South Korea's policy chief resigns after investments controversy

Former Spain head coach Robert Moreno has been appointed as the temporary manager of the South Korean men's national football team, according to the Korea Football Association (KFA). The decision was made during the KFA's board meeting held at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, approximately 90 kilometers south of Seoul.

At 48 years old, Moreno will oversee the team's next six international matches. The schedule includes hosting Ecuador on September 24, playing against Uruguay on September 28, facing Venezuela on October 2, and taking on Uzbekistan on October 6. The KFA is also attempting to secure two additional matches within the FIFA international window from November 9 to 17. Following these November matches, South Korea will participate in the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, which begins in January.

The KFA has granted Moreno a contract that runs until November 27. However, he is given the opportunity to take on a full-time role for the Asian Cup, contingent upon the team's performance during the fall matches. The men's national team head coaching position had been unfilled since Hong Myung-bo resigned in late June to manage the country's group-stage exit from the FIFA World Cup.

In contrast to the rush to hire a permanent replacement before the September-October match period, the KFA opted to appoint a caretaker manager instead. Moreno, who previously coached Spain for nine matches in 2019, worked with Luis Enrique on a leave of absence from the Spanish team. He has since coached three clubs – AS Monaco in France, Granada in Spain, and FC Sochi in Russia.

Moreno previously served as a scout for FC Barcelona and was an assistant coach for Enrique at AS Roma, Celta Vigo, and FC Barcelona. Despite his relatively young age, the KFA highlighted Moreno's ability to devise tactics and analyze opponents using advanced data. The caretaker manager was also given a five-man backroom staff, which includes Eduardo Docampo, a top assistant from Moreno's time at FC Sochi, and veteran analyst Jacint Magrina.

The KFA's National Teams Committee, responsible for selecting national team coaches, interviewed several foreign candidates after reviewing their applications. They ultimately finalized their negotiations with Moreno and his staff over the weekend. The committee praised Moreno's thorough understanding of Korean football and his capacity to offer a wide range of tactical alternatives. They expressed hope that Moreno and his new staff would help elevate the performance of the national team.