South Korea Sacks Head Coach, Jurgen Klinsmann After 12 Months In Charge

Jurgen Klinsmann has been dismissed as South Korea coach following defeat to Jordan in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup and revelations about a bust-up between star players.

The 59-year-old former Germany striker, a World Cup winner as a player, was in the post for just under a year and never won over South Korean fans or media.

“The KFA has decided to change the national head coach following a comprehensive review,” Korea Football Association president Chung Mong-gyu said.

“Klinsmann has failed to display managerial capability and leadership expected of a national head coach in areas ranging from tactics and personnel management to work attitude and others required to bring about competitiveness to the team.”

Klinsmann, whose managerial record has not matched his stellar playing career, said it had been “an incredible journey” and thanked his players in a post on social media, just before the axe fell.

The KFA was under huge pressure to fire Klinsmann. Its national team committee had on Thursday said that “a change of leadership is necessary.”

The South Korean team have been in the eye of a storm.

On Wednesday came revelations about a brawl between players that left Son Heung-min with an injured finger on the eve of the 2-0 loss to Jordan in the last four in Qatar.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in subsequently issued an apology after Yonhap news agency said the 22-year-old had tried to punch skipper and Tottenham star Son.

Lee’s representatives have denied there was a punch.

The conflict was reportedly triggered by younger players – including Lee – rushing through their dinner so they could leave early and play table tennis.

This angered some of the older players, including Son, who wanted to honour a long-standing tradition that the pre-game dinner be a team bonding experience, triggering the brawl.

Lee and Son both played in the Jordan loss, the latter with two of his fingers strapped together.

Klinsmann, whose contract was due to run until after the 2026 World Cup, had promised to deliver South Korea’s first Asian title in 64 years.