According to South Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo Sports, former South Korea coach Paulo Bento planned to apply for the position of interim head coach of the South Korean national team but withdrew due to excessively strict requirements.

It was reported that after reviewing the public recruitment conditions, coach Paulo Bento commented sharply, "Are they recruiting a sports teacher?"

Coach Bento initially intended to apply for the public recruitment of head coach for South Korea's national football team. Although it was a temporary position for six matches, he was willing to consider it. Coach Bento had even assembled his coaching staff. However, he withdrew during the application materials stage. Faced with conditions stricter than anticipated, he reconsidered. With the comment, "It seems they're not looking for a football coach," he ultimately decided not to apply.

The first public recruitment for a senior national team head coach ended with the appointment of Robert Moreno (Spain), described as "Luis Enrique's trusted assistant." Despite some complications, the public recruitment method received positive feedback. There was no significant controversy, and public reaction was that "the right person was selected." Hyun Young-min, chairman of the Football Association's Competitiveness Enhancement Committee, who led the selection process, stated, "I believe public recruitment is a way to restore public trust, even if only slightly."

In fact, there was heated debate within the Competitiveness Enhancement Committee regarding the public recruitment method. Significant concerns were raised about "whether it is appropriate to select a senior national team head coach through public recruitment." Previously, coaches for the U-20 national team and Olympic team were also selected through public recruitment, but the senior national team is a different matter. Certainly, the English Football Association selected Thomas Tuchel through public recruitment. However, unlike England, which can attract top-tier candidates, South Korea was uncertain about the caliber of coaches who would apply. Nevertheless, due to strong support from the Korean Sports & Olympic Committee, public recruitment was chosen.

The issue lies in the requirements. Following the Korean Sports & Olympic Committee's approach created a gap with the realities of professional football. The Competitiveness Enhancement Committee even held weekly meetings to expedite the process, but this is why the initial coach selection moved slowly. Translating the Korean Sports & Olympic Committee's standards and requirements into football terms required significant time. Nonetheless, from a European perspective, the requirements remained stringent. This is why many interested coaches, including Coach Bento, did not submit applications for the South Korea position.

They encountered obstacles at the qualification review stage. The Korean Football Association (KFA) requested candidates with incomplete submissions to provide additional materials before the deadline, but many candidates failed to meet requirements and could not even proceed to the review stage. Of 22 applicants, more than half were eliminated for not meeting requirements and could not advance in the process. Because the entire coaching staff was being recruited, coaching staff qualifications were crucial. In one case, a coach with Premier League experience assembled a coaching staff with similar Premier League backgrounds to apply, but one of the fitness coaches was disqualified for not holding a Level 2 Sports Instructor License.

Some members of the Competitiveness Enhancement Committee expressed regret, but the qualification requirements that had been set initially could not be changed. Coach Gus Poyet, who led Jeonbuk to a double title, also failed to pass the materials threshold. It is understood that Coach Poyet also expressed dissatisfaction while preparing his materials. Chairman Hyun also stated, "Because the entire coaching staff was recruited publicly and evaluated quantitatively, there were regrettable cases where the head coach applicant was excellent, but the accompanying coaching staff did not meet standards, resulting in rejection of materials."

The focus of the current public recruitment method is "how to select," not "who should be selected." Discussion about "what style of football should be played" and "whether this football suits us" has been pushed to a secondary position. If this method continues, Klinsmann with perfect materials would certainly beat Guardiola with incomplete materials. If public recruitment continues, there is a need to recalibrate the requirements and method. Chairman Hyun also stated, "To bring the most suitable coach for us, we must explore an approach that ensures procedural legitimacy while fully considering the pros and cons."

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