The operation method of the coaching staff of the Korea national soccer team has been revealed in detail. The outline of the "dualized system" devised by the Korea Football Association was confirmed.
João Aroso, who serves as the head coach under manager Hong Myung-bo, recently explained the process of joining the national team and his role in an interview with a Portuguese media outlet. The key point is that the association designed a structure combining a Korean manager with a European coaching staff.
Aroso is a coach from Portugal who gained experience with his national team and in top-tier leagues, and he previously worked with coach Paulo Bento. He is regarded as a coach strong in tactical organization and training design.
He conveyed the association's direction specifically at the time of his appointment.
"After manager Jürgen Klinsmann, the Korea Football Association wanted to appoint a Korean manager," he said, adding, "institutionally the person best suited to hold the team together should be Korean, but at the same time they wanted a European coach to modernly organize the training sessions and overall match operations."
The team's operation center is led by a Korean manager, with tactics and training integrating a European-style system. Communication and leadership are handled by the domestic coach, while match preparation and details are supplemented by the foreign coaching staff.
He also explained the background to his decision to come to Korea. He turned down an offer to coach Al-Okhdood in the Saudi Pro League and chose the national team's head coach position.
Aroso said, "There were offers that were hard to refuse, but I was moved by the specific role Korea offered me," adding, "I was given the task of organizing training and building a match philosophy, and I had a say in the composition of the coaching staff."
Aroso is also involved in improving the team's makeup. After qualification for the finals, he recommended a physical coach from Benfica and led the composition of the coaching staff. It is a process of implanting a European-style training system into the team.
Aroso said, "After close discussions with the manager, we introduced a back five system to prepare for low-block defensive situations, and the players quickly absorbed it."
In attack development, the structure uses Son Heung-min on the flank and Lee Kang-in in the center. In defense, they are also developing response strategies against strong teams as they prepare for the World Cup.
The national team is raising tactical completeness within a structure that clearly separates the roles of the manager and the coaching staff.
Aroso said on his social media, "It is an honor to work with manager Hong Myung-bo. The manager's dedication is uncommon. I am doing my best with Hong Myung-bo's coaching staff to achieve good results at the World Cup."
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