Partners: GoodsFromJapan | JapanVisitor | PortugalVisitor

Home|Football News|K. League News|2004|2005|2006 Season Review

Korean K.League Soccer Season Review 2006

John Duerden reviews the 2006 K.League season

K-League Review January-June 2006

July

After the excitement and drama of June, July was a quiet month.

Dick Advocaat confirmed that he would be joining Russian team Zenit St. Petersburg though the news didn't come as a surprise.

As one Dutchman left, another one took his place in the hotseat. The Korean Football Association appointed Pim Verbeek as the new head coach. It was a decision that few argued with at the time. The assistant of 2002 and 2006 was seen as a natural successor.

As always when there is no football to watch on the pitch, attention turns to transfers.

Advocaat started the ball rolling by taking FC Seoul defender Kim Dong-jin and Ulsan Hyundai Horang-I midfielder Lee Ho with him to Russia.

August

Lee Kwan-woo (13) shapes to take a free kick for new team Suwon Bluewings.

The movement continued. The big domestic transfers included two midfielders who both headed to Suwon. Baek Ji-hoon made the short trip from FC Seoul to the Big Bird while Daejeon Citizen had to face up to life without inspirational playmaker Lee Kwan-woo.

Busan appointed a coach from Switzerland. Andy Egli who may not be the best coach in the world but is certainly one of the most hard-working.

Seol Ki-hyeon became the third Korean to become a Premier Leaguer. “The Sniper” moved from Wolverhampton Wanderers to new boys Reading.

The second stage of the K-League started at the end of a sweltering August. Seongnam carried on what they left off with two wins from the first two games.

Pim Verbeek tasted his first action as head coach of the South Korean national team. It was the second game of the Asian Cup qualifiers and it brought a comfortable 3-0 win over Taiwan – Ahn Jung-hwan opened the scoring.

Ulsan Hyundai Horang-I and star winger Lee Chun-soo excelled in the East Asian Champions Cup. Despite a 3-2 defeat against JEF United in the opening game, the Korean champions then thrashed Japanese title-holders Gamba Osaka 6-0 and then Chinese powerhouse Dalian Shide 4-0. Lee grabbed six goals in three games.

September

Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo in action against Iran.

Ahn was soon without a club after being released by German team MSV Duisberg. He was soon back in Korea but dropped from the national team. He was last seen climbing Namsan mountain in Seoul.

The first week of September was a busy time for the team and its new Dutch coach. September 2 saw a 1-1 draw with Iran though a packed Seoul World Cup Stadium was left deflated as the Persians equalized with the last kick of the game.

The action then moved to Suwon for the return game with Taiwan. It was an easy victory for the hosts as they raced to an 8-0 victory to leave the Taeguk Warriors needing just a point from the last two qualification games to qualify for the 2007 Asian Cup.

Suwon Samsung Bluewings raced to the top of the league with three wins out of four. FC Seoul had started the stage well but had a dreadful September as did Seongnam.

The action was warming up on the continental stage.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors fought back from 2-0 down in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League against Shanghai Shenhua to win 4-3 in dramatic fashion.

Fellow K-League outfit Ulsan Hyundai Horang-I thrashed Saudi champions Al Shabab to earn a semi-final clash with their compatriots.

The first leg saw Ulsan win 3-2 at Jeonju to take the advantage back to the south-east for the second game.

In England the Korean trio enjoyed mixed fortunes: Seol Ki-hyeon continued to impress at Reading, Lee Young-pyo lost his place at Tottenham and Park Ji-sung was ruled out of action at Manchester United for three months after damaging his ankle ligaments.

October

Jeonbuk fought back in the return game and shocked Ulsan with a 4-1 win to earn a final with Syrian club team Al Karama.

South Korea clinched its place in the 2007 continental competition with a 1-1 draw against Syria in Seoul. The hosts dominated the game but were unable to take their chances against the spirited Syrians – the first rumblings of discontent could be heard in the media.

The action in the K-League continued apace with Suwon doing enough to win the second stage and earn their place in the championship play-offs.

Daegu continued their good form and came within sight of a place in the play-offs. Pohang also recorded three wins in September and looked odds-on to join Suwon and Seongnam in the championship deciders. The real question was which team would be the fourth.

November

The month started with the two-legged Asian Champions League. Jeonbuk took the first leg at home 2-0 and the team was within sight of the continental crown.

The return leg ended in a 2-1 defeat in Syria – but ultimate victory for Jeonbuk who not only picked up $600,000 in prize money and a place in December's FIFA Club World Club Championship.

Suwon took the second stage. As expected, Pohang Steelers took the third spot and FC Seoul squeezed into the fourth place.

Seongnam defeated Seoul in the first play-off but it was a controversial game. Seoul thought they had scored but while the ball crossed the line, the referee said no goal. Seongnam soon scored the only goal of the game to reach the final.

Seoul coach Lee Jang-soo ranted and raved about the decision. It was his last act as Seoul coach as his contract was not renewed.

In the second semi-final Suwon defeated Pohang with a Baek Ji-hoon thunderbolt.

Seongnam took the first leg 1-0 thanks to a header from Woo Sung-yong two minutes before time.

They also won the second leg – 2-1, thanks to a brace from Mota.

In the second division, Goyang Kookmin Bank became the first team ever to gain promotion to the K-League by defeating Gimpo Hallelujah in the promotion play-off.

Pim Verbeek took a young team to Iran for the final game of the Asian Cup qualifiers but not before becoming involved in a club vs country row with Seongnam and Suwon who didn't want their players to travel west with the play-off final looming.

The players went and lost 2-0 in Tehran.

December

Chunnam somehow lift the massive cup at the Korean FA Cup Final at Seoul Stadium.

The last act of the Korean season ended with the FA Cup final. Chunnam Dragons defeated Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2-0 on a cold day at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The Gwangyang team will join Seongnam and Jeonbuk in the 2007 Asian Champions League.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors fought hard but were denied the chance to meet Barcelona in the World Club Championship by Club America. By the time the K-League realized that they were capable of defeating the Mexicans, it was too late.

Goyang Kookmin Bank decided that they wanted to stay in the N-League. The excessive membership fees to join the top flight meant that the K-League was still looking for the first promoted team.

Korea started off the Asian Games in Qatar in fine, if functional fashion, making it past Bangladesh, Vietnam and Bahrain without conceding a goal. The quarter-final saw North Korea brushed aside 3-0 earning a semi-final with Iraq.

That game saw Korea dominate the West Asians but they were caught by a sucker punch that ended all hopes off a gold medal and a year that started with defeat in the Middle East ended with defeat in the Middle East.

Just to round the year off, Korea were drawn with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Bahrain in the 2007 Asian Cup.

John Duerden