South Korea appoint former Spain boss Robert Moreno as interim coach
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Robert Moreno's initial contract runs till Nov 27, and he will oversee South Korea’s next six matches.
PHOTO: REUTERS
SEOUL – South Korea have appointed former Spain boss Robert Moreno as interim coach to lead the national team through November, the Korea Football Association (KFA) said on Sept 1.
The 48-year-old will oversee South Korea’s next six matches as the KFA continues its search for a permanent replacement for Hong Myung-bo, who stepped down in June after the team’s group-stage exit at the World Cup.
Hong’s appointment in 2024 had come under scrutiny after the association abandoned a months-long search involving foreign candidates and selected him after a brief meeting.
Moreno’s initial contract runs until Nov 27. The association said Moreno was hired through an open recruitment process.
He is the first Spaniard to take charge of the South Korean national team.
“Coach Moreno already has a deep understanding of Korean football and impresses with enthusiasm, proposing various tactical alternatives,” the KFA’s Power Enhancement Committee chairman Hyun Young-min said in a statement.
“After a tough process, I hope the Moreno squad, appointed through a challenging process, will play a role in turning the national team’s atmosphere and improving performance.”
Moreno could remain in charge for the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia beginning in January, subject to the team’s performances during his interim spell, the statement added.
South Korea are scheduled to face Ecuador and Uruguay in September before hosting Venezuela and Uzbekistan in October. The KFA is seeking to arrange two additional fixtures during the November international window in the build-up to the Asian Cup.
Moreno managed Spain in 2019 during Luis Enrique’s leave of absence and later held coaching roles at French side Monaco, Spain’s Granada and Russian club FC Sochi. REUTERS