12BET Korea league News 12/25

New South Korea coach less than thrilled about new job

SEOUL: There were no mentions of dreams fulfilled or patriotic honour when Choi Kang-hee reluctantly accepted the job as South Korea's new national team coach.

Rarely has a man entrusted with such a position looked less excited to be given the chance to lead his country to the World Cup. In his first press conference in his new role on Thursday, Choi looked like he had been dragged into the hot seat.

He was content coaching Jeonbuk Motors in the mid-sized provincial city of Jeonju in Korea's rural southwest, but now the taciturn tactician is charged with the task of leading an expectant nation to Brazil in 2014 and an eighth successive appearance on the global stage.

Choi, 52, was the longest serving club coach in the domestic K-league, and since 2005 had slowly turned Jeonbuk into the best team in the country and one of the best in Asia. The former international player led the Motors to the 2006 Asian Champions League title and the final of the 2011 version, when the team dominated the match against Al Sadd of Qatar only to lose after a penalty shootout.

Four days after Choi lifted the K-League trophy for the second time with the club on December 4, the Korea Football Association fired Cho Kwang-rae in the wake of a shocking 2-1 defeat away to Lebanon.

Even before Cho's dismissal, the KFA contacted Choi to offer him the job. He refused, the first of a number of times he turned down advances from the association. - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/s

 

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