*This content was translated by AI.
Gus Poyet (59, Uruguay), once considered the most likely candidate for South Korea's national team interim coach, has reportedly been notified of disqualification during the document screening phase of the open recruitment process. This marks his second rejection after being overlooked in favor of Hong Myung-bo when he was named a potential candidate for the national team head coach position in 2024. Given his earlier departure from Korea amid questionable disciplinary action against his senior coach for alleged racial discrimination, some are now predicting that his connection with Korean football may be coming to an end.
According to sources in the football community on the 18th, Manager Poyet received a notification of disqualification during the eligibility review conducted by the Korea Football Association (KFA) over the weekend. Despite having recently led Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to a K League 1 and Korean Cup double (a two-title crown), along with extensive experience in Korean football, it was unexpected that he did not even receive an interview opportunity.
Manager Poyet had actively promoted himself through various channels to such an extent that some critics called his efforts "excessive." Recently, he drew controversy after it was revealed that he had proposed a coaching role for the national team to Lee Dong-gook, currently the Technical Director of Yongin FC, who has no prior coaching experience. Despite being the most prominent among numerous applicants, Manager Poyet failed to pass even the document screening stage.
Within the football community, speculation arises that the KFA may have found his submitted documents insufficient or that his evaluation scores from coaches were particularly low. Previously, the KFA had required applicants to submit certificates, resumes, self-introduction letters detailing their coaching philosophy and motivations for joining the national team, as well as plans outlining player selection and management strategies, coaching staff composition and role distribution, and overall direction and goals for the national team.
As a result, Manager Poyet has now been rejected twice for the position of South Korea's national team head coach. Approximately two years ago, he was also listed as a candidate to succeed the current national team manager. At that time, during a YouTube interview, Manager Poyet explained that although he had applied for the national team head coach position twice following the dismissal of German manager Jurgen Klinsmann, he felt "hurt" upon learning that Hong Myung-bo was ultimately appointed. Despite no major issues with conditions such as residence in Korea or salary, he faced rejection from Korean football once again.
Instead, he was appointed as the new head coach of Jeonbuk, finally establishing a connection with Korean football. In his first year, he quickly led Jeonbuk, which had plummeted to the promotion-relegation playoff (PO) in the previous season, to win both the K League 1 and Korean Cup titles. However, when his senior coach Mauricio Taricco (Tanos) received questionable disciplinary action on grounds of racial discrimination, Poyet stated, "Touching our coaching staff is equivalent to touching me. This decision makes it even harder for our team to remain in Korea," before leaving the country just one season later.
When departing Jeonbuk, Manager Poyet expressed regret, saying, "I am leaving the team with a sorrowful heart. I apologize to fans for not being able to say proper goodbyes," while also adding, "I hope to return to Korea someday with a smile." He then applied for the interim national team head coach position this time, seeking another chance to lead the South Korean national team that he had missed two years ago when he was overshadowed by Hong Myung-bo. However, failing at the document screening stage—far from the final round—he once again failed to establish a connection with the national team.
Of course, this open recruitment for the interim coach position involves leading only six matches: four A-match games in September and October, followed by two more in November. The KFA plans to appoint a permanent head coach under a new leadership structure after that, who will take charge starting from the AFC Asian Cup in January next year. Currently, it is highly likely that the permanent head coach position will also be filled through an open recruitment process. Whether Manager Poyet, who has already been rejected twice by Korean football, will apply again remains uncertain. Moreover, two years ago he was overshadowed by Hong Myung-bo under questionable circumstances, and this time he failed even at the document screening stage for the interim position. Adding to this is the prior incident of questionable disciplinary action against coach Tanos for alleged racial discrimination. With all these factors combined, it is now possible that Manager Poyet may turn his back on Korean football entirely.
Meanwhile, the KFA plans to conduct online interviews later this week with five foreign manager candidates believed to have passed the document screening phase, after which they will rank the candidates and proceed with contract negotiations. The KFA's goal is to complete the head coach appointment process by August. The interim coach will make his debut in a match against Ecuador on September 24, followed by games against Uruguay on the 28th, Venezuela on October 2, and Uzbekistan on the 6th, covering four A-match games in September and October and two additional A-match games in November (opponents to be determined). This marks the first time the KFA has conducted an open recruitment for the men's senior national team head coach position, having previously done so for the U-20 national team and Olympic team coaches.
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*This content was translated by AI.
