"Tactics? None, Hong Myung-bo and the KFA must be overhauled".. Ahn Jung-hwan, finally explodes [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Ahn Jung-hwan, a key figure in the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup quarterfinal miracle, has strongly criticized the "Hong Myung-bo era" alongside Park Ji-sung.

True to his status as a "World Cup hero," Ahn Jung-hwan had long taken a more cautious stance than anyone else in criticizing the Hong Myung-bo era. Earlier, on the 21st of last month, at a press launch for the TikTok long-form original variety show "Tiki Tiki Takataka Talk Talk Show" (hereinafter "Tikita Show") ahead of the 2026 FIFA Concacaf World Cup, Ahn Jung-hwan voiced his convictions amid concerns raised by football fans. At the time, he said, "I am also a bit worried about the (Concacaf World Cup) right now. But if you think carefully, whenever teams prepare for the World Cup, there has always been noise at the start with whoever takes the coach's seat. Although there are talks now about various unclean processes, we have simply forgotten them; such noise has always existed. I am cautious about how my remarks will be received. With the World Cup approaching, I believe it is right to discuss things only after the results come out and everything is over," thereby tempering premature criticism.

Nevertheless, Ahn Jung-hwan emphasized a culture of healthy criticism, stating, "If the results are poor, I will naturally criticize. I can say what I think about the mistakes. But speaking without reason is not good. If you are a football fan or a Korean citizen when things go wrong, you can and should curse. I believe the coach and players must accept that criticism. Having been cursed a lot myself during my playing days, I will curse. Very much so."

Subsequently, as the Concacaf World Cup finally arrived, the team's performance remained disappointing despite a comeback victory against Czechia. Even so, Ahn Jung-hwan did not hold back his sharp words, saying, "People are making a fuss about things that shouldn't even be happening, just to stir up controversy. I really can't stand seeing it."

However, on the 25th (Korea time), during the final Group A match of the group stage against South Africa (Republic of South Africa), where the Hong Myung-bo-led team suffered a devastating defeat due to a lack of tactics, Ahn Jung-hwan finally let out his pent-up anger.

Ahn Jung-hwan, who led the charge in condemning the "disgraceful match" that betrayed trust, left a match review on the 25th with the JoongAng Ilbo: "(The South Africa match) was the worst of the three games in this tournament. It was terrible. Tactics? None. I couldn't even sense any tactics."

He continued, "There was no urgency either. It wasn't even a 'lost but fought well' situation. I don't even know if this is a World Cup. In 2002, everyone played with urgency. South Africa played with their lives on the line, so how could we win?" he pointed out.

In particular, Ahn Jung-hwan held the coach accountable, stating, "The responsibility lies with the coach. Even though times have changed and each player has their own individuality, in the end, it is the coach who builds the team. Whether we reach the Round of 32 or achieve any other result, if we look only at the performance, the responsibility is unavoidable. I have been saying this all along. If the national team fails to deliver results, I will be the strongest critic of Coach Hong Myung-bo. If things go wrong, the Football Association must be completely overhauled and swept away," he demanded accountability from Coach Hong Myung-bo.

Not only Ahn Jung-hwan, but another Korean football legend, Park Ji-sung, also launched an unusually sharp criticism. Having continued with calm analysis as a JTBC commentator, he shook his head at the Hong Myung-bo era after the South Africa match, saying, "We need to revisit whether this was a match played with the intention to win."

Park Ji-sung remarked, "It was not clear how we intended to attack. I wonder if we were not negligent in preparing for the World Cup. We had enough time to reflect on the mistakes made in the 2014 World Cup. However, it seems that this time, both the preparation process and the results are repeating that same pattern. Even though there is still a possibility of reaching the Round of 32, I am not confident that we can show a good performance on that stage with the current level of play," expressing his disappointment at the lack of progress.

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*This content was translated by AI.