'Three managers departed within two months': An 'unprecedented wind of change' sweeping K League 2

*This content was translated by AI.

The atmosphere in K League 2 is anything but normal. Following Chungnam Asan and Daegu FC, the command post of Jeonnam Dragons has also stepped down. Just two months after the season kicked off in late February, three managers have handed in their resignations. This is an unprecedented wind of change.

It began on the 17th with Chungnam Asan. Manager Im Kwan-sik (51), who took charge in December last year, left the team just four months after his appointment. This came after only six opening matches. The results were not poor. At the time of the parting, the team had three wins, one draw, and two losses (10 points), sitting seventh among 17 teams. The split was described as "unexplained." A single remark by acting manager Kim Hyo-il, stating that "Manager Im was fired," effectively put an end to speculation about external pressure on Manager Im. The likely successor is Andre (54, Brazil), the former Daegu FC manager who was the first foreign player to become a manager in K League. An official announcement is expected as early as the 29th.

Three days later, Daegu FC drew its sword. It officially announced the "firing" of manager Kim Byung-soo (55). Daegu, too, made the decision while sitting sixth, just one point behind the playoff (PO) qualification spot, with a record of three wins, two draws, and three losses (11 points). Although the team was considered a strong promotion candidate before the season, its performance deteriorated after three consecutive opening wins, followed by five consecutive draws and six consecutive matches allowing at least two goals conceded. This ultimately became the reason for the firing. Notably, the Daegu club drew attention by announcing the dismissal as a "firing" due to poor performance, rather than using euphemisms such as "mutual agreement termination" that would show respect to the club.

On top of that, Jeonnam also decided to replace its manager. On the 27th, it officially parted ways with manager Park Dong-hyuk (47). This came after just nine opening matches. The background for the split between Jeonnam and Manager Park was relatively clear: "poor performance." In the nine opening matches, Jeonnam managed only one win and two draws against six losses, causing its ranking to plummet to 16th out of 17 teams. The Jeonnam club explained the background of the split by stating, "We judged that a change was necessary to revitalize the team's atmosphere in order to escape poor performance." The club initially corrected its statement, saying that Manager Park's role was changed to advisor just 20 minutes after the dismissal announcement, but it became inevitable that the manager who stepped down due to poor performance would take on the uncomfortable role of advisor.

As a result, K League 2 has already seen three managers hand in their resignations within two months of the season's start. Starting with Chungnam Asan and extending to Jeonnam, a chain reaction of "manager replacements" has swept through in just ten days. Even considering that poor performance was not the only reason, given that this is still the early part of the season with teams having played fewer than ten opening matches each, this is a very unusual trend.

This trend is interpreted as being linked to the fact that up to four teams can be promoted this season, while conversely, the bottom team in K League 2 can be relegated to K3 League (semi-professional).

This season, K League 2 has expanded from 14 teams last year to 17 teams with the participation of three clubs (Yongin FC, Gimhae FC, and Paju Frontier FC). K League 1 consists of 12 teams. The Korea Professional Football League has decided to restructure next season to 14 teams in K League 1 and 15 teams in K League 2. In this process, the number of teams promoted from K League 2 to K League 1 has increased. The champion and runner-up are promoted directly, while teams ranked 3rd to 6th compete in the K League 2 playoffs (PO), with the final winner earning promotion. If Kim Cheon (SVP), whose franchise agreement ends at the conclusion of this season and disappears into history, does not finish last in K League 1, a promotion-relegation playoff will be held in addition between the last-place team in K League 1 and the runner-up of the K League 2 PO (the team that lost in the final). This means up to four teams can be promoted to K League 1 next season.

While the two-power structure of Busan IPark and Suwon Samsung is taking shape in the early part of the season, the playoff race has already heated up, with the gap between third-place Seoul E-Land and 12th-place Seongnam FC being only six points. Since finishing sixth is enough to open the door to promotion, every match is essentially a fight for survival. In such situations, if a team falters and loses points early in the season, it will become even more difficult to climb the standings later. Although there were cases where poor performance was not the only reason, clubs' decision-making speed has generally had to accelerate.

It is not just about promotion hopes. Starting this season, a promotion-relegation match will be held between the bottom team in K League 2 and the champion of K3 League. Although the condition for the match is that the K3 League champion must hold a K League club license, the "fear of relegation," which did not exist in K League 2 until now, has become a reality this season. If a club's judgment is delayed and poor performance continues, it could face the unprecedented "dishonor of relegation to K3 League." The quick decision by 16th-place Jeonnam to part ways with manager Park Dong-hyuk after just one win in nine opening matches is in the same context.

The problem is that it is highly likely to continue from here. Just as three managers have handed in their resignations in a chain reaction within ten days, teams contemplating a change in command will inevitably be more affected by news of manager replacements at other clubs. In fact, there are quite a few teams whose actual results fall far short of expectations. Moreover, K League 2 will proceed until early June before entering the World Cup break. This gives about a month to reorganize the team after a manager change. This is the background that cannot rule out the possibility of the wind of change against managers continuing.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.