Pohang Steelers coach Kim Ki-dong picked Kim Jong-woo as a replacement for Shin Jin-ho (Incheon United).
Coach Kim said at the 2023 season K-League winter field training media day held at the Kal Hotel in Seogwipo, Jeju on the 6th, “I chose Kim Jong-woo in a situation where I had to find a replacement for Jin-ho quickly. I joined late, but Jinho and Jongwoo have very different soccer styles. It is not easy for (Jong-woo) to adapt to the team right away, and I think I will have to do it with time to spare.”
Shin Jin-ho, who was a key midfielder in Pohang, moved to Incheon ahead of the 2023 season. Along with Shin Jin-ho, who was selected in the league’s best 11 last year, Lee Soo-bin (Jeonbuk Hyundai) also left the team. In a difficult situation, coach Kim Ki-dong chose Kim Jong-woo, who led Gwangju FC’s promotion.
Director Kim Ki-dong said, “In fact, Jinho also had to adapt a lot in early 2021 to adapt to the team. Jong-woo also has a different soccer style (from the team), so we continue to communicate with each other. His goal is to bring him into the team he wants. He continues to train hard.”
The following is a Q&A with director Kim Ki-dong.
How will Shin Jin-ho be replaced?
Jinho was in a situation where we were going together this year as well. The contract was until this year, so I thought the club and I would go together, but as I suddenly left the team, I became very busy. In a situation where we had to quickly find a replacement for Jinho, we chose Kim Jong-woo. I joined late, but Jinho and Jongwoo have very different soccer styles. It is not easy to adapt to the team right away, and I think I have to do it with time to spare. Jinho was also highly evaluated because he showed a good figure as a result. In fact, Jinho also had to adapt a lot in early 2021 to adapt to the team. Jong-woo’s style may be different from what he has, so the goal is to keep in touch with him and bring him to the team he wants. He continues to train hard.
What is different about Kim Jong-woo’s style?
Jong-woo has always been liked by our players. Jong-woo also wants to come, so I heard a lot of stories about him wanting to come to Pohang. I couldn’t choose (Jong-woo) because there were many midfield resources, but as Jin-ho left, the 0-ranked players (found) had a ransom. I chose Jong-woo as the best option. I saw Jongwoo for the first time in 2015. He’s a good technical player. He likes to get out of the pressure and let the game go. If Jinho is the style to spread the ball widely, Jongwoo will play the role of a link by hitting the ball in a narrow space. (Park) Seung-wook and (Shin) Kwang-hun can be uploaded. Jong-woo chose it because he thought he could create good synergy if he did it in the front line.
I had a lot of trouble with a foreign striker, but he brought his car. Are you satisfied?
He was a player who bothered us a lot when we were in Daegu. He trained briefly after joining, but he is a friendly player who sacrifices well for the team. I work very hard when I train. He had a little injury while training in Hanoi, so he took some time off, and his first child came out and he is now in Brazil. come in tomorrow In the meantime, Ilyuchenko was out of the striker and there was a difficulty, but I think it will be helpful in terms of scoring ability with Zeca coming in.
It seems that important players have been thinking about it every season, but the secret to achieving results.
Every year. Became manager in 2019 and important players left. In April 2020, (Shim) Sang-min, (Heo) Yong-jun, and (Kim) Yong-hwan went to the army, and in 2021 (Song) Mingyu left midway. This situation kept happening. I’m not the type to focus on a specific player and unravel the game. It may affect the performance of the moment because it is solved as a whole team, but it can be corrected over time. As we continue to develop, it seems that our soccer is coming out over time.
Who are you looking forward to this season?
The team wants to return. New players came, Inseong and Jongwoo. I hope it will be a year of revival as new players fit in well with me.
Kim Seung-dae was entrusted with the captain’s armband.
The claim must be acknowledged by the players. He knows the history of Pohang well and is well followed by his juniors. So I thought it was a win. He thought he was a player who worked hard when he was given some responsibility. So he left it to Seungdae.
What were Baek Sung-dong and Kim In-seong looking forward to?
The style I pursue is straight. I want to go to the goal a little faster. So toughness was needed. It takes skill to get to the front, and Seongdong is a technical player. He thought he would be able to take on a different role than Inseong.
I renewed my contract with Pohang, which is what I want to achieve in the long term.
I am grateful to the club for giving me three years of time again. I think they gave me that contract because I showed great potential while I was there for 4 years. I thought the team and I would be greedy. I wonder if the club, I, and the citizens of Pohang should work hard to achieve the goal of winning. I want to try to win.
Being in the professional world, relationships with players can be bleak, but how do you ease your mind at that time?
I tell the players to do their best while you’re here with me. When we get into a situation where we can’t confine you, we say we’ll send you out. They say they will let you go whenever you go after becoming a bigger player while you are with me. It motivates the players in this way. 안전놀이터
Aren’t you sad?
There is no sympathy when leaving, and it is sad if there is no story. Before leaving, (Kang) Sang-woo communicated until the end. It would be very sad if we left without sympathy, and I wonder if our relationship was the only one left. However, since it is an unavoidable situation, I try to understand and move on.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) should also be held at the same time, how did you come up with the plan?
Still, with the change to the Chunchun Festival, I think I was able to relax in the first half. We were in third place until round 22 of 2021. (Kang) Hyeon-moo got hurt and fell down and had difficulties. I think things will be different from then. This year, we have to play the ACL home and away, so we need to organize our players according to the situation. It seems that we will have to accumulate a lot of points in the first half as it changes to the Chunchun system.
Kang Hyeon-moo went to the army, what criteria will he choose as the starting goalkeeper?
After Hyeon-moo was injured in 2021, (Yoon) Pyeong-guk came in at the beginning, and he adapted to the team a lot. There is Pyeongguk this year as well, and Hwang In-jae has been discharged from Sangmu. The condition of the two players is good, so I am thinking about it.
You won ACL runner-up in 2021, and I am curious about your resolution this year.
In all competitions, I think the goal of coaches is to go to a high position. At the time, you said you wanted to advance to the finals, but this year is the same. After passing the group stage, I think I need to set the next goal. I think we should make a plan after performing well from the group stage.
What are your specific goals for this season?
It’s funny when we keep saying we’re going to win the league. However, when I first met the players, I talked about my goals. Last year, we placed 3rd, so we couldn’t say that we wanted to become runners-up, and we couldn’t talk about getting 6th. I was told to win the league. Winning a championship is not only for us, me and the players to prepare, but the club also needs to prepare. Pohang citizens and fans must work together to win the championship. If a lot of fans come to the stadium and give us strength, I expect good results to come because we are preparing well.
