|
ESPNsoccernet: null | |
South Korea coach Cho Kwang-Rae has been removed from his position, just shy of 17 months into the job.
 |
Cho was appointed in July 2010 after South Korea returned from the World Cup in South Africa and guided the Taeguk Warriors to a third-place finish at the Asian Cup in January of this year - with his side elimiated on penalties by arch-rivals Japan in the semi-final.
And despite South Korea currently sitting top of their 2014 World Cup qualifying group, a shock 2-1 defeat to Lebanon in their last outing has left the 2002 World Cup semi-finalists precariously poised going into a crunch final game against Kuwait, who could qualify at their hosts' expense if they win in Seoul.
After recent speculation in the Korean media, the Korean Football Association revealed poor results and concerns over South Korea's qualification for the 2014 World Cup led to the decision to sack the coach.
"I met coach Cho on the evening of the seventh and told him of the decision," said Hwangbo Kwan, chairman of the KFA's technical committee.
"After the defeat in Japan and then in Lebanon, we studied the problems in the national team closely and on the basis of those, we made the decision. We have studied the best way for Korean football to get through qualification for the World Cup."
Afshin Ghotbi, Choi Kang-Hee and Hong Myong-Bo are understood to be the KFA's preferred replacements. Iranian Ghotbi is currently head coach of J-League outfit Shimizu S-Pulse and spent three years as South Korea's assistant coach before leaving the position when Huh took charge in 2007.
Former national team sweeper Choi is the manager of recently-crowned K-League champions Jeonbuk Motors, while Hong was the 2002 World Cup captain and is now Olympic team coach.