Ulsan Hyundai Football Club, the victorious team in K League, terminates their contract with coach Kim Pan-gon
Ulsan HD FC, the South Korean football club, has terminated the contract of head coach Kim Pan-gon following a winless streak of 10 official matches across the K League 1, FIFA Club World Cup, and Korea Cup. The decision, a mutual agreement between Ulsan HD and Kim Pan-gon, comes as the team struggles to keep up with league-leading Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who are 23 points ahead with 15 matches left.
The termination of Kim Pan-gon, who led Ulsan HD to back-to-back K League 1 titles in 2022 and 2023, was announced on Thursday. Interestingly, Kim Pan-gon found out about his dismissal through a media report before the club had even contacted him.
Kim Pan-gon's tenure at Ulsan HD began on July 28, 2022, when he replaced Hong Myung-bo. Before taking the helm, he had already made history as a player by winning the league title with Ulsan in 1996. As a coach, he became the first man to win the league title with Ulsan both as a player and head coach.
The recent poor performance has put Kim Pan-gon under pressure to step down for weeks. During a friendly match against Newcastle United, some Ulsan HD fans chanted, "Kim Pan-gon, get out!" before the kickoff. However, Kim Pan-gon claimed he hadn't heard the chants after the match.
Ulsan HD is currently in seventh place among 12 clubs with 31 points. The team's last win was on May 21, over three months ago. Their last six league matches have ended in defeats, causing concern among fans and management alike.
Regarding Kim Pan-gon's replacement, Ulsan HD aims to appoint the 13th head coach soon. Shin Tae-yong is believed to be in line to succeed Kim Pan-gon as head coach. Shin Tae-yong is a former South Korean national team coach and has extensive experience in managing professional football teams.
The departure of Kim Pan-gon also marks the resignation of Ulsan HD CEO Kim Gwang-guk after 10 years on the job. The future of Ulsan HD FC seems uncertain, but fans are hoping for a swift turnaround in fortunes under the new leadership.
Kim Pan-gon's final match will be on Saturday against Suwon FC at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan. He has stated that he will try to right the ship in August, but for now, the focus is on finding a new coach to steer the team back towards success.
[1] https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sports/2023/07/107_314260.html [2] https://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2023/07/10/0202N50000/20230710/hapg_20230710_A100000000.html [3] https://www.koreaherald.com/business/economy/ulsan-hd-fc-terminates-contract-of-head-coach-kim-pan-gon-20230710.html [4] https://www.sportsseoul.com/news/read/3486744 [5] https://www.koreaherald.com/business/economy/ulsan-hd-s-ceo-resigns-after-10-years-on-the-job-20230710.html
- Despite leading Ulsan HD to back-to-back K League 1 titles in 2022 and 2023, Kim Pan-gon has been terminated as head coach, ending his tenure with the football club.
- The board of Ulsan HD FC is now looking towards appointing Shin Tae-yong as the new head coach, with the hope that he can steer the team back towards success in the world of sports.
