It doesn’t get any better than this. That’s the sentence that describes Jeju United these days.
Jeju has overcome an early season slump to sit in third place in the K League 1 after 15 rounds. They have the same number of points as second-place FC Seoul, but are narrowly below them on goal difference.
If their recent form is any indication, they have nothing to fear. They have six wins, one draw, and no losses in seven games. If you extend that to 10 games, they’ve still picked up 8 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. That’s a 180-degree turnaround from their opening five games, which saw them slump to two draws and three defeats in a row. Including the FA Cup, they’ve won seven of their last eight games, drawn one, and lost 10 of their last 12. They also reached the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. The race to qualify for the Asian Football Confederation Champions League next season is gaining momentum.
The team is in great shape. Jeju head coach Nam Ki-il, who until last year faced major conflicts with his players due to his strong leadership style that dominated the team, has changed the team’s culture with a shift to “footwork” communication. He is building a stronger team by abandoning his authority and approaching the players and actively communicating with the captain.
Despite the change to a softer leadership style, Nam is strengthening his tactical and strategist skills. Despite the departure of key players such as In Ji-kyu and Yoon Beet-garam, their absence has not been felt. With proper mercenary skills, perfect tactics, and organization, the team has a seamless look on offense and defense.
Under Nam, Seo Jin-soo has become the team’s ace, while young midfielders such as Kim Bong-soo and Lee Ki-hyuk have also made steady progress. The defense line of Lim Chae-min, Jeong Woon, and Kim Oh-kyu is one of the most solid in the K League. Most encouragingly, the team’s trust and confidence that they will not lose is deeply rooted.
Along with the players, the secretariat is also in a better mood than ever. “Actually, we’ve been this good in the past, but we weren’t as excited as we are now,” said a club official. “This season, everyone is really enjoying themselves and working hard. It’s not just that we’re performing well, but we’re actively interacting and communicating with each other, and we feel like we’re truly one team.” 스포츠토토
With two wheels running smoothly, the players and the office, Jeju has been able to achieve an exceptional box office this season. Jeju’s average attendance per game this season is 6902. On the 27th, 6308 people attended the home game. Despite the cloudy weather, many spectators came to the stadium to cheer. When Lim Chae-min scored the winning goal in the last minute of the second half, the cheers were louder than ever. At this rate, Jeju’s upward trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.