For Korea, World Cup disappointment rarely ends at the final whistle

AI핵심 요약

• ·From coaching exits to angry airport receptions, South Korea has familiar post-World Cup ritual of criticism, accountability For South Korean soccer fans, the pain of an early World Cup exit rarely ends with the final whistle.
• ·Instead, disappointment spills into days of public anger, resignations and soul-searching, as the country grapples with another campaign that failed to meet lofty expectations.
• ·Under mounting pressure, with criticism reaching as high as President Lee Jae Myung, who called for sweeping reforms of Korean soccer, head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned Sunday, after the team was eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup.
• ·"I would like to apologize to everyone who supports Korean soccer and the national team," Hong told reporters in Mexico.
• ·"We failed to deliver the results our fans were hoping for, and the responsibility lies entirely with me as head coach." For South Korean soccer, however, the fallout has become almost ritual.