Gimcheon Sangmu will try to become the first runner-up in the history of the Sangmu Football Team.
Gimcheon will play the final match of the 38th round of Hana Bank K League 1 2024 against FC Seoul at 2 p.m. on the 23rd at Gimcheon Sports Complex. Gimcheon currently has 18 wins, nine draws and 10 losses, accumulating 63 points, and has a gap of two points with third-place Gangwon FC (18 wins, seven draws and 12 losses, 61 points), and if it wins the match, it will be the runner-up on its own.
This is the highest record since the foundation of Sangmu in 1984. The previous record was held by Sangju Sangmu, Gimcheon’s predecessor, in the 2020 season (13 wins, 5 draws, 9 losses, 44 points). Considering that a short season was held due to the aftermath of COVID-19, it is no exaggeration to say that Gimcheon’s current record is “all-time high.”
Even before the opening of the season, Gimcheon was considered the “top candidate for relegation.” In addition to achieving dramatic promotion last season, key resources such as Kim Joon-hong (Jeonbuk Hyundai), Yoon Jong-kyu (FC Seoul), Won Doo-jae (Corpakan Club), Kim Dong-hyun (Gangwon FC), and Kim Min-joon (Ulsan HD) were also scheduled to be discharged from the military in mid-2024, which inevitably led to a power leak during the transition period.
However, coach Chung didn’t care. In preparation for a possible discharge of as many as 17 players, the team boldly appointed Il and Lee Byung, and gave Park Chan-yong, Kim Kang-san, Lee Dong-kyung, Lee Dong-joon and Lee Seung-won, who joined the military during the season, a chance to adapt quickly. The team wanted to overcome its prejudice against the team that it is weak in the summer.
The team was not without ups and downs. Gimcheon only secured two wins out of eight games from July to August, and concerns have surfaced that the team might lose as it is. However, the motivation for the team’s bid to win the title was clear, and Gimcheon had three consecutive wins before the game against Ulsan (loss of 1-2) on Oct. 6, the de facto final match, raising expectations.
Although Ulsan ended its season by achieving its third consecutive feat, Gimcheon’s goal is still clear. The team’s goal is to become the runner-up by beating Seoul. It is true that Gimcheon cannot advance to the AFC Champions League due to the nature of its military and police teams, but its players are filled with determination to write a new history regardless of this.
Then, why was Gimcheon able to break the record and try to win the championship unlike previous years? At the center of the event was coach Jeong Jeong-yong, who showed his unique tactical philosophy and silent leadership.
What stands out in particular is the tactical flexibility. Coach Chung did not have a separate “A” plan in developing the system except for the composition of players. He prepared strategies to tailor players to each other, and used various formations, including “back three” and “back four,” depending on situations. In the case of the midfielder’s team, the team displayed proper mixing of “two volanche” and “two mezzlies.”
His mercenary skills also shone. Coach Chung Jung-yong deployed players such as Park Seung-wook, Kim Kang-san, Park Soo-il, Kim Bong-soo, and Lee Dong-kyung at the right place to bring out the best performance. This led directly to the direct and indirect growth of players, including the selection of Park Seung-wook and Kim Bong-soo for the first time as a member of the Korean national team, and Lee Young-joon (Grashofer Club Zurich) for advancement to Europe, and naturally contributed greatly to the development of Korean soccer.
Coach Chung also showed his strong opinion on fostering players. Players who are in the military position tend to be less motivated relatively, but he provided guidance on individual details to maximize development. Players also unanimously praised Chung. 안전놀이터
In recognition of his accomplishments, Chung named Kim Pan-gon, Ulsan coach, and Yoon Jeong-hwan, Gangwon coach, in the K-League 1 Best Coach category at the Hana Bank K-League 2024 Awards. Fierce competition is expected between Kim Pan-gon, who lost one game since his inauguration, and Yoon Jeong-hwan, who challenged for the crown, but there is no doubt that Chung, who led Gimcheon’s remarkable team, will win the prize.
Chung’s fairy tale about Gimcheon does not end there. After winning the match against Suwon FC (2-1) early this month, Chung said in an interview with Sportal Korea that he will “recapture the crown in preparation for the prince’s rebellion” next season.