What? Third Rate?

“They don’t know me in Holland? That’s right. But I don’t care at all. Just keep your eyes on me.”

New head coach Jo Bonfrere of the Korean national soccer team has arrived in Korea. The enthusiasm for his welcome was a bit less than those for ex-head coaches Guus Hiddink and Humberto Coelho. However, he was full of assurance of the potential of the Korean soccer team.

He came to the immigration lounge dressed neatly in yellow shirt with indigo tie and saluted all present by saying, “Hi, it’s a great pleasure for me to come to Korea.” He said, “I concluded that there is a good chance for the Korean team to obtain gratifying results in World Cup 2006 in Germany. I esteem it an honor to be the head coach of a promising national soccer team.”

In response to questions that “he is not well known even in Holland, his home country, and sometimes judged to be third rate,” Bonfrere answered, “They might think so. It is because I took head coach jobs in African or Middle Eastern countries. However, what matters to me is how well I will command the Korean team, not what Dutch people think of me.” He showed confidence in the Asian Cup (July 17 – August 8 in China) and the preliminary and main matches for World Cup 2006 by saying, “I would have not come to Korea if I didn’t have the firm belief that I could get satisfactory results as the head coach of Korea national soccer team.”

Bonfrere talked about his soccer style, saying, “Rather than formations, I will pursue soccer that is fascinating, active, and varied in style. There are many formations such as the 4-4-2 and 3-5-2, but they are all useless if players cannot get into the skin of their roles. I want soccer that is flexible and that can fit into various situations.”

About his connection with Guus Hiddink, he said, “I met him once in coaching school, but didn’t have any chance to meet him after that. I only spoke with him over the phone a week ago. He accomplished his allotted task by gaining excellent results in the World Cup. If players are capable, I will follow a similar style (to what Hiddink pursued), but if not, I need to seek out a different style.”

Bonfrere will attend the technical committee meeting on June 24 after a signing ceremony and a press conference. They will discuss the assignment of coaching staffs and the selection and management of the national team in preparation for the Asian Cup that is coming up. The national soccer team will be selected on June 29.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com