KFA fires Cho Kwang-Rae

The national team coach was under pressure after his side's 2-1 loss at Lebanon in World Cup qualifying last month, and is reported to have paid with his job.The Korean Football Association (KFA) has fired South Korean national team manager Cho Kwang-Rae according to KBS, the country's largest broadcaster.The surprise revelation, leaked late Wednesday night local time, comes less than one month after the nation's shock 2-1 defeat at Lebanon in a qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup. The result stood in stark contrast to the home leg, which South Korea won 6-0.After the Lebanon match, supporters flooded social media sites demanding that the manager be replaced, and there was reported to be unease within the KFA after veterans Park Ji-Sung and Lee Young-Pyo both announced their intentions to retire from international football.KFA officials have not commented publicly but are expected to make a formal announcement on Thursday morning.Afshin Ghotbi, the Iranian-American manager of Japan's Shimizu S-Pulse, is considered a strong contender to succeed Kwang-Rae. Although he is in the middle of a three-year contract with S-Pulse, KBS have reported that he would accept the role if offered by the KFA."I'm grateful to know that the KFA is considering me as national team coach," Ghotbi told the station."I'm ready to give my passion to Korean football whenever they want."Other potential candidates include Jeonbuk Motors' Choi Kang-Hee, as well as Korea under-23 coach Hong Myung-Bo.