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Home|Football News|K. League News|End of 2004 Season Review
Korean K.League Soccer End Of Season Review 2004
John Duerden reviews the 2004 K.League season
And so it ends; it lasted a long time considering that each team only played twenty-four games although Suwon Samsung Bluewings played three extra and one penalty shootout in order to clinch Asia's oldest league championship. It wasn't much of a surprise that the two-legged play-off final between Suwon and Pohang didn't see any goals. In the end, the only way to break the deadlock was by way of a 4-3 penalty win for Suwon, as national team goalie, Lee Woon-jae saved the vital penalty from the 'keeper he replaced just prior to the 2002 World Cup, Pohang's Kim Byong-ji. The story of the 2004 season may have ended dramatically but there wasn't much excitement in the thirteen stadiums dotted around the country, with only two teams averaging more than a goal a game. The lack of goals goes some way to explaining the huge dip in attendances that hit most clubs in the second stage. 
It remains to be seen whether the K-League will maintain its current two-stage system next season. The system was a success in that the title race was more exciting and dramatic than last year but the downside was the quality of football on offer. Improvements will have to be made if the public are to be tempted back to the K-League, though for now let's concentrate on 2004.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
There was a certain air of inevitably about the Bluewings winning their third title that became spread as the season wore on, even though the team lost seven games out of twenty-four. Coach Cha Bum-keun had enjoyed a glittering career in Europe and Asia and the Korean legend said that winning the title with Suwon felt as good as winning the UEFA Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in 1979 and 1988 respectively. Brazilian pair Nadson and Marcel terrorized K-League defences in their first season, scoring twenty-one goals between them, more than five other teams managed in total. Already rumors abound that the two are seeking a bigger stage than Korea can provide. At the back, goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae, ended an indifferent season on a high as he saved the vital penalty and enjoyed some stalwart protection from centre-back, Argentinian Javier Musa. With midfielders Kim Doo-hyun and Kim Dae-ui finding form, the Bluewings had the all-round strength to win the title for the first time in five years.
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Pohang Steelers
It was a season of two halves for the POSCO backed-team. A strong first stage ended with that 'title', and it looked like the team had a solid base, with central defensive pair, Lee Min-sung and Brazilian Santos, excelling. Goals didn't flow but then they didn't need to and everything looked rosy in the south-east. The second stage was a different story with defeat after defeat. After guaranteeing a play-off place with the first stage win, there wasn't much reason to visit the Steelyard as what was on offer was terrible. Coach Choi Soon-ho claimed that the thirteen second-stage games were used as preparation for the play-offs and the table seemed to back him up as Pohang finished rock bottom. To most people's surprise Ulsan Tigers, a team much more on form, were dispatched in the play-off semi-final, leading to that trip to Suwon. The Steelers can count themselves a little unlucky as they hit the woodwork twice in the game but the team made a mockery of the two-stage system and didn't deserve to be champions. Stadium
Chunnam Dragons
This was the Year of the Dragon according to more than one tipster and Chunnam were never far off the pace, finishing second in the second stage and third overall. Mota, the team's Brazilian striker grabbed top spot in the scoring charts, banging in an impressive fourteen goals in twenty-one games. The K-League title has never ventured to the deep south-western parts of Korea and with the Dragons facing an away tie up north at Suwon in the play-off semi-final the odds were always against 2004 being any different. A 1-0 defeat put paid to Chunnam's hopes but watch out for them in the cup. Stadium
FC Seoul
The capital's new club had a solid but highly unspectacular season. Players such as left midfielder/wing-back Kim Dong-jin and striker Kim Eun-jung flitted in and out of the national team just as Seoul flitted in and out of the title race. The team was very much in halfway during the second stage when it was top of the league but a poor run-in put paid to any play-off chances. It was the team's inability to score enough goals to turn a plethora of draws into wins that cost the capital the chance to welcome the championship. Only Bucheon, Busan and Gwangju scored less than Seoul's meagre twenty.
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Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
Seongnam's poor season has been well documented elsewhere and it remains to be seen if 2004 was just a blip for the most successful club in K-League history or it is the beginning of a permanent downward slide. Too many new faces were brought in and too many familiar ones said goodbye to the defending champions. Only Denis Laktionov felt at home in the bright yellow shirt, the other new foreigners leaving halfway through the season. Finishing below Gwangju in the overall table would have been unthinkable twelve months ago when the team ran amok but then so would losing the home leg of the Asian Champions League final 5-0 after winning the away leg 3-1. Maybe it is time for the Ilhwa to say goodbye to some of the old brigade. Talismanic striker and 2003 top scorer Kim Do-hoon had a torrid season in front of goal and inspirational captain Shin Tae-yong is reaching the end of his career. Maybe the same is true of coach Cha Kyung-bok who could retire during the close season. It could be the end of an era in Korean football.
