Kim Ho-gon, "I Will Concede in Favor of My Juniors"

It is true that any soccer player wants to be the national soccer coach. And it is also true that it is difficult for a coach to withdraw himself from the position.

Kim Ho-gon, an allegedly the strongest candidate for the position after Pim Verbeek decided to resign as Korea’s national soccer coach, said, "I don`t intend to be the coach, and there are a lot of juniors talented enough for the position" on August 1.

Kim, an executive director for the Korea Football Association (KFA), was thought of as one of the strongest candidates to be the next coach. He has had a splendid career, including leadership of the Yonsei University soccer team and Busan I`Park team, and he led Korea to the final eight for the first time during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In addition, before he became executive director for the KFA, he said, "I want to challenge for an Olympic medal once again." But it is said that he is so busy as executive director that he is not appropriate for the coach position. Some people also added that the great opportunity to lead the national football team should go to some of the more young and promising people in the field. Kim said that he will remain as an advisor for the next coach no matter who will be, saying, "I will share my past experience as a leader for the football team.”

A senior officer for the KFA evaluated, "It is incredible that Kim resolutely gave up being at the helm of the national football team."

Under such circumstances, Hong Myeong-bo looks like the top candidate for the job. Up to now, the listed candidates were Busan I’Park coach Park Seong-hwa, former Incheon United coach Jang Woi-ryong, and Seongnam Ilhwa coach Kim Hak-beom.

But considering the continuity of the national football team, Hong Myeong-bo is the most likely candidate. In the meantime, at a meeting yesterday, the KFA Technical Committee revealed that the next coach will be selected on such criteria as humanity as a leader, football philosophy, ability to understand each player, world soccer trends and leadership careers, saying, "3 or 4 candidates are going through the final verification process."

yjongk@donga.com