The team has grown, the players have grown a lot, and I have also grown.”
Professional soccer K-League 1 Gwangju FC coach Lee Jeong-hyo brought up the word ‘growth’ while expressing his determination heading into the final round. When Gwangju won the second division last season, not many people would have predicted that Gwangju would advance to Final A (top 1 to 6 teams) in its first season in the first division, and even in third place. However, Gwangju and Coach Lee created a sensation this season and eventually got the job done.메이저놀이터
At the Final A team’s media day event held at a hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 18th, Coach Lee was asked, “Did you expect good results this season?” and responded, “I think this is reality. “I shouldn’t come here, right?” he asked, adding, “I tried to get rid of that image. “I think that’s what motivated me and the player to be where we are right now,” he said.
Coach Lee also said, “ As we started this season, I said to the players, ‘Let’s give it a try. “I promised, ‘If you challenge yourself courageously and recklessly, you will rise to a (high) rank,’ and I think I kept that promise, ” he said proudly.
However, Coach Lee also acknowledged that it was not an easy journey to reach third place. He said, “I didn’t come up here quietly. “He came up quite loud and scolded,” he said. “I want to make noise in Final A as well. “We will make it so that the fans at the stadium can cheer more happily and noisily, ” he pledged.
At the same time, he chose the first game against Pohang Steelers as the most disappointing game this season. He said that the next away game against Ulsan Hyundai was also quite disappointing. Coach Lee said, “If the results of that game had been good, it would have been a driving force for the players to grow faster,” and “ (The good moments) were games where we lost to Pohang and Ulsan. “I think I am where I am now after revising and improving a lot of things at that time, ” he said.
Regarding the rumors of Gwangju midfielder Jeong Ho-yeon, who played in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, transferring to Scotland’s Celtic, coach Lee told reporters, “I haven’t heard anything yet,” but predicted, “If I want to go, I have no choice, but even if I go, I will come back (to Korea).” Now, he believes it is important to further develop his skills.
Coach Lee, who wants to turn his team’s players into ‘golden spoons’, said, ” I hope Jeong Ho-yeon can make the national team once (before he goes overseas) .”
Coach Lee also clearly expressed his intention to advance to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL).
“ Why should I go to ACL? I think the club itself needs to change. If you are going to have no choice but to bring about change, you have to go (to the ACL). Investment will be made and our status will rise. If you don’t have the budget, you can’t run both the K-League and ACL at the same time. ”