The Korea Football Association has passed five foreign candidates through document screening for the interim head coach position, with no domestic coaches shortlisted. The candidates include Robert Moreno, Jesús Casas, Domenec Torrent, Erwin Koeman, and Dragan Stojković, with three Spanish nationals and two from the Netherlands and Serbia.
What are the candidates' backgrounds?
Robert Moreno, who managed the Spanish national team and clubs like Monaco and Granada, previously interviewed for the permanent role in 2023 but lost to Jürgen Klinsmann. Jesús Casas, formerly in charge of the Iraq national team and now coaching Lion City Sailors in Singapore, also interviewed for the permanent position in 2024 but was beaten by Hong Myung-bo. Domenec Torrent served as Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City, while Erwin Koeman worked as an assistant at PSV Eindhoven alongside Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo. Dragan Stojković managed the Serbian national team and had previously expressed interest in the permanent Korea role.
When will the interviews take place?
Online interviews are scheduled for August 20 and 21, after which the KFA will rank the candidates for negotiations. The interim coach will oversee six matches: four A-match friendlies in September and October, and two in November.
How does this fit into the current squad's context?
The South Korea national football team currently sits in 3rd place in World Cup with 3 points, 1 win 0 draws 2 losses from 3 games, and a recent form of LLWWW, having lost the last two matches including a 1-0 defeat to South Africa on June 25, 2026. The team is 6 points behind Mexico in the title race and will face Ecuador at home on September 24, 2026, as part of their upcoming fixtures.
What does this mean for the summer budget and squad planning?
The KFA will use the interview outcomes to determine the interim coach's salary and contract length, with the position needing to quickly establish authority and deliver results in a limited timeframe. The current squad, featuring players like Son Heung-min, is preparing for the September 24 match against Ecuador, with the team's recent form showing three wins and two losses in the last five games.
What are the next steps for the interim coach selection?
The KFA will finalize the interim coach appointment after the interviews, with the chosen candidate tasked with preparing the team for the September 24 fixture and the subsequent matches. The team's current standing of 3rd in World Cup with a goal difference of -1 (2 scored, 3 conceded) highlights the need for a coach who can stabilize performance quickly.
