(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Myeong-eon = "I came to a place that was the 'graveyard of coaches'. But I remember vowing that I would definitely win within three years."
Coach Kim Ki-dong, who took the helm of FC Seoul in the 2024 season, led the club, which had been mired in a long slump despite being a big club, and promised, "We will recreate Seoul's brilliant glory within three years."
And, despite numerous doubts and jeers, he kept that promise perfectly.
Seoul celebrated victory at home by securing 67 points (20 wins, 7 draws, 6 losses) in the 33rd round home game, the final game of the K League 1 regular round, held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 24th.
Coach Kim, who entered the press conference after enjoying the victory ceremony, said, "I said here in January 2024, 'I will regain the glory I once had, and I will win the championship within three years.'" He added, "As a coach, I am happy to have overcome many difficulties and win the championship, and most of all, I am most happy to keep my promise to the fans."
This victory is the 7th overall for the club, including the time with Anyang LG, the predecessor, and the highest position regained after 10 years since 2016.
It is also a meaningful record for Director Kim personally. This is the first time he has won the first division regular season in his career as a coach.
However, for a coach who had just confirmed the championship, he looked relatively calm and collected.
He said, "I don't think I was very excited just because I won. As a coach, I had a plan (to win) to some extent."
He added, “I am very happy because winning the league is one of the goals of many plans, but this is not the end. There is a way to move toward another goal, so we must continue to work hard.”
If winning the league was just 'one of the bigger plans', he avoided giving a direct answer when asked what the bigger goal was.
Coach Kim jokingly said, "I won't tell you that," but emphasized, "Winning the K-League back-to-back may be part of the process, or winning the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) may be the goal. There are many goals, so I don't want to stop here and keep moving forward."
The journey he took until he enjoyed the glory this year, his third year in office, was anything but smooth.
During his time in Pohang, he always performed better than expected with limited resources, so he took charge of Seoul with great expectations, but he was unable to meet the expectations of fans, finishing in 4th place in his first year in office and 6th place last year.
In particular, when 'franchise star' Ki Sung-yong, who was like a symbol of the team, transferred to Pohang in July of last year, fan sentiment fluctuated strongly, and harsh criticism was directed at Coach Kim.
Director Kim reflected, “I think all the criticism becomes a narrative when I achieve my goal,” and “That’s why I persevered with the thought that the director must ultimately prove it with results.”
He also talked about the leadership philosophy he has maintained while leading Seoul for the past three years and his concerns.
He said, "I have always thought that it would be good for the club to figure out a good direction, whether to bring in a popular star player and attract fans, or to build a really solid team and perform well, and we are continuing to communicate about that."
He then expressed his belief, saying, "Seoul is the club that must lead the K-League and is the club with the largest number of spectators. Should we continue to win in order to attract more fans, or should a player as worthy of a name as Jesse Lingard come in? We need to set a clear direction and move forward."
When asked to choose the person he was most thankful for, he said, "It's hard to pick just one person because I'm thankful to all the players, from (old) Seongyoon to Klimala," but he didn't hide his deepest feelings for his family who silently supported him.
Coach Kim said with tears in his eyes, "From my days as a player to now as a coach, I'm tired of saying sorry (to my family). My wife, who had not visited the stadium even once since she came to the game against Incheon, which was the first game after taking charge of Seoul in 2024, came to the stadium today. I want to tell her that I am sorry and that I love her for being with me on such a meaningful occasion where we could win the championship."
He laughed and said, “My wife is worried, saying, ‘You seem to have no joy in life other than soccer.’ I think I should work harder because I don’t want to leave this position.”
Although he avoided giving a clear answer regarding the renewal of his contract with a club he had been reluctant to talk about, he expressed his positive thoughts.
He said, "We have established a good framework, and I am really happy to spend this time with great players. As long as there are no major surprises, I still have the intention to remain in command in Seoul for a long time."
