Acting FC Seoul head coach Kim Jin-kyu, the man behind the Super Match, has expressed his determination to prepare for his first Super Match as a coach.
Seoul will host Suwon Samseong in the 29th round of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 at Suwon World Cup Stadium.
Seoul’s recent winless streak was punctuated by the sudden resignation of head coach Ahn Ik-soo. After a dramatic 2-2 draw at Ulsan under acting coach Kim Jin-gyu, Seoul is currently in sixth place (10 wins, 10 draws, 8 losses, 40 points).
“We prepared well for the game,” said Kim. I always told the players, ‘The supermatch has nothing to do with the standings.’ We understood that, and we brought in veterans, such as Quiet, to prepare players who were strong in SuperMatch. We prepared well, so I think we’ll have a good result.”
It’s the first SuperMatch as an alternate. “My name always goes up and down when it comes to Super Matches,” said Kim. Suwon fans and Seoul fans have always liked me. When I came here to the Big Bird, the Suwon fans even applauded. When I came out today, they booed me, so I guess they changed their minds. They booed me, so I’ll take it as a warning and try to utilize the three days of preparation tactically and mentally.”
“I think the Super Match is a big event in Korea, so the fans are expecting a lot and we have to show them a good game. It’s not right to play defensive soccer in front of the fans. Unlike the last game against Ulsan, we’re going to be as aggressive as possible. We brought as many attackers as possible. I hope the defenders can play the full 90 minutes, even if it’s difficult.”
A video of Kim giving a speech to the team in preparation for the super match became a hot topic. Kim said, “I’m checking the content well. I got a lot of calls,” he said, adding, “I’m not trying to say something nice just because there’s a camera. I have to express myself as I am and make comments according to the training situation. I’ve heard from everyone that they’re enjoying it.”
Kim said, “I prepared the fighters from Ko Yo Han, but I’m not sure if they will fight. We need three more Kim Jin-gyu’s to come out. Only then can we overpower our opponents. The players are more aware of that. We emphasized it in training for about two weeks. I could see them competing with each other, and when they play, they bump into each other. I’m looking forward to today more than the last game,” he said, predicting a strong performance against Ulsan.
Regarding Go Yo-han’s condition after a long absence, he said, “He is a legend among legends. His team commitment is high. We judged him to be in good shape through practice matches. I thought about bringing him back for the last game, but I thought it was the coach’s job to give him a week or so to prepare for his return to the SuperMatch starting lineup. I’m expecting a lot from him. He scored a goal in the meeting. I expect a goal.” 메이저놀이터
Kim continued, “The Super Match can be won or lost on a single mistake, so I told the players to be careful with warnings and ejections, and it’s important to take advantage of the opponent’s situation. We have a lot of smart players and experienced players, so I believe we can do well,” he said, emphasizing the importance of mental strength.