Prosinecki keen on South Korea job

Former Croatia international Robert Prosinecki may be the next coach of South Korea, after he confirmed he would like to replace Hong Myung-bo.

Since Hong resigned on July 10 following South Korea’s dreadful FIFA World Cup campaign, the Asian country’s football association has reportedly been inundated with applications from foreign coaches.

South Korea had one draw and two defeats in Brazil and finished bottom of Group H with minus three goal difference.

Prosinecki confirmed in an interview with South Korean newspaper Ilgan Sports that he is one of them.

“I’ve heard a lot about Korea and I thought that I [would] want to lead this team if I get a chance to,” he said.

“I saw Korea playing in Brazil. They were a good team but couldn’t win a match. But I saw some potential from many young prospects. I really want to coach this team.”

Prosinecki’s coaching history is not necessarily the most impressive with the 45-year-old having only held senior positions at Turkish Super Lig club Kayserispor and Serbian SuperLiga outfit Red Star Belgrade.

At the end of 2013, Prosinecki resigned from Kayserispor, who sat second last in the standings, while his stint with Red Star ended badly, as he quit just before the 2012/13 season, after leading them to the Serbian Cup title in 2011/12.

But his agent claimed Prosinecki is a wanted man.

“One Russian club offered about 1.5billion South Korean won salary, while another club in the mideast offered 2billion won per year,” the agent said.

“After he found out that the [South] Korean national football team coach post was empty, he told me that he really wanted that job and said he was willing to cut his salary if the price tag attached to him is too expensive.”

Danish coach Michael Schjonberg, who is an assistant at Valerenga in the Norwegian Tippeligaen was linked with replacing Hong last week by Danish newspaper Tipsbladet but a Korean Football Association (KFA) spokesman hinted that would be unlikely.

The KFA have yet to finalise their technical committee to recruit a new coach.

“It looks like he hired many agents to send his resume to the KFA,” he said.

“Those agents recommended only one person and it was Schjonberg. No matter who they recommend, we first will reform our technical committee and will then look at those candidates.”