South Korea football chief steps down after early World Cup exit

New York, July 6 (IANS) Chung Mong-gyu resigned as president of the Korea Football Association on Monday as the fallout from South Korea’s disappointing World Cup campaign continued.

Chung’s departure follows that of head coach Hong Myung-bo after South Korea failed to reach the knockout stage, finishing third in Group A with three points. South Korea defeated the Czech Republic but lost to Mexico and South Africa.

Announcing his resignation, Chung acknowledged both the successes and failures of his tenure, reports Xinhua.

“There were moments when I lived up to expectations and moments when I left you deeply disappointed,” he said. “All the success is thanks to our players and fans, and all the mistakes are my responsibility. I am convinced that Korean football will overcome adversity and reach great heights once again, as it always has.”

Queiroz steps down as Ghana coach

Meanwhile, the fallout for poor performance in Africa continued as Carlos Queiroz has stepped down as Ghana coach in the wake of his side’s World Cup campaign ending in the last-32 of the tournament with a 1-0 defeat to Colombia.

The 73-year-old led Ghana into the knockout stage with a solid performance in the group stage that saw a 0-0 draw with England, a 1-0 win over Panama, and a 2-1 defeat to Croatia, but his side never looked like getting to grips with Colombia despite another organised defensive display.

“We cannot claim complete sporting satisfaction, but we can proudly say that we honoured the colours of Ghana and restored respect and credibility to the Black Stars on football’s greatest stage,” Queiroz wrote on social media.

“Football, like life, teaches us one timeless lesson: you either win, or you learn. I leave this journey with pride in what we achieved, but also with the healthy dissatisfaction of those who always wanted more. Reaching a higher level should never be the destination – it should be the beginning of even greater ambitions,” he added.

Queiroz was only appointed Ghana coach in April after Otto Addo was sacked following a run of defeats. In addition to the four games in the World Cup, he was also in charge of Ghana’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico and a 1-1 draw with Wales.

–IANS

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