-old draft into the competition, the former Tottenham striker has been relieved of his duties.
Hwang Bo-kwan, technical director of the Korean Football Association (KFA), spoke to reporters after an advisory committee meeting on Thursday and advised that the German should no longer continue in the role.
He said: “We have reached a consensus that Klinsmann cannot exercise his leadership as head coach of the national team for various reasons and that a change in leadership is necessary.”
Jurgen Klinsmann has been relieved of his duties as South Korea coach after just 12 months in the role.
Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korean Football Association, made the final decision to fire the German
On the eve of their loss to the team 64 places below them in the world, captain Son Heung-min dislocated his finger after an altercation with a teammate.
A fight broke out between Son and his teammates while they were eating before the game against Jordan, which they lost 2-0 on February 6.
Reports claimed that several young players on the team had rushed to eat so they could run out and play table tennis, which infuriated Son, and the situation escalated further from there.
However, more details have since emerged about what exactly happened that night when the South Korea and Spurs captain left with a serious finger injury.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency first reported that Son initially tried to talk to younger players, including PSG star Lee Kang-in, about bonding with teammates instead of running out to play. table tennis.
The incident then turned physical when they refused to listen to their captain, which saw a furious Son grab Lee. In a moment of madness, the PSG striker attempted to hit Son in retaliation before the two players had to separate.
During the fight, Son dislocated the finger on his right hand and was seen wearing a bandage the day after the match.
Tottenham’s Son Heung-min dislocated his finger on the eve of South Korea’s exit from the Asian Cup
Klinsmann’s popularity plummeted during the tournament, with many fans and some politicians criticizing the 59-year-old’s behavior.
Klinsmann also faced repeated backlash for working from his home in Los Angeles, despite saying he would spend much of his time in South Korea, a move that was deemed “disrespectful” by insiders.
He won the 1990 World Cup as a player, before becoming a coach of the German and United States national teams, as well as Bundesliga titans Bayern Munich.
After Klinsmann came to power last year, South Korea failed to win any of his first five games in charge, with two losses and three draws, but did achieve six consecutive victories heading into the Asian Cup.
Former national team sweeper Hong Myung-bo is among the names being considered as a temporary replacement should Klinsmann be fired.