While K-League powerhouses such as Ulsan HD and Pohang Steelers are struggling, Gwangju FC is making outstanding performances in the Asian Champions League thanks to coach Lee Jung-hyo’s “tough-hearted soccer.” At the ACL Elite League Stage match against Johor Darlle Takjim (Malaysia) held at Mir Stadium in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province on Sunday, the team achieved its third consecutive victory by winning 3-1. Attacking Japan’s strong teams including Yokohama Marinos and Kawasaki Frontale, it became the only team in the East Asian group to stand out as the victorious.
Gwangju is playing with a travel distance close to the away game, such as a home game in Yongin due to the condition of its home stadium grass, but it has produced results. Due to the nature of the civic team, there are restrictions on investment in recruiting players, but coach Lee Jung-hyo previously proved his true value by winning and promoting the K League 2 in 2022 and ranking third in the K League 1 in 2023. Now, he is receiving more attention as he makes a splash on the Asian stage.
Manager Lee Jung-hyo’s tactics are considered the most innovative in the K-League. His tactics based on fast and flexible position play and strong pressure often compare well with manager Roberto de Gervi of Marseille (France), which is currently leading the European soccer trend.
The key is players’ free change of position. He showcases innovative soccer that breaks the framework of fixed positions by allowing defenders to participate in attacks and strikers to support defense. He is recognized even by experts for his tactical creativity and completeness as he is the only one who uploaded a video analyzing his tactics twice on the official K-League YouTube channel.
Coach Lee Jung-hyo is also famous for not playing soccer, which he does not back down even when he is winning. When his team was leading 2-0 in the match against Johor at the 37th minute of the second half, Lee was seen getting extremely angry when players mainly played long balls. “Our soccer is made through build-up. We have to pay attention to the process, but it’s sad that the players seem to pay attention to the outcome,” Lee said in a post-match press conference.
His philosophy is simple. Believing that the essence of soccer lies in scoring, he pursues proactive and aggressive soccer based on high ball occupancy. Under the conservative tactical environment of the K-League, his innovative approach that puts more emphasis on process than on outcome stands out even more. 메이저사이트
Coach Lee Jung-hyo’s innovation leads to both inside and outside the stadium. After the match against Johor, he greeted supporters of the opposing team who came to the stadium with the team and expressed his respect. “Just as Kawasaki players said hello to our fans, we need to learn good things. I hope other K-League teams learn cheering culture,” he said, expressing concern over the development of soccer culture as a whole.
Attention has already been paid to Lee Jung-hyo beyond Asia. ESPN, a U.S. sports media outlet, recently introduced Lee as Korean Mourinho. Despite being a rookie with only three years of coaching experience, it has transformed Gwangju into a team that can play modern soccer.