The difference between Klinsmann and Park Hang-seo

The difference between Klinsmann and Park Hang-seo

Klinsmann’s philosophy on eating is self-determination. Whether you wash up first, eat first, or wash up first, you have to take care of yourself. On the other hand, Park’s philosophy on eating is to raise team spirit. When he was serving as the Vietnamese national team, Park said, “Dining was not just a time to fill up our stomachs but to strengthen teamwork. To this end, he took the following measures.

“First, all players must enter the restaurant at the same time and finish eating at the same time. This is not an exception for anyone, including me. Second, uniformize the team’s attire everywhere, not only during training or when eating. The KFA staff is no exception. Of course, I will wear the same uniform as you. Third, never bring your cell phone with you during training or during team meetings. I hope you keep your cell phone in the locker room in the morning and visit it after training is over.”

Before Coach Park Hang-seo, most of the Vietnamese national team members were friends who were chewing alone and looking at their cell phones rather than eating together. Previous coaches have released players freely. In such a situation, the players cannot help but feel a backlash as coach Park calls for strong discipline. Park Hang-seo reportedly told the players,

“No way. We came here after being called by the national team. In order for more than 30 players and coaches to train effectively, we should not think about anything other than soccer during training sessions. All of us need to have the same concentration to achieve training results. You should listen to music after training is over. The same goes for cellphones, too. Nothing is more important than training right now. If you are honored to be a part of the national team, you should put the team ahead of individuals. We are a team. We have to help each other and work together as a team.”

In fact, Park reportedly refused to take an international call from Korea at mealtime, saying, “I won’t take it because it’s mealtime.” At a press conference with Vietnamese reporters, Park finished the meeting in a hurry, saying, “It was only 10 minutes long, but I’m late for meal.” As Park is from Gyeongsang Province, he ate quickly, but everyone didn’t leave the restaurant until the meal was over.

Coach Park Hang-seo puts a lot of importance on the unity of the organization. For this teamwork, he deliberately changed his outfit every day. On Red Uniform Day, everyone should dress up in that outfit. The coach, the team doctor, the massage parlor, and the ball boys should dress the same way. They all wear the same clothes when they go to eat. They were banned from entering if they showed up wearing different clothes.

This opened the golden era of Vietnamese soccer. When the goal was scored, the friends sitting on the bench ran out to the field. If you look at the pass of Vietnamese soccer at that time, it was like European soccer. Everyone was a hero.

How to eat meals is a difference in culture, but Klinsmann had no concerns about how to raise and maintain teamwork. The tactic goes without saying. A coach who does not consider both tactics and teamwork cannot lead a victory no matter how good the player is.