New Interim Coach Robert Moreno Aims to Please South Korean Supporters

Kathmandu. South Korea's new interim coach Robert Moreno said on Monday that he aims to please the country's supporters who were hurt by a disappointing World Cup performance and various controversies. Moreno, a former coach of Spain, had to deny allegations of using 'ChatGPT' to prepare for matches earlier this year. He will now take charge of the South Korean team for the friendly matches to be held next month. According to the Korea Football Association (KFA), Moreno may also remain the team's coach until the Asian Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia in January-February, based on his performance. Moreno has announced a squad including captain Son Heung-min for four friendly matches to be held on home soil. He also expressed his desire to bring back smiles to the faces of South Korean supporters. "We will work honestly and move forward with the goal of pleasing all supporters of Korean football," said the 48-year-old Moreno. He is the first Spanish citizen to become the coach of the South Korean national team. "We will try to play good football and support the players." Moreno will lead South Korea in friendly matches against Ecuador and Uruguay in September, and Venezuela and Uzbekistan in October. South Korea had become coachless after Hong Myung-bo resigned following their unexpected exit from the group stage of the World Cup held in North America in June. Hong's departure did not quell public anger over the disappointing performance. Instead, questions that had been raised earlier about his appointment process became more serious. As part of the investigation into Hong's appointment in 2024, the police raided the KFA headquarters last month. Meanwhile, the KFA has also apologized for allegations of arranging sexual entertainment for foreign referees. Moreno has included striker Son Heung-min in his first squad. Son is currently playing for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer. Lee Kang-in of Atletico Madrid and Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich have also been included in the squad. Hong's decision to bench Son in the first half of the decisive match against South Africa in the World Cup had surprised and angered many supporters. "We all know Son's versatility," Moreno said, "In my opinion, he can play in three positions." Moreno also clarified the allegations of using artificial intelligence (AI) while coaching Russian club Sochi. He left the top-division club in September 2025 after disappointing results. News reports claimed that Moreno had relied too heavily on 'ChatGPT' in his role and had even used it in decisions to sign new players. However, Moreno refuted these claims, calling them "completely false and viral news." "Naturally, I use technology," he said, "Anyone who spends just 10 minutes on this topic can understand that everything has been taken out of context, distorted with the intention of causing harm."