South Korea former coach, Hong Myung-bo, has left South Korea only two days after returning home from World Cup, being eliminated in group stage after one win, against Czechia, and two losses. He has always been an extremely unpopular manager in South Korea, being booed by fans on almost every occasion, but things got worse after the World Cup debacle, reportedly receiving death threats, while some local businesses are even denying him entrance.
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Hong Myung-bo announced his resignation one day after their last World Cup match. "I would like to apologize to our fans who love Korean football and support the national team", Hong said in a press conference one day after the match, still at their training camp in Mexico. "We didn't deliver the results that our fans expected, and the responsibility rests entirely with me as head coach."
Hong Myung-bo was interviewed by Korean reporters when entering the Incheon airport for his exile to the US, saying that there had not been an internal conflict within the team, and that he had "things to say, but I believe the story will come out in due time". When he arrived to Los Angeles International Airport, he did not leave through the general arrivals area, so Asia Business Daily suggests he paid for a VIP exit for more discretion.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) came under fire for putting him back in charge, with critics questioning the transparency and fairness of the process, and even reaching the government, with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism conducting an extensive probe, and asking the KFA to take discipline action on its president for the appointment of Hong, as reported by Korean Times.
For the time being, Hong Myung-bo, hated in his country, will remain in the US: it was his second spell at the national football team, after also being in charge of the team during the 2014 season, a year they also failed to pass the group stage.