Three Nominees for Korean National Football Team Coach Position

Gerard Houllier (60, France), Michael McCarthy (48, England), and Morten Olsen (58, Denmark). These are the nominees for the position of head coach of the Korean national football team.

With time running out, all soccer fans have their attention diverted to what hidden card the KFA has up its sleeves. A KFA representative said on November 27, “We’re constantly negotiating with the three nominees.” The KFA has announced that it will announce the new coach this week. With the 2010 Republic of South African World Cup qualifying rounds just three months away, there can be no more delays in hiring a new coach.

Houllier, former coach for the Olympique Lyonnais, is currently the Technical Director of the French Football Federation. McCarthy, coached the Irish national team, is currently the coach for the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club. Olsen, who led Ajax Amsterdam to victory in the Netherlands professional league, has been at the helm of the Danish national team for seven years since 2000.

Houllier has been sought after by England, and he is becoming one of the most expensive coaches to get. McCarthy is also heavily sought after by Ireland and Australia as well.

In the end, the choices made by Australia and England will affect Korea’s choice as well.

The KFA has been providing an annual salary of around 1 billion won to foreign coaches. England is said to have paid around 7 billion won, while Australia provides around 1.8 billion won.

Denmark Coach Olsen has extended his coaching contract to 2010. He is also the coach of the Danish national youth team. In 2005, he was offered huge contracts to coach for other European teams, but he willfully decline the offers.

Apart from the salary, it appears there are other additional clauses and options that need negotiation as well.

bluesky@donga.com