Jeong Kyung-ho, Gangwon FC manager: "Coach Yoo Byung-hoon is truly a respected leader... I will build an even better team" [Anyang field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Jeong Kyung-ho, manager of Gangwon FC, closely monitors the atmosphere at FC Anyang, which recently faced major internal turmoil, and is launching a thorough tailored response to hunt for points.

Gangwon will face Anyang in the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 Round 27 match scheduled for 7 p.m. on the 6th at Anyang Comprehensive Stadium.

The variable lies in the atmosphere outside the stadium for the opposing team, Anyang. Recently, Anyang was pushed to the brink of a joint resignation by Coach Yoo Byung-hoon and Director Lee Woo-hyung, but through the fans' strong opposition and a meeting with the club owner, they dramatically remained in place and barely managed to quell the turmoil. Having overcome internal crisis and strengthened their unity, Anyang is highly likely to step onto the field with a fierce spirit.

In a pre-match interview with reporters, Coach Jeong expressed candid caution when asked about the psychological fallout from Anyang's resignation drama: "Honestly, I don't know if they are more scattered or more united."

He also expressed respect for Yoo as a coach. Coach Jeong stated, "Coach Yoo Byung-hoon is personally a leader I truly admire. He has served as a coach for a long time and has been building Anyang into an excellent team. I see this as part of the process of making Anyang an even better team. (Regarding his decision to withdraw his resignation and return,) I believe it was a good choice."

For Gangwon, breaking their recent losing streak against Anyang is essential. In two meetings this season, they recorded one draw and one loss with no victory, and last year's matchups also ended in one draw and two losses, showing a complete dominance by Anyang. Recently, whenever they face Anyang, they have struggled particularly hard.

The race for standings is also fierce. Gangwon sits in sixth place with 25 matches played (9 wins, 10 draws, 6 losses; 37 points). They must secure three points today to fend off the pursuit of eighth-place Anyang (34 points) and lay the groundwork for a rebound into the upper ranks.

Coach Jeong explained, "We have consistently faced difficult matches against Anyang. Today, we prepared to secure at least some points. Although Kangtuji is injured and we lack center-back resources, we arranged our lineup so that Karim and Park Ho-young can complement each other's weaknesses."

Regarding Kim Dae-won's bench start, he added, "In previous matches, he played the full 90 minutes, which put strain on his calves. With six games remaining in September, including the ACL tournament, we cannot afford to lose Dae-won, so we adjusted his playing time."

Addressing the diagnosis that intense pressing football had dulled due to extreme heat and a string of injuries early in the season, Coach Jeong said, "It was significant that players with high energy levels who excelled at pressing—such as Ko Young-jun, Choi Byung-chan, Mo Jae-hyun, and Song Jun-seok—left the team. Forcing players into ill-fitting roles overloads them. A coach must design tactics suited to the current squad." He emphasized, "For the Anyang match, instead of an excessive high press, we adjusted our strategy to apply pressing timing from a middle block, tailored to Kim Geon-hee's role up front. Since we have prepared comprehensively to leverage each player's strengths, I hope for positive results."

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

*This content was translated by AI.