The future of head coach Yoon Jung-hwan (51), who led “Gangwon Fairy Tale” in K League 1 this season, is in doubt.
Since its foundation, Gangwon has been enjoying its heyday under coach Yoon. It failed to become the first K-League champion in the history of the provincial and provincial teams in this season, but achieved better-than-expected results by chasing the championship team Ulsan HD to the last minute.
With the final match of the league remaining, the Korean team has 18 wins, seven draws and 12 losses (61 points), ranking third, two points behind the runner-up, Kim Cheon-mu (63 points). The Korean team is poised to secure the biggest second place in this season, as well as play in the Asian Club competition.
As a firefighter in Gangwon Province, which is on the verge of being demoted to the second division last summer, Yoon dramatically led his team to remain in the first division. He has truly led the team through this season. He erased the color of past defense and placed more numbers on the front lines, creating a new trend. He has recorded the most goals scored (61 goals) in this season’s league. Although he does not have a “big name,” he has expanded his use by identifying strengths of players. Notably, he has led some players to change positions, including right fullback Hwang Moon-ki, center back Lee Ki-hyuk, and defensive midfielder Lee Yoo-hyun, making him one of the top players in the league. On top of that, he discovered Yang Min-hyuk, an 18-year-old high school student, and made history by scoring 11 goals and six assists in his debut season and advancing to the big league (going to Tottenham in January next year).
However, question marks are being raised over the head’s future. Coach Yoon, whose contract with Gangwon will end at the end of this season, also says that he has not been offered anything by the club. In general, head coaches exchange views over an extension contract around the summer of the year when the contract ends. A team with good performance like Gangwon will be negotiated early.
However, Kangwon has been rumored to have failed to organize its future with coach Yoon. Regarding this, CEO Kim Byung-ji jokingly said, “We discussed the option to extend the contract when signing the contract with Yoon, and we included it in the contract,” while mentioning the possibility of accompanying Yoon last month. “If other teams are interested, we can send an offer from the team. We will review it.” 스포츠토토
Gangwon fans are increasingly curious. What is the owner’s opinion? When asked about Yoon’s future, Kim Jin-tae, governor of Gangwon Province, told the Dong-A Ilbo recently, “I will announce it at least within this year before the end of the season.”
Some speculate that there may be differences of opinion regarding the annual salary. When Yoon took office, he signed a contract to receive half of the annual salary that he received when he was the head coach of the existing J-League, considering the circumstances of the Gangwon team. Some say that as his team has achieved good results, he should value the team when it extends its contract.