'Choi Seong-yong Magic' Brings Drastic Change to DaeguFC, 'Big Brother Leadership' Wins Players' Hearts [Yongin Field Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

"To the players, it feels like a 'big brother' kind of emotion."

When the topic of Choi Seong-yong, 51, head coach of K League 2's DaeguFC, came up, DaeguFC vice-captain Kim Kang-san, 28, mentioned "big brother leadership." This refers to the impression that Coach Choi's meticulous care for each and every player has deeply moved the squad. He noted that Coach Choi's leadership, which makes no distinction between starters and non-starters, has even led to a "synergy effect." This is also the biggest driving force behind the dramatic transformation of DaeguFC since Coach Choi took charge.

In fact, Daegu has become a completely different team recently. After falling into a slump of five consecutive matches without a win (two draws and three losses) in March and April, the team saw head coach Kim Byung-soo step down, with senior coach Choi Seong-yong promoted internally to take the helm. Since Coach Choi's appointment, Daegu has gone 3 wins and 2 draws without a loss in five matches, from the match against GyeongnamFC on the 3rd to the match against YonginFC on the 30th. A team that had not recorded five consecutive wins has suddenly become a five-match unbeaten side. While it may be too early to say, this is why the expression "Choi Seong-yong Magic" is not an exaggeration.

It is not just about results. While one must consider the strength of opponents, Daegu's defense, which conceded a staggering 13 goals during the five-match winless streak, has allowed only two goals in the five matches since Coach Choi took charge. The average goals conceded per match dropped from 2.6 to 0.4—a truly dramatic change. This stable defense has naturally become the driving force behind their unbeaten run. Thanks to this, DaeguFC maintains 5th place with 22 points (6 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses), just four points behind 2nd-place Suwon Samsung (26 points), while nurturing their dream of promotion.

The return to the three-back tactic, which "Daegu does best," has been highly effective. Shortly after taking charge, Coach Choi brought back the 3-4-3 formation as his primary tactic. Suwon head coach Lee Jeong-hyo commented, "DaeguFC is returning to the football they were best at." The most familiar tactic has now become so ingrained that the team can field the same starting lineup for three consecutive matches. Coach Choi has made no changes to the lineup in recent matches against GimhaeFC and Ansan Greeners, and continues to do so up to the match against Yongin on the 30th. This means the squad has stabilized on track very quickly.

Thanks to this, the team atmosphere has also changed significantly. Vice-captain Kim Kang-san, who shares captaincy duties with captain Sercan, said, "I feel the team atmosphere has become very healthy." He added, "It's not just the 11th players on the field; even the players on the bench show great passion during training. You can feel they are highly motivated. The team has developed a healthy competitive environment. That is why I feel the team atmosphere has become healthy."

At the foundation of this is Coach Choi Seong-yong's leadership. Kim Kang-san stated, "The coach pays attention to every single player and tries to bring out their strengths to the fullest. Thanks to this, even the players on the bench are motivated and approach training with enthusiasm." He continued, "All players feel that the coach is making efforts to communicate with everyone. I believe all 40 players feel the same way."

Kim Kang-san described this leadership as "big brother leadership." He explained, "The way he tries to lead every single player without leaving anyone behind feels like a 'big brother' emotion to our players. The players themselves, not third parties, feel that he is taking care of everyone without leaving anyone out or making anyone feel neglected. That part makes a huge impression."

Thanks to this, Daegu's "promotion challenge" has also gained momentum. At the pre-season media day, Daegu was mentioned as a strong promotion candidate, but their ranking later dropped, casting a shadow over their promotion prospects. However, with their recent five-match unbeaten run pushing them into the upper ranks, they have reignited the promotion race. With Coach Choi Seong-yong at the helm, they are once again being watched as a promotion contender.

Kim Kang-san said, "At the beginning of the season, we were running with the goal of promotion in mind from afar, but now the atmosphere is about doing our best in every single upcoming match." He added, "People often say that if we do this, we will get closer to the goal. We are not looking too far ahead; instead, we are truly preparing hard for each and every nearby match. If we do that, we will be able to achieve the goal." Coach Choi Seong-yong emphasized, "Rather than focusing on the significance of the five-match unbeaten record, it is important to accumulate points in each and every match."

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*This content was translated by AI.