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Busan I'cons
It was a season to forget in Korea's second city with the Ian Porterfield's I'cons drawing their way to seventh place. Half of the games ended in a tie, mostly low-scoring ones at that, with only forty goals in Busan's goals for and against column. Still seventh is better than ninth but members of the I'cons dwindling army of fans wouldn't have settled for that at the beginning of the season. Hopes were high when Chris Marsden joined fellow Englishman Andy Cooke, who had enjoyed a successful 2003, on the south coast. Unfortunately, Marsden walked out of Korea after only two games and Cooke, the former Stoke and Burnley striker, notched up more yellow cards than goals. Australian winger Ahmad Elrich looked lively and if the I'cons can keep the 23-year-old, (reportedly Tottenham are chasing him) then next season could see the I'cons in the top half of the table. Stadium 
Chonbuk Hyundai Motors
The 2003 FA Cup winners made a name for themselves in Asia but ultimately fell short at home and abroad. The Motors lost star striker Edmilson in the first game and, replacing him with former German national striker Paolo Rink, roared on to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League, losing to eventual champions, Al Ittihad. This defeat was the catalyst that converted a promising season into one that couldn't end soon enough for coach Jo Yoon-hwan, who has announced his intention to quit. Second place in the first stage was followed by twelfth place in the second, a Pohang style collapse but one that didn't have the safety net of a guaranteed play-off spot at the end of the season.
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Daejeon Citizen
It was a season that never got going for the citizen and was a huge disappointment to the coach Choi Yoon-kyum and the team's loyal fans. Stars such as midfielder Lee Kwan-woo and striker Henrique were below par, leading the team to an overall 11th place. Next season will be an important one for the team based in the centre of South Korea, an FA Cup win in 2002 and a sixth place the following season had raised expectations. It's time for the team to prove that the brighter times are ahead. Stadium 
Daegu FC
In this part of southeast Korea most people are happy with this season, only the second in the club's history. The team finished tenth overall which is an improvement on last season's finish of just above last place, scoring more goals than any other team, except Suwon, in the process. Brazilian striker Nonato was the league's second highest top scorer with thirteen goals. Coach Park Jong-hwan is steering his club steadily in the right direction as a second stage finish of seventh shows. If the club had a little more cash then Daegu could become famous for more than apples and pretty girls. Stadium
Incheon UnitedHopes were high in this grim port city just to the west of Seoul. A new team had been formed, at some expense, and an experienced European coach has been brought in to guide the K-League's thirteenth team to success. Alpay and Choi Tae-uk were supposed to spearhead a new era in Korean football on Korea's west coast. It didn't quite turn out like that as Alpay and coach Werner Lorant didn't stay long enough to see the new boys finish bottom of the first stage. Jang Ui-rang did a great job in taking control of the team in the second stage and the temporary coach took the underachievers to a fourth place finish in the second stage.
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SK Bucheon FC
SK's team finished bottom for the second consecutive season but there are more reasons to be cheerful for the basement boys this time around. For a start, after losing twenty-nine games last season, 2004 saw a team that was much harder to beat. In fact, Jung Hae-sung tightened things so much that he only witnessed seven defeats in 2004, the same as title-winning Suwon coach, Cha Bum-keun. Unfortunately as few hearts were won as games lost as Bucheon didn't play the most attractive football. These days, SK Bucheon may not be easy on the eye but they are also not an easy touch. Stadium
Gwangju Sangmu
Eighth place overall is an achievement that the military authorities who run this team should be proud of. The team, made up of military conscripts, is always going to be up against it as half of the players leave each season. Finishing above powerhouse Seongnam in its second season back in the K-League was even more impressive considering that national team striker Lee Dong-gook scored more goals for his country in 2004 than he did for his club, the joint lowest scorers with eighteen goals all season. Lee will probably return to Pohang before the start of next season as his two-year military duty is almost over. Stadium 
Ulsan Hyundai Horangi
It was yet another case of so near yet so far for the K-League's nearly team. Since 1996, the Tigers have flattered to deceive, finishing there or thereabouts but without quite finding the killer touch. Ulsan do have some grounds for complaints as they actually finished top of the overall league before being narrowly defeated by near-neighbors Pohang in the play-off semi-final. Once again, Ulsan couldn't find the net, which is hardly surprising considering the team averaged less than a goal a game in the season. Stadium 
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AttendancesTeam Average Attendance 2nd Stage Daegu FC 17, 029 Leading ScorersScorer's Name Team Goals 1. Mota Chunnam Dragons 14 Goals |
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