More than results, Korea needs a new start

The Korea Times - Nov 11, 2026

On Friday, two Asian powerhouses meet in Qatar. Saudi Arabia and South Korea have had some titanic clashes over the years — not least when the Taeguk Warriors lost 2-0 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, in 2005, which resulted in head coach Jo Bonfrere losing his job despite the team qualifying for the World Cup. Just four years later, Korea went on to win in the Kingdom and qualify for the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Now they meet in Qatar in a friendly game that was supposed to be preparation for January’s Asian Cup. However, due to conflict in the region, it has been postponed from January to the following December. It leaves a big hole in the calendar not just for Korea, but all the national teams that had planned to participate. It also creates uncertainties for interim coach Robert Moreno, whose contract runs through the end of November, — with the possibility of an extension through to the Asian Cup and the possibility of permanent appointment, if all went well. Now there is no tournament to prepare for, removing some of the urgency for the coach and players. Indeed, a number of

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