*This content was translated by AI.
Former South Korean national soccer player Lee Chun-soo (45) advised that the condition for the next head coach of the South Korean national team should be a firm "soccer philosophy" rather than just "name value."
On the 13th, Lee Chun-soo raised his voice regarding the qualities a national team coach must possess through his YouTube channel 'Lee Chun-soo.' He drew a line, stating that past reputation or authoritarian attitudes no longer work when coaching current national team players who compete on the world's top stage.
In the video, Lee Chun-soo pointed out that coaches with more accumulated experience tend to rely on authority. He said, "It is not easy for someone with a certain level of experience (a coach) to let go," and added, "When someone challenges me, I should defeat them with logic and soccer, but they try to crush them with anger like 'What kind of young XX are you?'"
Lee Chun-soo declared, "The era of crushing players by name and age is over. Now, one must persuade with logic and soccer." He further stated, "It is no longer an era where national team players follow a coach just because of his name value."
He particularly cited Son Heung-min, the key striker and captain of the South Korean national team, to emphasize the need for leadership that aligns with modern soccer trends. He noted, "Players like Son Heung-min have been coached by world-class masters such as Jose Mourinho," and pointed out, "What matters more than a coach's reputation is what kind of soccer they play and what tactics and systems they possess."
He further added that eliciting voluntary respect from players is the true capability of a coach. Lee Chun-soo emphasized, "Players must feel like 'I want to learn from this coach' for trust to naturally arise," and stressed, "Coaches should not try to conquer players with name value alone. They must make players follow through their own soccer philosophy."
He also presented the leadership of former South Korean national team head coach Paulo Bento, who is evaluated as having led the national team with a firm tactical identity, as a positive example.
Lee Chun-soo analyzed, "During Bento's tenure, there was a clear color of what he intended to do," and added, "Since our players compete in world-class leagues, coaches must also demonstrate a distinct soccer philosophy to earn respect."
He further remarked, "Players nowadays do not follow just because of a coach's name. They follow with trust only when the coach has a clear soccer identity and philosophy. Coach Bento was a coach who demonstrated this well."
Meanwhile, as the head coach position became vacant following the resignation of former coach Hong Myung-bo, calls from world-class coaches abroad continue to pour in. Candidates include former coach Paulo Bento, who led South Korea to the 2022 Qatar World Cup Round of 16; Gus Poyet, who has K League experience; former Portuguese coach Roberto Martinez; and former Mexican coach Javier Aguirre.
However, with the resignation of Jeon (Chairman) Jeong Mong-gyu among other issues, the head of the Korea Football Association remains vacant, and the composition of the team strengthening committee is not yet perfect, making immediate appointment difficult.
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*This content was translated by AI.
