ZCZC
BSP-05
FBL-ASIA-KOR-POR-BENTO
Ex Portugal boss Bento named as new South Korea coach
SEOUL, Aug 17, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Former Portugal boss Paulo Bento will coach
South Korea over the next four years through the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the
Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Friday.
Kim Pan-gon, a top KFA official in charge of finding a new coach, said
that with “four years of patience and support” Bento will take the Taeguk
Warriors to new heights.
“Coach Bento fits the Korean football style as he pursues high-pressing
games and tight defences denying opponents chances for counterattacks,” Kim
told journalists.
He also praised Bento — who took Portugal to the semi-finals of Euro
2012 — for his strength in the knockout stages of competitions.
“He is professional, charismatic and has passion and confidence,” Kim
said.
Bento and his staff are scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Monday, the
KFA said.
Bento took the Portuguese reins in 2010 after four seasons in charge of
Sporting Lisbon, but was sacked in 2014 after an ignominious home defeat to
Albania.
He later had stints in charge of Brazil’s Cruzeiro and Olympiakos in
Greece, and was appointed coach of Chinese Super League club Chongqing Lifan
in December last year.
The CSL side sacked him last month after he failed to improve the side’s
fortunes.
Bento — a tough-tackling defensive midfielder capped 35 times by
Portugal — replaces South Korean Shin Tae-yong, whose contract expired last
month.
The contract terms remain unclear but his annual wage is expected to be
higher than the 1.5 billion won ($1.4 million) received by Germany’s Uli
Stielike, who coached South Korea from 2014-17, Yonhap reported previously.
South Korea — who reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2002 — exited
Russia 2018 at the group stage after defeats to Sweden and Mexico, despite
stunning Germany to eliminate the defending champions.
Afterwards, Hyundai scion and KFA president Chung Mong-gyu handed over
$3.5 million of his own money to hire a new football coach in an attempt to
turn the national team’s fortunes around.
South Korea’s next major assignment at full international level is
January’s Asian Cup. They were runners-up to Australia at the last edition of
the tournament in 2015.
BSS/AFP/RY/10:48 hrs