Partners: GoodsFromJapan | JapanVisitor | PortugalVisitor

Home|Football News|K. League News|2004|2005 Season Preview

Korean K.League Soccer Season Second Stage Preview 2005

John Duerden previews the second stage of the 2005 K.League season

K.League: Teams

Bucheon FC

There weren't many goals in the million-strong city but the club's fans won't be too depressed as they have grown accustomed to seeing the opposition hit the net many times over the past few seasons.

Finishing on the same points as Seongnam will bring a smile to many faces as in 2003, the two teams finished 70 points apart.

Another twelve games where not much happens will be satisfactory for this season, at least.

Busan I'Park

It's been eight years since fans in Busan saw the reflection of the K-League trophy glinting on the south sea but they could be celebrating again in November.

Ian Porterfield has strengthened a side that went about its business quietly and effectively in the first stage.

In a real coup the former Chelsea boss picked up Seongnam's best player, Lee Seong-nam. The winger has been in the K-League for several years and will add skill and no small amount of wiliness to the Busan attack.

In another surprising move, Brazilian striker Da Silva is making the rather shorter trip from Pohang and, as he demonstrated in the first stage on the south-east coast, he knows where the goal is.

Chonbuk Motors - VIVA 2005

Another surprising name at the bottom of the league was that of Chonbuk who spent much of the first stage in 13th place.

In order to avoid a similar second half to the year, former favorite Edmilson has returned to the city of Jeonju.

The Brazilian enjoyed a fruitful 2003 in the south-west but was injured in the first game of 2004 and left East Asia. His return, at the age of 37, seems to be a desperate move by new coach Choi Kang-hee.

Chunnam Dragons

Nobody expected the Dragons to finish the first stage in tenth place, especially as they won the opening game 4-1 but injury to star striker Adrian Naega was a big blow.

The former Steaua Bucharest frontman has been joined in the south-west by Adrian Mihalcea from the capital's other club, Dinamo.

Chunnam, like Suwon, have the talent to challenge at the top but after such a poor first stage, it is likely that the team will have to win the second phase outright in order to book a place in the play-offs.

Daegu FC

Despite spending most of the previous two seasons at the bottom, expectations were fairly high in the south-east that 2005 would be the start of the club's climb to challenge the bigger boys.

However, Deagu's third season in existence started badly with a 4-1 defeat at Chunnam, a defeat that set the scene for most of what was to follow.

The capture of Japanese-Brazilian Hiroshi Sandro was the only bright spot in Korea's third city as the youngster looks to have a healthy future ahead of him and will be joined by Marlon Brandao in attack.

Daejeon Citizen

Another team that has improved after a dismal 2004 and another team which has sacrificed entertainment at the altar of a strong defence.

The Citizen's loyal fans saw only two defeats in the first stage but would have preferred to see less than the eight draws that were served up.

If those draws could be turned into wins then Daejeon would be challenging for the title but the team doesn't yet have the firepower or the resources to get it.

Gwangju Samgmu

With Bucheon and Daejeon sunning themselves in the brighter climes of mid-table, Gwangju has been left behind.

Not able to go and sign players to shore up a leaky defence or add some power in attack, the military outfit will be happy to avoid last place in the season as a whole.

Incheon United

It is a real testament to Jang Woe-ryong's coaching skills that west coast football lovers are disappointed to finish second in only the club's second season in existence.

United led for much of the first stage but a four-game winless streak put paid to their title chances.

Whatever happens from now the season will be a success but Jang has strengthened the squad with the capture of Slovenian 2002 World Cup striker Sebastian Cimirotic. The high-intensity football that attracted some good crowds to the Munhak Stadium will continue and so should Incheon's meteoric rise to the top echelons of the K-League but suspicions remain that the squad won't cope with injuries.

Pohang Steelers

Last year's runners-up never looked too convincing but stayed in touch with the leaders. Brazilian coach Sergio Farias let his two Brazilian strikers go, Itamar to Suwon and Da Silva to Busan.

Wellington Goncalves Amorim joins the attack from Flamengo and former Chonbuk Motors midfielder Andre Gomes returns to the league. It is a gamble by the coach, in his first season in Korea, Da Silva and Itamar looked lively in the first stage in contrast to out of sorts national striker Lee Dong-gook.

If the Lion King fails to roar in the second half of the season, the Steelers' play-off chances could be gone.

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma

It is a measure of how far the six time champions have fallen since their hat-trick of championships at the start of the century that they were happy to finish sixth.

It could have been much worse as only a run of victories at the end lifted the team to a relatively lofty position.

The departure of the team's best player Lee Seong-nam wasn't too promising but the club's owners redeemed themselves by bringing back 2004 top scorer Mota back from Sporting Lisbon.

The club seemed to miss Shin Tae-yong who moved to Australia after 13 seasons of service but the signing of national team midfielder Kim Doo-hyun from Suwon should restore some attacking impetus to the midfield.

FC Seoul

The team sprang to life at the end of the first stage with excellent wins over Busan and Pohang in the final two games.

National sensation Park Chu-young scored five of the six goals in those games and finished as the top scorer.

The 20-year-old will be delighted with the emergence of Portuguese midfielder Ricardo as player of talent and vision and if the European continue to supplies excellent passes then fans in the capital could be in for a treat.

Suwon Samsung Blue Wings

The champions' passionate fans have still not recovered from a disastrous first stage and will not accept a similar second phase. The performances cost Cha Bum-keun all the good will he accumulated after winning the title last December.

The former national coach surprisingly sold international midfielder Kim Doo-hyun to Seongnam but has captured the talented Itamar from Pohang.

If enough of the club's big stars vacate their spaces in a busy treatment room then Suwon could take the second stage and maintain their chances of defending their crown.

Ulsan Hyundai Horangi

It's time for the Tigers to shed their reputation of being the K-League's nearly-men, or a new name will have to be found. Once again, Ulsan failed to strike when the iron was hot and the club has seen too man second and third places since the title was lifted in 1996. Once again, fans are optimistic and perhaps this time they should be as Lee Chun-soo returns to his former stomping ground. The former Real Sociedad winger will be lining up in one of the league's most potent attacking line-ups alongside recently-capped Kim Jin-yong and recently forgotten Choi Soon-yong. Suwon allowed Argentinian defender Javier Musa to join the south-easterners and if the long-haired Latin American can add some steel to the Ulsan defence then Ulsan should appear in the play-offs.

2004 | 2005

Soccerphile Soccer Shop

Top of Page.