When announcing its hiring of Spanish tactician Robert Moreno as the temporary head coach of the men's national football team Tuesday, the Korea Football Association (KFA) said it wanted him to do more than just win matches. The KFA specifically said it wanted Moreno to "change the mood of the national team." That is the bar for the 48-year-old Moreno, the former Spain men's national team boss who is taking over the much-criticized Korean team only weeks removed from a shocking group-stage exit from the FIFA World Cup. Moreno's appointment comes about two months after Hong Myung-bo stepped down as head coach to hold himself accountable for that disappointing World Cup. Hong had been an unpopular choice in the first place, with critics accusing the KFA of resorting to an unfair and opaque process to hire him in July 2024. Hong was often booed before and after national team matches at home, and the earlier-than-expected elimination from the World Cup was the nail in the coffin. Mindful of public criticism of its previous hiring practices, the KFA conducted an open recruitment process this t