From Hiddink To Pochettino: How The Us’s Journey To A Home World Cup Compares With South Korea 2002

If location has been immoderate disapproval of Mauricio Pochettino almost a twelvemonth retired from nan 2026 World Cup, Guus Hiddink could person said nan aforesaid – and much – successful nan summertime of 2001, erstwhile he was connected nan receiving extremity of thrashings and a new, unflattering, nickname.

A twelvemonth and 5 days earlier South Korea started their run connected location soil, nan Dutchman was successful complaint arsenic they mislaid 5-0 astatine location to France. The aforesaid scoreline happened again, a fewer weeks later, against nan Czech Republic. A abruptly doubtful media dubbed nan erstwhile Real Madrid leader ‘Oh Dae-yong,’ a Korean-sounding sanction that translates arsenic ‘5-0’.

The pursuing summertime astatine nan 2002 World Cup, however, nan Koreans were beating Portugal, Italy and Spain connected nan measurement to a semi-final exit against Germany. The coach was made an honorary citizen, each edifice successful Seoul claimed a past sojourn and universities were designing caller modules astir what to study from his leadership.

Pochettino could do worse than effort a clang people from nan root and springiness Hiddink a telephone to chat astir what he did during that play betwixt nan summers of 2001 and 2002. Indeed, Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio did much than that up of nan 2018 World Cup, visiting nan Netherlands to talk to nan man himself to effort to find an separator that would return El Tri past nan 2nd round. After all, up of nan 2002 semi-final, the Guardian wrote: “None of nan different participating 31 teams person approached nan title pinch nan aforesaid level of preparation, professionalism and communal sense, which is simply a tribute to their coach Guus Hiddink.”

The situations betwixt nan 2002 and 2026 co-hosts are, of course, a small different, but location are immoderate notable similarities. Hiddink took complete South Korea pinch 18 months to spell until nan large occasion; Pochettino will person been successful complaint conscionable 3 months longer than that erstwhile nan 2026 version kicks off. Mildly encouraging performances astatine nan Gold Cup is different point they person successful common. It is small remembered now but South Korea appeared astatine Concacaf’s bash successful 2000 and 2002 successful hunt of competitory games.

Hiddink was not successful complaint for nan first, erstwhile Korea grounded to beforehand past an adjacent group shape acknowledgment to a coin flip nonaccomplishment to Canada. In 2002, nan Koreans conscionable sewage a azygous constituent down nan cleanable Americans but, this time, went through, past sewage past Mexico connected penalties earlier losing to Costa Rica successful nan semi-final. There were encouraging signs – a cleanable expanse against Mexico and punishment heroics from goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae, who would spell connected to prima successful nan pursuing summer, but still plentifulness of questions astir a deficiency of goals.

Mauricio Pochettino was forced to telephone a roster absent of galore stars for nan Gold Cup, wherever they mislaid successful nan last to Mexico. Photograph: Ashley Landis/AP

Yet for Hiddink it was not astir results but progress. The Dutchman was unfastened astir wanting a squad that was arsenic fresh and fresh, 2 words that came up often, arsenic possible. To activity harder than immoderate different squad was ever nan extremity and he said pinch pridefulness during nan World Cup that this squad was nan fittest of immoderate he had coached before, including his Netherlands broadside which, ironically, hit Korea 5-0 astatine nan 1998 World Cup.

It helped that Hiddink had monolithic control, partially owed to his position and partially owed to a fearfulness of failure. The Taeguk Warriors had been to 5 World Cups and had ne'er won a game, contempt coming close, and were hopeless to get retired of nan group stage. Having a co-host aliases 2 tin besides help. The beingness of Japan was a immense inducement arsenic Korea was competing pinch its erstwhile coloniser connected and disconnected nan field. Perhaps President Trump’s attitudes towards Canada and Mexico tin astatine slightest foster immoderate competitory feelings among nan co-hosts.

Pochettino will struggle, however, to forge nan nine ambiance that Hiddink managed truthful good pinch South Korea. It is easier to do truthful erstwhile 16 retired of nan 23 successful nan last roster are based domestically successful a state astir nan size of Indiana, and astir of nan remainder are conscionable a speedy formation distant successful Japan. Hiddink collapsed up cliques that formed astir nan strict property level wrong nan team, a bigger woody backmost past than now, pinch divisions these days much apt to beryllium betwixt those based astatine location and those successful Europe.

Hiddink ever knew that nan domestic-based talent were crucial. With nan 2002 World Cup kicking disconnected successful precocious May, earlier than accustomed owed to nan rainy season, astir of nan champion teams were afloat of players that came consecutive from their European campaigns. The K-League season, which usually starts successful February aliases March, was delayed until July, meaning that nan upon returning from nan Gold Cup, nan coach had his players arsenic overmuch arsenic he wanted. The world almanac is going to limit Poch’s clip pinch his full roster but moving arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable pinch what you person tin make a difference.

It should not beryllium forgotten that Korea was besides a technically fantabulous squad but, location is nary denying that, it was besides fitter and fresher than possibly immoderate successful World Cup history. By 4 June 2002, nan squad was a coiled spring, hopeless to play successful beforehand of an service of red-clad fans hopeless for them to do good and a state fresh to create an unforgettable atmosphere. The 2-0 triumph complete Poland was not conscionable a first successful Korea’s World Cup history, did not conscionable occurrence nan starting weapon for an unthinkable summertime but showed really a squad had been built successful a short abstraction of time.