KFA to hire temporary national football coach, forms election committee

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- The national football governing body said Friday it will hire a temporary head coach for the top men's team through an open recruitment process.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) reached that decision at a board of directors meeting held in Seoul earlier in the day. The head coach position for the men's national team has been vacant since Hong Myung-bo stepped down in late June to take the fall for South Korea's group-stage exit from the FIFA World Cup.

The KFA said the caretaker manager will be in charge for the next two FIFA international match windows, from Sept. 21 to Oct. 6, and then from Nov. 9 to 17. Teams will each be allowed to play a maximum four matches in the first window and two more in the second.

The KFA also said it will assemble an entire coaching staff at once through the open process, with the successful candidate to be allowed to bring his own group of assistants.

All individuals from South Korea or abroad with proper coaching licenses may apply, and the KFA said it will announce further details of the process, including other requirements, at a later date.

Also at the board meeting, the KFA approved the composition of its election committee that will oversee its presidential election.

The top KFA position is also vacant after Chung Mong-gyu resigned on July 6 in light of South Korea's World Cup elimination.

Per KFA regulations, an election committee must be formed within 20 days of resignation by a former leader. Without offering specifics, the KFA said the election body is made up of outside experts recommended by those in election management, academia, legal circles and the media.

Presently, if an outgoing president had more than a year left in his or her term, then his or her replacement must be elected within 60 days. Chung had nearly three years remaining in his fourth term as KFA chief when he left the post.

However, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) recently revised rules on elections for its member associations, including the KFA, so that the 60-day period can be stretched to as long as six months. The change is designed to ensure the KFA will not rush into electing Chung's successor, after years of dealing with criticism over lack of transparency in its management.

KFA presidents have been voted on by members of an electoral college, made up of heads of regional football associations, CEOs of K League clubs, players, coaches and referees. Last year's election had 183 out of 192 eligible members casting votes.

The recently formed K-Football Innovation Committee, co-headed by KSOC President Ryu Seung-min and former national team captain Park Ji-sung, is seeking to expand the size of the electoral college to include thousands of voters, which the committee feels will ensure a fairer election.