Huh Jung-moo


Huh Jung-moo is a former South Korean football player and manager.

Playing career

Huh joined Yonsei University in 1974. He was often compared with Cha Bum-kun of Korea University, rival of Yonsei University. After graduation, Huh joined Korea Electric Power FC and enlisted in the Marine Corps and the Navy FC for mandatory military service.
European clubs were interested in Asian players due to Cha Bum-kun's performance in the Bundesliga when Huh was discharged from the military service. Huh also wanted to join a European club because he was under impetus from Cha's performance. In August 1980, he joined Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven. He mainly played as a defensive midfielder and showed impressive form for three years. Johan Cruyff, tired from Huh's active marking, broke Huh's nose with his arm and Willem van Hanegem showed the "Slant-eye" racist gesture to Huh. PSV finished as runners-up in the 1982–83 Eredivisie and Huh went back to South Korea after the season because his wife felt homesick.
In 1984, Huh joined Hyundai Horang-i as an original founding member and retired from player life in 1986.
Huh was on the South Korea national team from 1974 through 1986 and won two gold medals in the Asian Games. He was a member of Korean squad in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. In the match against Argentina, he left a famous photo that he appeared to be kicking Diego Maradona whose face twisted with pain. In the match against Italy, he scored a goal.

Style of play

Huh was a versatile player and could play in multiple positions. Normally deployed as an attacking midfielder or defensive midfielder, he was capable of playing as a striker, winger and full-back. He covered great distance by utilizing his competitive spirit and stamina. Because of his tough and energetic playing style, he was nicknamed "Jindogae", the hunter dog breed originated from his hometown Jindo Island. He was also adept at man marking and often duelled with Johan Cruyff in De Topper. He didn't have rapid pace, but he could dribble the ball with intelligent movement.

Managerial career

Huh has previously coached the South Korea national football team twice before, as well as running the Pohang Steelworks and the Jeonnam Dragons. His team won the Korean FA Cup three times.
His first term as the coach of the national team was temporary. In 1998, he was appointed for the second time. Then he picked up some nameless young players and give them important positions instead of established stars, inviting harsh criticism against him. After failures in the 2000 Summer Olympics and 1998 Asian Games, he was replaced by Guus Hiddink.
Since Hiddink's incredible success in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Korea Football Association began hiring foreign managers, including Humberto Coelho, Jo Bonfrere, Dick Advocaat, and Pim Verbeek. They failed to match Hiddink's success, however. Meanwhile, the criticized "nameless players" picked by Huh became stars. Park Ji-sung, once the most unpopular player while Huh was coach, turned into the most successful player in Asia. Lee Young-pyo and Seol Ki-hyeon also rose in prominence. The success of Huh's former apprentices and that of himself in Jeonnam Dragons made him revalued as a candidate for head coach. Huh was re-appointed in December 2007 after leading candidates Mick McCarthy and Gérard Houllier both rejected the job.
Huh got the team qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup without a loss in the qualification.
In November 2009, Huh won the AFC Coach of the Year Award after leading the national team to 27 consecutive games without a loss. Huh's national team successed to advance to the round of 16 in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Career statistics

Club

Source:

International goals

DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
December 20, 1974Bangkok1 goal3–1 1974 King's Cup
May 22, 1974Seoul1 goal1–01974 Korea Cup
November 4, 1976Tokyo1 goal2–1Korea-Japan Annual Match
February 14, 1977Singapore1 goal4–0Friendly match
February 18, 1977Manama2 goals4–1Friendly match
February 20, 1977Manama1 goal1–1Friendly match
July 16, 1977Kuala Lumpur3 goals4–01977 Merdeka Cup
July 17, 1977Kuala Lumpur1 goal1–11977 Merdeka Cup
September 3, 1977Seoul2 goals3–11977 Korea Cup
December 4, 1977Busan1 goal5–21978 FIFA World Cup qualification
September 13, 1978Daegu1 goal3–11978 Korea Cup
December 12, 1978Bangkok1 goal2–01978 Asian Games
December 25, 1978Manila1 goal4–11980 AFC Asian Cup qualification
December 29, 1978Manila1 goal1–01980 AFC Asian Cup qualification
September 8, 1979Seoul1 goal8–01979 Korea Cup
September 12, 1979Daegu1 goal6–01979 Korea Cup
September 16, 1979Incheon3 goals9–01979 Korea Cup
March 22, 1980Kuala Lumpur1 goal3–11980 Summer Olympics qualification
March 27, 1980Kuala Lumpur1 goal8–01980 Summer Olympics qualification
April 6, 1985Seoul2 goals4–01986 FIFA World Cup qualification
July 30, 1985Jakarta1 goal4–11986 FIFA World Cup qualification
November 3, 1985Seoul1 goal1–01986 FIFA World Cup qualification
June 10, 1986Puebla1 goal2–31986 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Player

Yonsei University
ROK Navy
Hyundai Horang-i
South Korea
Individual
Pohang Steelworks
Jeonnam Dragons
South Korea
Individual