Colin Bell out as Korean women's national football team manager

Bell's exit leaves both the Korean men's national football team and women's national team without a permanent manager.

Colin Bell walks on the field before a training session ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi on June 30, 2023. [AP/YONHAP]

Colin Bell is out as the manager of the Korean women’s national football team, the Korea Football Association announced in a press release Thursday, six months before his original contract was due to expire.

Bell's exit leaves both the Korean men's national football team and the women's national team without a permanent manager.

The KFA said Bell’s contract ended by “mutual agreement,” four years and eight months after the English manager took the helm of the women’s team, according to the press release.

Bell was the first foreigner tapped to lead the women’s team and recorded 24 wins, 10 draws and 15 losses over his tenure, which began in 2019.

Colin Bell gestures during the Group H match between Korea and Germany at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brisbane, Australia on Aug. 3, 2023. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

The women’s team has no remaining matches scheduled for this year after they failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]