BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland -- South Korean football body is set to hire foreign assistants for the men's national team as head coach Shin Tae-yong will meet with job candidates in Germany this week.
An official with the Korea Football Association said Monday that Shin will interview applicants for the national team's assistant and fitness coaching positions in Frankfurt, Germany, before the South Korean squad returns home from a friendly in Switzerland. South Korea, ranked 51st in the latest FIFA rankings, will face No. 56 Morocco at Tissot Arena here later Tuesday.
The Taeguk Warriors, which qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup last month, currently have five assistants to Shin. They are Jeon Kyung-jun, Kim Nam-il, Cha Du-ri, Kim Hae-woon and Lee Jae-hong.
South Korea`s national football team head coach Shin Tae-yong (C) gives direction to his players and assistant coaches during their training session at Tissot Arena in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, on Oct. 9, 2017, one day ahead of their friendly against Morocco. (Yonhap)
The KFA said Shin, who took over the helm in July after Uli Stielike's ouster, personally requested the hiring of foreign coaches. Shin previously said he wants to have "experienced" experts to be with his team and other conditions, such as age and nationality, don't matter.
"After the final World Cup qualifying match against Uzbekistan last month, Shin told the KFA technical committee chief Kim Ho-gon that the team needs foreign assistants who can help in tactical decisions and a fitness coach," the official said. "The KFA has been searching for candidates and since the national team is in Europe for friendlies, we decided to meet job applicants in person."
The KFA previously said the hiring of foreign coaches has nothing to do with Guus Hiddink, who has expressed his intention to help South Korean football. The Dutchman, who guided South Korea to the 2002 FIFA World Cup semifinals, recently said he won't take an official position on the national team. (Yonhap)
