'A successful tournament' — Klinsmann upbeat after Asian Cup exit

Korean national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann talks to reporters at Incheon International Airport in Incheon on Thursday. [YONHAP]

National football team manager Jurgen Klinsmann remained upbeat as the squad arrived in back in Korea on Thursday, praising the team’s efforts after a semifinal loss to Jordan.

"I still think it was a successful tournament, going into the final four," Klinsmann said at Incheon International Airport. "We ended up as the best four teams in a tournament, which is a very, very difficult tournament because it's played in the Middle East and historically for teams from East Asia.

“It's very, very difficult to play their Arabic nations because it's home games for them."

Korea exited the Asia Cup after a 2-0 loss to Jordan in the semifinals where the Taeguk Warriors failed to land a single shot on target, but that game was really the climax of a very disappointing tournament for what is supposedly one of Asia’s top three teams.

Korea reached the final four through what the Korean press dubbed “zombie football,” stumbling ungracefully through the tournament with a series of last-minute goals — Korea scored in stoppage time in four of the six games — and a lot of luck.

Klinsmann apparently did not see it that way.

"We badly wanted to win the Asian Cup, and we were on a good track until we hit Jordan in this game, and Jordan in this game was the better team and they deserved to win," Klinsmann said.

"But overall, I think we played a very good tournament. Yes, we were disappointed after the game, which is normal, but then there's a lot of positives to take out of the tournament for every player, for every coach. And therefore, I'm looking forward to restart our World Cup qualifying."

There have been growing calls domestically for the KFA to part ways with Klinsmann — already an unpopular figure before the Asian Cup even began — following the disappointing performance in Qatar.

"I very, very much enjoy coaching this team," Klinsmann said on Thursday, adding that he has met with KFA President Chung Mong-gyu — who is perhaps equally unpopular — twice since the tournament but the discussion had revolved around tactics and performance, not his future with the team.

"Fans will say it was the fault of the coach,” Klinsmann said. “It's normal. You live with the ups and downs. You live with criticism of media and fans. That's okay.

"Overall, the most important part is you see the team is getting in the right direction. And absolutely, this team is going in the right direction."

The Korean squad also rallied around Klinsmann after the game against Jordan, with both Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in saying it’s unfair to point the blame the manager. Son also said he was uncertain about his future with the team, comments which some reports have painted as a subtle dig at Klinsmann’s leadership.

"There is no doubt that Sonny comes back in March," Klinsmann said. "There's no doubt that Sonny is our captain because he's absolutely fantastic. He's one of the best strikers in the world, and the next goal that he can have with us is the World Cup in America."

Klinsmann plans to spend a week in Korea before flying back to the United States to visit his family and then on to Europe to watch the Korean players based there.

The amount of time Klinsmann has spent on the road since becoming Korean coach has been a constant area of criticism from fans and the press alike, but the manager remains adamant that being on the road is crucial for a national team manager.

In the face of criticism that he spends too much time focused abroad and not enough on the K League, Klinsmann also highlighter how much work he has done to bring younger players into the national team. He has been outspoken in the past in his criticism of the domestic league for failing on player development.

Korea will be back in action in March as they take on Thailand in a pair of World Cup qualifiers in Seoul and Bangkok.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]