Klinsmann stakes it all on Asian Cup glory with South Korea
It is a bold target for a coach who did not win any of his first five games in charge and has never hit the same giddy heights he scaled as a player. South Korean fans were sceptical about the legendary German forward's appointment 11 months ago given his coaching record and he quickly came under fire following a poor start.
The 59-year-old former coach of the United States also faced criticism from media and fans who said he spends more time at home in California than he does in South Korea. Results have improved but Asian Cup failure over the next month in Qatar could spell the end of a patchy coaching career which had fallen off the map until he took the South Korea job.
His previous post was a 10-week stint at Hertha Berlin in 2019-2020. Klinsmann nevertheless believes it is "right" that South Korean fans expect a team led by Son Heung-min to win the Asian Cup for the first time in more than 60 years. "We have to aim for the highest goal, and if we don't reach it, then it's the fault of the coach - no problem," he said.
Klinsmann has one of the strongest squads in the tournament, led once again by Tottenham Hotspur striker and skipper Son. Son has long been South Korea's focal point but several of his team-mates have come into form with their clubs at just the right time. Fellow attacker Hwang Hee-chan has impressed for Wolves this season, scoring 10 goals in 20 Premier League matches.
Attacking midfielder Lee Kang-in, who was out of favour under previous South Korean boss Paulo Bento, has played his way into the Paris Saint-Germain side and the 22-year-old could be one of the breakout stars of the Asian Cup. At the back, central defender Kim Min-jae is a regular for Bayern Munich after winning the Italian title with
Read on besoccer.com
