The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy

  • 3

    Seoul city council under fire for sexual conduct guidelines for teachers

  • 5

    Samsung unveils new Galaxy S23 smartphone

  • 7

    Retailers return to Myeong-dong as more foreign tourists visit

  • 9

    Japanese comic series 'Slam Dunk' enjoys resurgence on back of animated film

  • 11

    Is non-consensual sex not rape?

  • 13

    Pyongyang threatens eye-for-eye response as US B-1B bombers join drills in South Korea

  • 15

    President pledges support for Korean chipmakers to overcome crisis

  • 17

    Income gap widening among workers

  • 19

    China imposes mandatory virus tests for arrivals from Korea only in latest protest over curbs

  • 2

    Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse

  • 4

    Free subway rides for elderly emerge as headache for Seoul mayor

  • 6

    Korea seeks measures to better protect foreign workers

  • 8

    ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views

  • 10

    INTERVIEWA touch of authenticity in Korea's Mexican cuisine scene

  • 12

    4 South Korean activists arrested for executing orders from Pyongyang

  • 14

    Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people

  • 16

    $120,000 banana, praying Hitler: Infamous art world prankster Maurizio Cattelan's first Seoul outing

  • 18

    Korea's presidential couple celebrates recovery of Cambodian boy who received heart surgery

  • 20

    Korean iPhone users lose 'batterygate' lawsuit

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Sports
Fri, February 3, 2023 | 23:27
Qatar 2022
Bento reflects on relationship with fans built on 'mutual respect'
Posted : 2022-11-28 09:01
Updated : 2022-11-28 09:01
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Korea's head coach Paulo Bento speaks as Hwang In-beom listens on during a press conference at the Qatar National Convention Center on the eve of the group H World Cup soccer match between South Korea and Ghana in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 27. AP-Yonhap
Korea's head coach Paulo Bento speaks as Hwang In-beom listens on during a press conference at the Qatar National Convention Center on the eve of the group H World Cup soccer match between South Korea and Ghana in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 27. AP-Yonhap

Having been in charge for a little over four years, Paulo Bento is the longest-serving head coach of the South Korean men's national football team. The journey has not been without some rocky moments, but through thick and thin, the Portuguese tactician has led his adopted country to their 10th consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance.

On Sunday, the eve of the Taegeuk Warriors' second Group H match against Ghana in Qatar, Bento took a moment to reflect on his relationship with South Korean supporters.

"My relationship with the fans over the last four years has been very good with mutual respect," Bento said through an interpreter during the prematch press conference at the Main Media Centre in Al Rayyan, just west of Doha. "I've been well treated and respected by the Korean people. We're now in a very important tournament, and everyone likes to give opinions. That's part of football."

Bento, who can come off as gruff and stubborn, hasn't exactly endeared himself to the Korean public, though the sense of respect, however grudging, has been palpable from fans. That's especially the case after South Korea, sticking to the typical Bento style of possession-based football, held favored Uruguay to a goalless draw to start this year's World Cup last Thursday.

Korea's head coach Paulo Bento speaks as Hwang In-beom listens on during a press conference at the Qatar National Convention Center on the eve of the group H World Cup soccer match between South Korea and Ghana in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 27. AP-Yonhap
Korea's head coach Paulo Bento looks at the players during a training session at Al Egla Training Site 5 in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 25. AP-Yonhap

Bento, clearly aware of criticism he has faced over the years, has taken it all in stride.

Thin Korean defense in trouble if injured Kim Min-jae can't play
Thin Korean defense in trouble if injured Kim Min-jae can't play
2022-11-28 08:58

"We're in a country in which football is not the most important sport. At the same time, I think the Korean national team has a high level of importance for its population," Bento said, referring to baseball being the top sport in the country. "The objective is to make them proud of our work."

One thorny issue that often comes up in Bento's press conferences or media availabilities is what he perceives as South Korean fans' interest in individual players rather than in team effort. He typically avoids discussing merits of individual players and, in an almost patronizing way, makes references to how the way South Korean fans follow their national team goes against the way he wants to run the team.

"Sometimes, they focus more on individuals than on the collective. But that's part of their culture," Bento said. "As head coach, I need to focus on the collective. So far, we've had good results based on the collective."
At the heart of this "team vs. individual" debate has been the running feud between Bento and the fan base over the coach's refusal to call up or play midfielder Lee Kang-in.

Lee, 21, has been one of South Korea's most popular football players for years. He was named the best player of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2019, after leading South Korea to second place at age 18. Fans quickly began clamoring for more opportunities for Lee on the senior national team, but after playing Lee in March 2021, Bento didn't use him again until last Thursday against Uruguay, bringing Lee off the bench to spark the stagnant offense.

Bento did call up the RCD Mallorca midfielder for two friendly matches in September but didn't play him. And after the end of the second match in Seoul, tens of thousands of fans booed Bento ― a highly unusual turn of events for an otherwise polite group.

After the Uruguay match, Bento was asked about his decision to play Lee. He praised Lee for earning his way into the match with a strong training camp in Qatar and said, with his speed and skills, Lee offered things that other players didn't.

Bento saved one last jab.

"I hope that, after all the criticism I got for not fielding him, there's nothing to complain about," Bento said. (Yonhap)




 
Top 10 Stories
1Seoul city council under fire for sexual conduct guidelines for teachers Seoul city council under fire for sexual conduct guidelines for teachers
2Samsung unveils new Galaxy S23 smartphone Samsung unveils new Galaxy S23 smartphone
3[INTERVIEW] A touch of authenticity in Korea's Mexican cuisine scene INTERVIEWA touch of authenticity in Korea's Mexican cuisine scene
4Pyongyang threatens eye-for-eye response as US B-1B bombers join drills in South Korea Pyongyang threatens eye-for-eye response as US B-1B bombers join drills in South Korea
5Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people
6Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons
7Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars
8[INTERVIEW] 'Extended deterrence is best option to ensure peace on Korean Peninsula' INTERVIEW'Extended deterrence is best option to ensure peace on Korean Peninsula'
9[INTERVIEW] US-NK summit is unlikely in 2023: Korea Society INTERVIEWUS-NK summit is unlikely in 2023: Korea Society
10[INTERVIEW] IMF expects no recession for Korean economy INTERVIEWIMF expects no recession for Korean economy
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy
2ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views
3$120,000 banana, praying Hitler: Infamous art world prankster Maurizio Cattelan's first Seoul outing $120,000 banana, praying Hitler: Infamous art world prankster Maurizio Cattelan's first Seoul outing
4PULL UP: VIVIZ returns with new song about gossipers PULL UP: VIVIZ returns with new song about gossipers
5Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth' Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group