FIFA Updates

SEOUL, July 21 (Reuters) – Cho Kwang-rae has been appointed
coach of the South Korean national soccer team, the Korean
Football Association (KFA) said on Wednesday.

Gyeongnam FC boss Cho replaces Huh Jung-moo, who stepped
down after guiding the Asian side to the second round of the
World Cup finals in South Africa last month.

“We had been looking into two or three candidates,
including Cho, and the technical panel unanimously opted to
select Cho as the next national team coach,” chairman of the
KFA’s technical committee Lee Hoi-taek told the Yonhap News
agency.

“Cho is enterprising and always trying to catch new trends
of world football like England, Germany, Italy and Brazil.”

The former South Korean midfielder’s first match in charge
will be the home friendly against Nigeria on Aug. 11.

“It’s a great honour to be the national team coach,” Cho,
56, said.

“I’m not scared of taking the helm of the national team.
I’ve been working hard to be a good leader. I want to make a
team that will bring joy to the Korean people.”

Cho’s first major task will be to win the Asian Cup in
Qatar, which begins in January.

The twice champions have been drawn with Australia, Bahrain
and India in Group C of the 16-team tournament.
(Writing by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; Editing by Peter
Rutherford; To query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

SEOUL, July 7 (Reuters) – South Korea will choose a local
coach to take over from Huh Jung-moo, who resigned after taking
the team to the last 16 of the World Cup.

“All members … agreed to name a Korean coach,” Lee
Hoi-taek, chief of the Korea Football Association (KFA)
technical panel, told reporters on Wednesday.

“We are looking into some 12 or 13 football leaders on the
list.”

Chung Hae-soung, Huh’s chief assistant, and Olympic coach
Hong Myung-bo have both ruled themselves out of the running.

Kim Hak-beom, former coach of seven-times K-League
champions Seongnam Ilhwa, and Choi Kang-hee, manager of 2009
K-League champs Jeonbuk Motors, now head the shortlist,
according to South Korea’s Yonhap news.

“Considering Huh’s accomplishment (in South Africa), the
next coach must be as competitive and experienced as Huh,” Lee
said.

“The next leader will be in charge of the national team
until the 2014 Brazil World Cup.”

South Korea reached the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup
as co-hosts under Dutchman Guus Hiddink but failed to
capitalise on his success under four subsequent foreign
coaches.

The 55-year-old Huh steadily won over his critics after
initially being accused of playing “nihilistic football” in
South Korea’s hypercritical media.

After sealing South Korea’s seventh successive World Cup
appearance in an unbeaten qualifying campaign, Huh admitted his
side were some way off reproducing their astonishing 2002 run.
(Reporting by Alastair Himmer in Tokyo. Editing by Peter
Rutherford. To query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)—South Korea’s Huh Jung-moo says he is stepping down as
coach of the national soccer team.

Huh, 55, told a news conference Friday he “would like to have an
opportunity to recharge,” adding that it was time for other South Korean
football coaches to be given a chance to lead the national team.

There was no immediate word on a successor.

South Korea finished second in its group and advanced to the round of 16 at
the World Cup in South Africa before being knocked out in a 2-1 loss to Uruguay.
The team advanced out of the group stage for the first time on foreign soil.

South Korea’s best ever World Cup performance came in 2002 when it reached
the semifinals as co-host with Japan.