BONFRERES OUT: With
World Cup in sight, fan power ousts the coach
SEOUL Embattled Dutchman Jo Bonfrere has quit as coach of South
Koreas national team less than a year before the World Cup finals
amid a campaign against him by angry fans, the Korea Football
Association (KFA) said yesterday. The campaign by South Koreas Red
Devils went into overdrive last week after the side lost 1-0 to
Saudi Arabia in a World Cup qualifying tie.
Coach Bonfrere tendered his resignation last night, and the KFA
technical committee respected his decision to step down, said Lee
Hoi-taek, the head of the committee.
Experts said that it was unlikely that Bonfrere, whose contract ran
until the end of the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, had gone
willingly and South Koreas Yonhap news agency said that KFA had
sacked him.
We have not fired him, insisted Lee. It was his decision. He has
achieved his goal. However, there is a consensus he is not good
enough.
The 59-year-old Dutchman guided South Korea to a berth in next
years tournament, but fans backed by the media, have been
clamouring for his removal following a string of poor
results.
We have decided on the switch, judging that it will be difficult
for coach Bonfrere to carry out his job normally in the current
situation, said Lee.
Bonfrere took over from Humberto Coelho last June, after the
Portuguese coach failed to match the high expectations created by
South Koreas run to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals under Dutchman
Guus Hiddink. Although they have come through the World Cup
qualifying round, South Korea have failed to regain their 2002
form, finishing bottom in last months East Asian championships
that also involved Japan, China and North Korea. The departure of
Bonfrere leaves South Korea without a coach just 10 months before
the World Cup finals open next June.
We should have a new coach in September at the latest, Lee
said.
However, world-class coaches are in short supply and judging by
experience, the KFA will have a hard job ahead and little time to
work with. Some commentators are urging the association to replace
Bonfrere with a Korean coach, naming former international Cha
Beum-keun, currently coach of league side Suwon Bluewings, or
national under-20 manager Park Sung-hwa. One contender has already
turned the job down as a poisoned chalice.
Former national coach Kim Ho said he would never take the job again
because of the pressure and politics involved. There are places I
dont want to go, even if the fans want me to, he told the
Korea Times.
- credit: Today newspapers, 24
August 2005
