Jeonbuk Hyundai wins the award.
Jeonbuk, which seemed unlikely to be shaken like a fortress, is in 9th place with 2 wins, 1 draw and 4 losses and 7 points in the ‘Hana 1 Q K League 1 2023’, which has been through 7 rounds. The 4 losses are already the same as the winning 2018 season, and Jeonbuk recorded 7 losses in the 2017 season, 3 losses in the 2019 season, 5 losses in the 2020 season, and 6 losses in the 2021 season. It is a very shocking result, so Jeonbuk, along with Suwon Samsung, which is at the bottom (2 points), is currently in the spotlight for its negative side in the K-League.
However, the circumstances of the two teams are different. Unlike Suwon, whose finances are not so good that the equivalent of Oh Hyun-kyu’s (Celtic) transfer fee of 3 million euros (approximately 4 billion won) has to be spent to make up for the deficit caused by the departure of sponsors, rather than to reinforce the power, Jeonbuk’s is eating
Jeonbuk, which has been at the top of the K-League 9 times since 2009, has chosen a major change in the name of a generational change. In the process, veterans such as Lee Yong, Choi Bo-kyung (Suwon FC먹튀검증), Kim Bo-kyung (Suwon), and Lee Seung-gi (Busan IPark) left en masse.
There is no reason to criticize the generational change. Looking ahead to the next few years and creating a fresh squad is both essential and sensible. The team that doesn’t do it, the team that can’t do it should be criticized. However, there is a problem in Jeonbuk. it is harmony Those who played in different environments could not form a ‘one team’. Jeonbuk’s game only gives the impression that the existing players and recruited resources play separately without the promised play.
Aside from the tactical capabilities of the bench, the role of seniors who will strengthen the team and inspire it when it is shaken is important, but only Hong Jeong-ho, Kim Jin-soo, Choi Chul-soon, and Han Kyo-won remain as veterans who have shared glory in the past. At least some of them are playing for the B team.
In addition, strange stories have been heard recently around Jeonbuk. It is said that it is difficult to renew the contract for more than 3 years if you are over 30 years old. If age is the absolute criterion for generational change, national team captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham), born in 1992, cannot sign a multi-year contract with Jeonbuk.
If you approach it only with market logic, you cannot play as before, but it is right to throw away players with high ransom. But sports also have a great emotional impact. In addition to the best infrastructure and good conditions, respect for veterans played a large role in the background of Jeonbuk’s growth as an ‘absolute dynasty’, and the accumulated experience became the ‘winning DNA’ envied by the surroundings. It would be a complete misjudgment if he was immersed in the ‘change’ of transferring even while preserving his annual salary while excluding this background.
Moreover, the keynote of player recruitment is not clear. Regardless of whether you are a domestic player or a foreign player, it is easy to miss the details if you just try to put the puzzle together according to the planned big frame. This is why there are voices calling for a complete overhaul of the scouting system. Jeonbuk cannot avoid falling unless there is a tremendous will for improvement and clear execution.