"The article has really been deleted." Hong Myung-bo-ho's head coach, Hong Myung-bo Team Interview, can't see anymore... "Why the hell?" Was it controversial

*This content was translated by AI.

An interview conducted by João Aroso, the head coach of the South Korean national soccer team led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, with local media in Portugal was eventually deleted after causing a big stir at home and abroad. As chief coach Aroso's remarks that seemed to reduce the role of head coach Hong Myung-bo by describing himself as a de facto tactical director became controversial, he seems to have made a precipitation to make the article itself following his own evolution.

Earlier, Portuguese media "Bolana Hede" published an exclusive interview with head coach Aroso preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North Korea and the U.S. last month.

Head coach Aroso was recruited by the Korea Football Association at the time of the launch of Hong Myung-bo Team in July 2024 to understand the global soccer trend and synergy tactics. He is currently a key assistant in leading four coaching staff from Portugal in the national team.

According to the media report, Aroso, the head coach, introduced in detail the background of joining the Korean national soccer team and the changes in the current three-back. "The Korea Football Association was looking for a Korean coach who would serve as a symbolic focal point and a European coach who would systematize training and preparation for the game," Aroso said. "At first, I rejected the Korean offer, but the association showed enthusiasm to come all the way to Portugal and decided to join."

The problem was a concrete expression of the division of roles. "What the Korea Football Association expected from me was the field coach," Aroso said. "Coach Hong Myung-bo is the centerpiece of the project, but the association wanted someone to actually organize training and plan the game," he said, suggesting that he has formed a coaching staff of people recommended by him, starting with Thiago Maia, an analyst, and physical and goalkeeper coaches.

As such information became known in Korea, there was a strong controversy inside and outside the soccer community that Hong Myung-bo was just a face talk without real power, and that the actual leadership of tactics and coaching lies with head coach Aroso.

As the wavelength spread out of control, chief coach Aroso immediately began to deal with the interview through personal social networking services (SNS) on the 5th. "It's an honor to be with the Korean national team under coach Hong Myung-bo," he said. Coach Hong Myung-bo is a leader with unusual capabilities and dedication, he stressed, "We are doing our best to support the coach for the World Cup performance."

An official from the Korea Football Association also said, "Aroso, the head coach, did not make any controversial expressions, including on-site coaches, and explained that there was a misunderstanding in explaining each role of the coaching staff."

"Chief coach Aroso directly asked the media to delete the interview article, which became the center of the controversy," he confirmed. Currently, there is no interview article with head coach Aroso in the media.

The deleted interview also contained the team's tactical vision in detail. Regarding the three-back tactic, which was recently questioned, head coach Aroso said, "It is difficult to hold out only with four-backs against strong World Cup teams," adding, "After discussions with head coach Hong Myung-bo, we introduced a 3-4-3 formation to switch to five-back when defending."

In particular, head coach Aroso expressed confidence, saying, "Now South Korea is ready to handle pressure and build-up in any structure, such as four-back and three-back, based on his achievements in the two consecutive away games (2-0 win against the U.S. and Mexico, 2-2 draw against Mexico) in September."

He also gave a cold evaluation of realistic targets. Senior coach Aroso said, "The first goal of the Korean national team's World Cup is to pass the group stage," adding, "Hong Myung-bo has some of the best players in the world, but it is difficult to compare with Portugal, where all players play in low-level leagues."

Senior coach Aroso, who is closely managing European players and traveling between Portugal and Korea, is expected to focus on strengthening internal solidarity starting with the deletion of this interview.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.