FC Anyang’s keywords for success, which won the professional soccer K League 2 and succeeded in promotion for the first time in 11 years since its foundation, were ‘Veteran’, ‘Challenger’, and ‘Fan’.
Anyang held a press conference for winning and promoting K League 2 at the soccer center in Jongno-gu on the 7th. Coach Yoo Byung-hoon, captain Lee Chang-yong and vice captain Kim Dong-jin attended the press conference to express their feelings.
Anyang, which has been in the second division since its inception in 2013 when the first and second division systems were introduced in the K-League, will enter the first division for the first time in 11 years this season.
One of the secrets of Anyang’s success was its veteran. Anyang is a “newcomer” who will play in the K League 1 for the first time, but its members are full of experienced players.
Coach Yoo Byung-hoon said, “Last season’s performance was not good (6th place), but we judged that there were many good veterans in our team. There were many players who almost left the team, but I asked them to renew their contracts and cheer up again.”
In fact, Anyang re-signed a large number of veterans this year, including Lee Chang-yong (34), Lee Tae-hee (32), Kim Dong-jin (32), and Kim Jung-hyun (31), who functioned as the core of the team’s tactics and took the lead in Anyang’s high march.
At the end of the league, there was a period of great pressure, but at this time, veterans were able to maintain the lead until the end thanks to the center.
Coach Yoo Byung-hoon helped veterans spread their wings with tactical measures. “As the players are the main players, demanding strong pressure and high physical strength could put a strain on them during the season. Instead, I chose a stable team style,” he said.
Lee Chang-yong explained this year’s momentum instead by saying, “When Anyang recruits me, it’s a team that I can’t live without. I’ve never been treated like that before. I wanted to do anything for Anyang like that.”
Anyang gave the veteran a chance and made good use of their strengths, and the veterans led the team well and gave the gift of promotion.
The fans’ earnest desire was also the number one contributor to the promotion to Anyang.
About 2,000 away fans visited Bucheon Stadium on the 2nd, when Anyang was determining the first place. After being promoted, hundreds of fans held a celebratory party with red salt at Anyang Sports Complex, Anyang’s home stadium. In addition, many Anyang fans visited the stadium throughout the season, regardless of home and away.
Anyang fans also have an interesting history of establishing a new civic team after Anyang LG Cheetas disappeared in 2004.
“The Anyang club has been waiting for promotion for 11 years (since its foundation), but fans must have been waiting for this moment for 20 years (since Anyang LG disappeared),” coach Yoo Byung-hoon said, adding, “We were able to achieve it thanks to the fans’ support and trust. The first division is a place where our fans should have been.”
The last keyword is the challenger.
Anyang ranked at the top of every season and was classified as a K League 2 powerhouse, but coach Yoo Byung-hoon, who was newly appointed this season, said, “I’ve never been promoted before, so I worked with the spirit of a challenger until the last minute.” 먹튀검증
This will be effective next year as well. Now, he has to engage in more fierce competition as the youngest member in a new stage called K League 1. If he is drunk on winning the K League 2, he could suffer from being demoted again.
“I will continue to take the position of a challenger. I will feel like a ‘novice coach’ again as I am challenging myself for the first time next year,” coach Yoo Byung-hoon said. “I lacked scoring ability this year because I emphasized my defensive commitment or position, but I will also increase my offense next year.”
He then said, “I want to boost my confidence by catching Ulsan HD, the winner of the K League 1, and I will catch at least one game against FC Seoul with the wishes of Anyang fans.”