Uruguayan coach tipped to take helm of South Korean football team

SEOUL, August 11 (AJP) - Uruguayan coach Gus Poyet is the leading candidate to take the helm of the South Korean men's national team, Japanese media reported on Tuesday.

The speculation came less than two days after the Korea Football Association closed applications for a new head coach for the national team on Sunday.

Citing multiple sources, Japanese online news outlet Sponichi Annex, run by sports daily Sports Nippon, reported that it is "almost certain" Poyet, who served as head coach of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC for a year in 2025, is the top contender to take over the post.

The post remains vacant after former coach Hong Myung-bo resigned following the national team's poor performance at the quadrennial World Cup earlier this year.

The Japanese news outlet went even further, predicting that Poyet would likely take charge of South Korea's international tuneup matches in September as well as the friendlies against Venezuela and Uzbekistan in October.

Meanwhile, the KFA said it would form a committee this week of internal and outside experts to evaluate applicants, assess candidates' suitability, and conduct online interviews next week, before beginning negotiations.

Applicants reportedly include multiple coaches from home and abroad. But the KFA says it is keeping the selection process confidential to ensure fairness amid mounting criticism toward the football agency over its past irregularities and lax management after the national team's early exit from the World Cup in June.

Poyet, who was sacked by Saudi Arabian club Al-Khaleej in May after a brief stint of about a month, has been publicly courting the position, expressing his interest in taking charge of the South Korean national team.

To ensure a fair selection process and avoid any suspicion of favoritism, stricter criteria have reportedly been applied to the post. Applicants are required to form their own coaching teams with at least five and up to seven staff members.

Foreign applicants must also hold the highest-level coaching license issued by a FIFA-affiliated confederation and have at least five years of coaching experience.

AJP Takeaways:
- Gus Poyet is reportedly the leading candidate to become the next head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, according to Japanese media.
- Poyet coached Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC in 2025 and has publicly expressed interest in taking charge of the South Korean national team.
- The Korea Football Association closed applications on Sunday and plans to evaluate candidates through a committee of internal and outside experts before conducting online interviews and beginning negotiations.
- The KFA is keeping the selection process confidential amid criticism over past irregularities and lax management, while stricter criteria have been introduced to ensure a fair selection.
- Foreign applicants must meet tougher requirements, including holding the highest-level coaching license issued by a FIFA-affiliated confederation and having at least five years of coaching experience.

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