Klinsmann's First Win Against Saudi Arabia on the 13th

Klinsmann's First Win Against Saudi Arabia on the 13th... 'What if I Can't Win Again?'

3 draws and 2 losses in 5 games since taking office... In case of loss, 'the theory of the manager's dismissal' will likely rise.

Saudi Arabia, which has recently lost five consecutive international matches, is also 'desperate for a win' 스포츠토토

Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany), the coach of the Korean national soccer team, is trying again to achieve his first win in his 6th game since taking office.

Korea, ranked 28th in the FIFA world rankings, will play a friendly match with Saudi Arabia (54th) at St. James Park in Newcastle, England, at 1:30 a.m. on the 13th (Korean time).

Coach Klinsmann, who took charge of the Korean national team in February of this year, has not won a single game with 3 draws and 2 losses in five games since then.

Since the Korea Football Association introduced the national team full-time coach system in 1992, Coach Klinsmann is the first coach to have not won five games since taking office.

Moreover, not only is Coach Klinsmann not receiving good reviews in terms of game content, but he does not live in Korea but mainly stays in the United States and frequently appears on foreign broadcasts, giving the impression that he is 'not devoted to Korean soccer.'

Recently, in contrast to Japan (20th place), anxiety about Coach Klinsmann has deepened.

Korea lost 0-1 to Peru, its international match opponent in June, and drew 1-1 with El Salvador, while Japan defeated Peru 4-1 and El Salvador 6-0 during the same period.

In the first leg of the international match this September, Korea recorded a 0-0 draw with Wales (35th place), while Japan defeated the 'tank corps' Germany (15th place) by a whopping 4-1.

Considering that Saudi Arabia, who will be playing on the 13th, lost 1-3 to Costa Rica (46th place) on the 9th, it is difficult for Coach Klinsmann to accept a result other than a 'victory' in this game.

“I would say it is a process now,” Klinsmann said in an interview after the 0-0 draw with Wales.

“It is a good opportunity to review the players for the World Cup qualifiers starting in November and the Asian Cup in early 2024.”

This means that the focus is on World Cup qualifiers and the Asian Cup rather than immediate victory.

However, if there is a draw or loss against Saudi Arabia, there is a possibility that the 'lightning theory' will be given considerable weight, although it is somewhat premature.

Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) was unable to join the national team due to injury, and Hong Hyun-seok (Gent), who was a starter against Wales, moved to the Asian Games team under coach Hwang Sun-hong and missed the game against Saudi Arabia. It can be an ‘extenuating factor’.

Son Heung-min (Tottenham), who struggled against Wales, said, “Saudi Arabia is a good opponent who caused a huge upset in the last World Cup.”

He added, “In some ways, it seems like the coach is going through the process of selecting players rather than producing results.”

Saudi Arabia is the team that defeated the champion Argentina 2-1 in the group stage of last year's Qatar World Cup.

In terms of opponent record, Korea is inferior with 4 wins, 7 draws, and 6 losses so far.

Most recently, they drew 0-0 in a friendly match in December 2018.

Korea's most recent victory against Saudi Arabia was in a World Cup qualifying away game in South Africa (2-0) in November 2008.

Saudi Arabia recently appointed former Italian national team coach Roberto Mancini as the new national team head coach.

Coach Mancini, who led Italy to victory in the 2020 European Championship, made his debut as head coach of Saudi Arabia against Costa Rica.

Saudi Arabia, whose players are all playing in their own league, is in desperate need of a win against Korea as they have lost five consecutive international matches since the Gulf Cup in January of this year.

St James' Park, where the match will be held, is the home stadium of Newcastle, an English Premier League team owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.