Tue Sep 10 15:10:18 UTC 2024: ## South Korean Fans Boo New Coach Hong Myung-bo in World Cup Qualifier Draw
**SEOUL** – South Korea’s new coach, Hong Myung-bo, faced a hostile reception from fans during his first match in charge, a disappointing 0-0 draw against Palestine in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers.
Despite a packed crowd of 60,000 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, the fans voiced their disapproval of Hong’s appointment throughout the match, jeering him before kickoff and every time he appeared on the big screen.
Hong, who replaced Juergen Klinsmann in early July, acknowledged the fans’ discontent, stating, “I understand where the fans come from. This is something I will have to endure going forward.”
The team’s captain, Son Heung-min, expressed disappointment with the fans’ reaction, stating, “I can’t speak for those fans. I think they had a coach they wanted. But we can’t change this decision. The coach is already in place. As captain of this team, I’d like to ask our fans for their love and support.”
The fans’ disappointment stems from the desire for a new foreign coach, ideally someone of the caliber of Guus Hiddink, who led South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals. Hong, a legendary player himself, captained the 2002 team and now faces the challenge of turning around the qualifying campaign, starting with the next match against Oman on Tuesday.
Despite the fans’ disapproval, Hong remains committed to the task, stating, “We’ll have to go back to the drawing board tomorrow and start our tactical preparation for the next match.”
First Piper 