S. Korea's football association fires head coach Cho amid controversy

Published : Dec 8, 2011 - 09:19 Updated : Dec 8, 2011 - 20:05

Cho Kwang-rae criticizes football governing body’s decision process

The Korea Football Association is in hot water following the sacking of the men’s national team manager. Cho Kwang-rae.

The team’s 2-1 loss to Lebanon last month during Asian qualifier for the 2014 World Cup sealed Cho’s fate, the KFA said, and they announced his firing Thursday.

“It is my job to act in the best interests of our football and I felt it’s time to make a change,” Hwangbo Kwan, the head of KFA’s technical committee said.

Speaking in a press conference Thursday, Hwanbo expressed his belief that Korea could not make the 2014 World Cup under Cho’s leadership.

Cho recorded 12 wins, six draws and three losses since his appointment in July 2010.

South Korea currently sits atop in Group B in the third round of Asian qualifier, but it is level on points and only ahead of Lebanon on goal difference. Kuwait is in third, just two points behind.

Cho first came under fire following Korea’s humiliating 3-0 loss to Japan in August. His status has been in question since the loss to Lebanon last month, Hwangbo said.

The 57-year-old manager said the KFA’s decision was “unfair” as it was made without going through the “proper process.”

Cho wrote in an e-mail that he was told he was fired by Hwang during their meeting Wednesday evening.

“I would accept the decision if the technical committee had decided after looking through the team’s performance and discussed it,” Cho noted.

Cho claimed that the KFA’s committee, which holds the right to appoint a national team manager, did not even hold a meeting before sacking him, suggesting that the football governing body’s decision-making is in the hands of some of its top officials.

“It is not just about me, it’s about the future of Korean football. Whoever takes over my job, the decision should be made clearly through proper procedures,” Cho claimed.

This is not the first time the hard-nosed manager has had a public falling out with football authorities. Cho said in May that he was having a difficult time cooperating with the KFA, saying there is too much intrusion by the governing body.

Cho blamed Lee Hoi-taek, then the head of the technical committee, for meddling too much in the selection of players.

South Korean national football head coach Cho Kwang-rae (Yonhap)

Hwangbo, who became the head of the KFA’s technical committee in November, admitted Thursday the lack of committee’s involvement in the decision.

He said the committee is still not yet formed, so the decision was made by him and top KFA officials.

“I understand that this is not a formal step, but we needed to act quickly to secure Korea’s berth in the 2014 World Cup,” Hwangbo added.

He noted that the KFA will appoint Cho’s successor before the end of this month to prepare Korea’s next game against Kuwait in February 2012. But he declined to name possible candidates, saying no offer has been made.

Cho, 57, the former manager of Gyeongnam FC, took after Huh Jung-moo stepped down from upon returning from the team’s second round finish in the South Africa World Cup. His initial goal was to win the Asian Cup title in January and end the country’s 51-year-old title drought. They failed to do so after losing in a penalty shootout to archrival Japan in the semifinals.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)

<한글기사>

조기축구도 아니고..조광래 감독 "해임통보 황당"

"조기 축구회 감독을 해임하는 것도 아니고 이런 방식의 통보는 말이 안 됩니다."

갑작스럽게 해임통보를 받은 조광래 축구대표팀 감독은 8일 아침 연합뉴스와의 전화인터뷰에서 "기술위원회를 통한 공식 결정도 없이 (황보관) 기술위원장이 윗선 의 뜻에 따라 일방적으로 해임을 통보하는 것은 절차상으로도 맞지 않다"며 황당하 다는 반응을 보였다.

조 감독과 황보관 기술위원장은 7일 오후 서울 강남의 모 호텔에서 만났다.

이 자리에서 황보 기술위원장은 조 감독에게 대표팀 사령탑을 그만뒀으면 한다는 뜻을 통보한 것으로 알려졌다.

이에 대해 조 감독은 "정식 기술위원회를 열어 결정한 것인가, 아니면 기술위원장의 뜻인가"라고 물었고, 황보 기술위원장은 "부회장단의 뜻"이라고 말한 것으로 전해졌다.

조 감독은 "나의 대표팀 운영 방식이 옳지 않다면 기술위원회를 통해 설명하고 토론하면 된다"며 "토론을 통해 나의 운영 방식을 받아들일 수 없다고 결정이 나면 깨끗하게 수용할 수 있다. 하지만 이런 식은 아니다"라고 불만을 나타냈다.

그는 또 "기술위원장을 앞으로 내세워 나와 싸움을 하게 만드는 축구협회의 방식도 이해할 수 없다"며 "기술위원장과 오늘 다시 연락해서 정확한 축구협회의 뜻을 듣기로 했다"고 덧붙였다.

조 감독은 "이번 사안은 나에게만 국한된 일이 아니다"라며 "앞으로 어떤 사람 이 대표팀을 맡고 떠날 때도 한국 축구를 위해선 반드시 정당한 과정과 절차를 거쳐 야만 한다"고 했다.

조 감독은 "외부요인으로 대표팀 감독이 쉽게 바뀌는 일이 있어서는 안 된다"고 강조했다.