DOHA, Feb 5: Jurgen Klinsmann’s coaching career has taken some unexpected turns.
It felt like anything was possible for the charismatic German after he led his country to the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup as a first-time coach. Klinsmann had already reached the summit of soccer as a World Cup-winning player.
Instead he opted against renewing his contract after just two years in charge of the national team and while there was a brief spell with Bayern Munich and success with the United States, his career has not hit the heights it once seemed destined to.
Klinsmann, however, has the chance to further decorate his resume after leading South Korea to the semifinals of the Asian Cup, where it will play Jordan on Tuesday.
“I believe that life is about what is next. It is never about the past,” Klinsmann said Monday.
“I am not thinking about the past, I am not living in the past. I am very, very proud and privileged to coach this very special team in an Asian Cup, which is my first Asian Cup experience, which is a fantastic experience.”
What is clear is that Klinsmann still has ambitions in the sport at the age of 59.
Winning a major international tournament could put him on the radar of top European teams, should he choose to take his career back in that direction.
Judging by this tournament, Klinsmann is still box office on and off the field.
His news conferences have ended with members of the media dashing toward him for selfies, and he seems happy to oblige.
On the field, South Korea has provided no shortage of drama.
Stoppage-time equalizers were needed in the round of 16 and the quarterfinals as South Korea eventually overcame Saudi Arabia and Australia to advance to the last four.
In all, there have been stoppage-time goals in each of its last four games in the tournament.
No wonder Klinsmann has told fans to expect more fireworks.
“There are a lot of emotions and we believe that we can make it. We know it is going to be another nail-biter with Jordan,” he said.
“They are a very good team and we are ready for them. Personally I enjoy every second of this tournament.”
That enjoyment is evident. His broad smile is a feature of his news conferences.
There is no sign of him being weighed down by the expectation of leading one of the pre-tournament favorites or the pressure to lead two-time champion South Korea to its first title since 1960.
Nor should there be. Klinsmann is in his element in tournament soccer, having won the World Cup as a player in 1990.
As a coach he led the U.S. To victory in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2013 and finished runner-up two years later.
Germany took bronze at the World Cup in 2006.
This is the fourth time he has advanced to the semifinals of a major international tournament as coach.
“I always believe once you get on a roll into a tournament, once you get your first couple of games out of the way, you build more and more confidence,” he said.
“Now the confidence is there because we went through difficult games. Now the country also jumps behind you and says We can do that,’ and it turns into something very positive because now we are proud of where we are already and you want to do it so badly for your country.”
South Korea might be the favorite to beat Jordan in the semifinals, but it needed an own goal from Yazan Al Arab in the first minute of stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw when the teams met in the group stage.
“It is such a pride for us to have come this far. It does put some pressure on us but we’re well-trained and prepared to reach the final,” said Jordan’s Ibrahim Saadeh.
“Maybe many did not expect our team to reach this far, but we believed that we can go far in this competition. Of course it puts pressure on us but we’re ready to rewrite history.” (AP)
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