By Florent Comtesse
That would be a comeback of a special kind!
Former national coach Jürgen Klinsmann (58) is to become national coach of South Korea three years after leaving Bundesliga club Hertha BSC.
This is reported by the South Korean newspaper “JoongAng Ilbo”. Accordingly, talks between the former striker and the association “KFA” are already underway.
Soon there will be a meeting between the association bosses and Klinsmann. The former top striker would inherit the Portuguese Paulo Bento (53), who resigned after the Asians lost out to Brazil in the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar (1: 4).
And Klinsmann would even meet an old acquaintance from the DFB days: It was only at the beginning of January that former DFB youth worker Michael Müller (57) was promoted to technical director of the South Korean national team.
The world was still fine then: Jürgen Klinsmann (left) at his presentation next to ex-Hertha managing director Michael Preetz Photo: picture alliance
For the ex-Bayern and Spurs striker, the position as national coach in Asia would be the third time as a country coach: Klinsmann was national coach from 2004 to 2006 and led the national team during the summer fairy tale at the 2006 World Cup.
Then, after an unfortunate time at Bayern, he hired as national coach in his dream home, the USA, and coached the Americans from 2011 to 2016.
However, the world and European champion made the biggest headlines as a coach at Bundesliga club Hertha BSC. First he was appointed to the supervisory board by investor Lars Windhorst, after which he took over as coach at the capital city club, which was threatened with relegation.
However, that ended after a good two months and just ten games, Klinsmann resigned spectacularly in a live video on Facebook.
He then settled accounts with the club in a 22-page manifesto. There was a “lying culture” around the then sports director Michael Preetz, the management lacked any charisma and had to be replaced immediately.