Making remarkable performances in his first season as coach, he expressed his frustration over the lack of communication between the club and the team. Whether Suwon FC and Kim Eun-joong (45) will accompany them remains uncertain.
Choi Soon-ho (62), the team’s general manager, said in an interview with Star News on Monday, “The team has completed the 2025 season plan. We have also had direct talks with Kim Eun-joong. There were differences of opinion in terms of salary and contract period. We also met and talked with his representative. Suwon FC is still agonizing over contract agreement.”
The contract between Kim, who led Suwon FC to fifth place in the K League 1 2024 season, and the club will remain through the 2025 season. Although the contract period still remains, the team has been suffering from rumors of a breakup recently. Manager Kim has provided an explanation on the “request for a double annual salary increase.”
Regarding rumors of a salary increase and a contract extension request, Kim said in a phone call with Star News, “It’s not easy to take control of the team. It meant to give him strength to run the club because he has one year left on his contract,” adding, “There have been no clear negotiations with the club. I saw reports of differences in salary negotiations, which is not true at all. How can there be a big difference in the amount when we didn’t negotiate?”
“I don’t understand why people say this in the media first,” Kim said. “Isn’t it the attitude that the club is going to dismiss me if I say this to the media first? I’m sure there’s still a contract period left,” he said. “I can’t communicate at all. The coaches’ contracts are coming to an end, but there’s no answer from the club. This is not something that can be solved as a coach.”
He confessed that there was even an offer from another team. “I got an offer from Incheon United. But I think I still have a contract with Suwon FC. I didn’t think it would be right to intentionally transfer to another team. I politely declined the offer,” Kim said.
He will also have a meeting with the club in person soon. He is willing to accompany Suwon FC. “The club and its agent have agreed to meet. I want to proceed well. There is no reason or intention to cause conflict with Suwon FC,” Kim said. “I hope that sincere dialogue will take place. I don’t want to refute recent reports. To be honest, I feel very embarrassed.”
Kim, who challenged himself to become a professional player last year, made remarkable achievements by placing Suwon FC in the Final A. Having risen to the ranks of legendary strikers under the nickname of “Sharp” as a player, Kim began his career as a playing coach for the 2014 Daejeon Citizen (currently Daejeon Hana Citizen). Since then, he has worked as a coach for the AFC Tubiz (Belgium) and an acting coach for the Korean national team under the age of 23.
Kim, who took the helm of the U-20 national team for the first time, made it to the semifinals at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Argentina, beating powerhouses such as France, Ecuador and Nigeria. Since then, Kim has taken the helm of Suwon FC ahead of the 2024 season and embarked on his first attempt to become a head coach of a professional team. 메이저놀이터
Kim’s color melted into Suwon FC in a short period of time. With rapid transition and high energy levels, Suwon FC under Kim has become a star of extraordinary events in the 2024 K League 1 to the extent that it is on par with the top ranks, contrary to expectations that the team will move around in the bottom ranks.
According to Suwon FC, the current team will go through a vacation and begin tempering in the 2025 season from the 29th.