“I don’t want to compromise with reality.”
This is what Gwangju FC coach Lee Jeong-hyo said before starting the first season after being promoted to K-League 1. Director Lee kept his promise that seemed reckless, and in the first part, he is catching two rabbits: fun and sexuality.
Gwangju, led by coach Lee Jung-hyo, defeated Suwon Samsung 4-0 on the 27th and rose to third place. With five games left to enter the final round, we have come to a position to look at advancing to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) in the 2024-25 season.
It is proving that the offensive tactics that were pushed from last season’s K-League 2 will work in the first division. He plays attacking football with strong pressure, organic passing and movement. He is keeping his promise of ‘no compromise’ before the first part challenge and even making good results.
Unlike big clubs such as Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai, coach Lee Jeong-hyo’s Gwangju has no star players to speak of. Win as a ‘one team’. Behind the team’s top scorer, Asani (7 goals), Um Ji-seong (4 goals), Lee Kun-hee, and Teemo (more than 3 goals) are all playing the role of solvers. There are also 7 players who scored 2 goals.
Gwangju FC’s Asani celebrates after scoring a goal against Incheon United on March 18. Photo = Professional Football Federation
Gwangju, which was evaluated as a ‘team of blast’ from the beginning of the season, had a crisis, such as being in ninth place out of 12 K-League 1 teams in May. There was also a prediction that Gwangju’s strength would fall in earnest in the hot summer because the squad was relatively thin. However, Gwangju recorded 6 wins, 6 draws and 1 loss in 13 matches played since June, placing them next to Ulsan and Pohang Steelers on the table.먹튀검증
It is no exaggeration to say that this is the result of the perseverance of coach Lee Jung-hyo, who took the baton from last season. Coach Lee won the K-League 2 championship by constantly researching football suitable for Gwangju, and maintains his color even in the first division, which is a challenger’s position.
The match between Gwangju and Jeonbuk was held at the Gwangju Soccer Stadium on the 24th. Gwangju’s Lee Sun-min celebrates after scoring the opening goal. Photo = Professional Football Federation
Coach Lee Jung-hyo, who focuses on team performance and ‘player growth’, is also achieving his goals. After Lee took over as head coach, only Uhm Ji-seong was selected for the adult national team in January of last year. However, it was before Um Ji-seong spent the season with coach Lee.
In fact, ahead of the second A-match in September, Lee Soon-min, who was called by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, was the first to board the national team in Gwangju under coach Lee Jung-hyo. Coach Lee said before the 2023 season, “My goal is for many of our players to be selected for the national team,” but after one year and nine months after taking office in Gwangju, he made his student a national team member.
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