Hong Myung-bo, the former head coach of the national football team, abruptly departed for the United States just two days after returning to Korea.
According to MBC on Tuesday, Hong appeared at Incheon International Airport that day to board a flight to Los Angeles. "I have things to say, but the story will come out well someday," Hong said, choosing his words carefully.
Regarding rumors of internal discord within the squad, cited as one of the causes for the failure to advance to the round of 32, Hong drew a clear line, saying, "There was no overall internal discord among the players." He also flatly dismissed various speculations that Jens, a starter in Germany's Bundesliga, had been excluded from the first and second matches over a squad discipline violation, saying, "There was absolutely nothing of the sort."
Asked whether he would attend the football association hearing being pushed by the political sphere, Hong avoided answering, saying, "I don't know. I don't know when my return date will be."
Earlier that day, Yonhap News reported that the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee appears set to push for a hearing on the football association in relation to the national team's poor performance at the World Cup.
The plan is to summon Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association, and former national team head coach Hong Myung-bo, among others, as witnesses to examine whether there were any problems in the overall operation of the association, including the coach selection process.
Hong is reported to be planning to stay in Los Angeles for the time being to rest.
The bare face of Korean football; the golden generation is not to blame.
