There’s nothing to flirt with. There is no history, no authority, no philosophy, no principles. It’s just a vicious cycle of ‘tinkering’. This is the Korean Football Association (KFA) today.온라인바카라
Just over four months ago, the KFA shot itself in the foot with its “surprise amnesty” controversy. Eventually, the amnesty was rescinded, and the entire board of directors resigned, except for the president, Chung Mong-kyu. As part of the reorganization, the executive director position, which had been held by a footballer, was abolished and a full-time vice chairman system was introduced. Former Vice Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kim Jung-bae was appointed as vice chairman. The board of directors was also reorganized, but the KFA remains unchanged. Only the ‘backroom administration’ has changed. National team coach Jürgen Klinsmann’s ‘domestic residency’ was a ‘promise’ that could not be kept in the first place. Michael Mueller, the head of the National Strength and Conditioning Committee, who is supposed to organize traffic on the field, has no presence. It’s a good thing he doesn’t have to answer ‘alumni questions’.
The Hangzhou Asian Games team came under fire for selecting an ineligible athlete for the final roster due to drunk driving. The rules state that an athlete who has been sentenced to a fine of more than 5 million won for an offense related to drunk driving, and whose sentence has not been finalized for three years, is ineligible to represent the national team. However, the athlete had already been selected for the national team at various age groups, including U-22, during this time. This is a one-dimensional issue that could have been easily filtered out with a little attention, whether by the National Strength and Conditioning Committee or the support staff. If he fails to get a replacement, a power vacuum is inevitable.
More recently, the FA Cup has created another “typhoon. The FA Cup is the biggest competition organized by the KFA. It is the crowning of the kings of Korean soccer, both professional and amateur. The winner gets one ticket to the Asian Champions League (ACL).
That was seven years ago in 2016. The KFA revived the home-and-away format for the final, which had only been practiced once before in 2007. At the time, the change from a single-leg to a best-of-five series was met with a lot of resistance from K League teams. But the 2016 FA Cup final turned the tide again. For the first time ever, a “supermatch final” between FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung was organized, creating a “box office storm. The KFA squealed with happiness, and curiously decided to stick with home and away as well.
However, there is a vocal chorus of fans who say that ‘its authority has fallen to the ground overnight’. Jamborees, typhoons, and other unexpected variables have interrupted the quarterfinals, but the promised framework shouldn’t be shaken. Every organization has what is known as a ‘backup day’ to cover any eventuality. The KFA chose the easiest route. Instead of home and away, they decided to play the quarterfinals on the same day as the first leg of the final and the final as a single-leg on the same day as the second leg. They don’t follow the rules very well, but in times like these, they push the rules hard.
The decision-making process also hurts. The ground is soaked with sweat all year round to get to the top. It should be respected. Plus, there are only four teams left in the FA Cup this year. The teams have different interests. Changes should be agreed upon, not negotiated. If there is no consensus, sticking with the original is the last bastion of authority. But teams had the luxury of expecting this from the ‘superpower’ KFA.
Chung, who won a third term in 2021, is in office until January 2025. That’s about 17 months away. My question to the KFA is: How long will they continue to fumble?
