SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: South Korea began 2024 vowing to win the Asian Cup but they have endured a year of turmoil and are still without a coach three months after the sacking of Jurgen Klinsmann.

Led by skipper and Spurs ace Son Heung-min, South Korea are on course to reach the next stage of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

But all is not well in South Korean football.

Despite boasting the likes of Son and Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, the Koreans were beaten 2-0 by underdogs Jordan in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup in Qatar.

It then emerged there had been a bust-up on the eve of the game between Son and Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain, leaving the captain with a dislocated finger.

Facing a fan revolt, the legendary German striker Klinsmann was subsequently fired in February after only a year in charge.

But the Korea Football Association has failed to secure a replacement and were rebuffed by top target Jesse Marsch this month when the former Leeds United boss chose Canada instead.

Now the Koreans head into next month’s World Cup qualifiers under an interim coach whose previous job ended after he appeared to headbutt an assistant from an opposing team.

They had a different caretaker in charge for qualifiers in March.

South Korean football journalist Hong Jae-min told AFP that the country was going through a football “dark age” and laid the blame at the feet of KFA president Chung Mong-gyu.

“All of the problems come from president Chung — he has been in that post for 11 years and the results are terrible,” Hong said.

“He has dragged Korean football backwards, absolutely.”

The KFA declined to reply to an AFP request for comment.