[Official] Ulsan climbed to 2nd place, but... 'Mr. Ulsan' Manager Kim Hyun-seok will step down at the end of this season: "I hope they fully reclaim their former glory"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Manager Kim Hyun-seok, known as 'Mr. Ulsan,' who pulled his former club out of crisis and lifted it to 2nd place, will step down at the end of this season. Having answered Ulsan's call both as a player and as a manager, the remaining goal for Manager Kim is a return to the Asian stage.

Ulsan HD announced on the 12th that it had mutually agreed with Manager Kim Hyun-seok not to extend his contract. Manager Kim will lead the team until the end of this season.

The club explained, "This is a decision made by mutual agreement after the manager fulfilled his mission of resolving the crisis, in order to pursue the team's new long-term vision and fundamental improvement."

Manager Kim is a club legend who took over as Ulsan's 14th head coach last winter. Upon taking office, he said, "There may be difficult processes, but let us unite our strength based on trust and respect so that we can smile at the end of the season."

The Ulsan club highly praised Manager Kim, stating, "Based on his unique communicative leadership and strong cohesion, he quickly stabilized the team and immediately lifted its ranking to 2nd place." They also cited improvements in key attacking metrics such as effective shots, goal conversion rate, and key passes compared to last season as another achievement.

This is the second time Manager Kim has returned to his former club during a difficult period for Ulsan. After finishing the 1999 season, he transferred to Verdy Kawasaki in Japan's J-League, where he scored 16 goals. During that time, Ulsan fell to last place in 2000 and requested Manager Kim's return.

Wearing the Ulsan uniform again in the 2001 season, he led a turnaround with 6 goals and 5 assists, ranking 2nd in team scoring and 1st in assists. He also contributed as a veteran to keeping the team in the upper ranks in 2002 and 2003. More than 20 years later, he returned as a manager to stabilize the struggling Ulsan.

Ulsan has recorded 17 wins, 6 draws, and 12 losses, sitting in 2nd place with 57 points. This is a significant rise compared to their 9th-place finish last year. While FC Seoul (67 points) secured the K League 1 title for the first time in 10 years this season, Ulsan is competing for position with Daejeon Hana Citizen in 3rd place (53 points) and Gangwon FC in 4th place (51 points).

According to Ulsan, the club and Manager Kim agreed that it is now time for long-term fundamental improvement of the team. Consequently, both sides decided to part ways.

An official from Ulsan stated, "We sincerely thank Manager Kim Hyun-seok for taking on the team without any conditions during our most difficult period and dedicating himself." The official added, "Building upon the stable foundation laid by Manager Kim Hyun-seok, we will embark on fundamental improvements to establish a long-term game model for the club's development and create a new operational structure."

Manager Kim conveyed, "I took over during our most unstable period and gave my best in every match. As I leave after seeing the team stand firm again, my wish for Ulsan to fully reclaim its former glory far outweighs any regret."

He also left a message for 'Cheoyong Warriors,' the Ulsan supporters who have cheered him since his playing days. Manager Kim said, "I sincerely thank the Cheoyong Warriors for their unwavering and tremendous support, both when I returned as a player and again as a manager."

Ulsan stated, "Although a beautiful farewell was anticipated, Manager Kim Hyun-seok's journey with us does not stop immediately." The club added, "Manager Kim will remain steadfast on the bench until the end of this season to lead the team in achieving the club's immediate goal of returning to the Asian stage."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original