Metsu or Coelho?

For last two months, the Soccer Association has made the first list of 61 possible coaches from those who have participated in 1998 FIFA World Cup France, 2000 UEFA European Championship, 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea Japan, etc and have reduced the number to 15 according to their current contract conditions and coaching abilities. After the third examination, Hiddink, current technical advisor of the Korea National Team as well as two other possibilities, Metsu and Coelho has been selected as the priority contacts according to the opinions of national and international professionals.

Coach Metsu is the one who has stirred up a storm on the day of 2002 World Cup Opening Ceremony by defeating France with the score, 1 to 0, thus put Senegal up to the Quarter Finals. He has been building up his coaching experience from 1988 to 1999 leading the France Club Team and is currently in charge of the controlling of the AlAin Club of the United Arab Emirates.

With his free and unrestrained thinking and leadership, he coaches with a philosophy which respects each player`s characteristics and he commands `4-3-2-1` formation that puts primary importance on quick offense and defense changes.

Compare to Coach Metsu who wasn`t known during his years as a player, Coach Coelho, a known star player during his years as National Team`s player of Portugal, doesn`t have such a renowned coaching experience. From 1985, he has coached Salgneiros and Brag Soccer Teams of Portugal for two years and was appointed as the coach for the Portugal National Team in 1997.

However, Coelho`s coaching leadership has been acknowledged when he placed the Portugal Team in Semi Finals after defeating powerful teams such as England during the 200 UEFA European Championship. Since then, he has coached the Morocco National Team and declined in July 2002.

The Soccer Association is planning to finalize the concrete contract negotiations by the end of January 2003 in order to prepare for the first game between National Teams (A Match) scheduled on March 29th with Columbia.

However, to prepare for the stagnation of the result and the possibility of Coach Hiddink`s return, it is said that the contract period with the new coach will be only for two years.

Soon-Il Kwon stt77@donga.com