Director Lee Jung-hyo, "I want to tell the players, 'Don't be discouraged, it's okay!'"
Director Lee Jung-hyo, "I want to tell the players, 'Don't be discouraged, it's okay!'"
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Gwangju FC coach Lee Jung-hyo, who finished the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) journey in the quarterfinals, said he felt a lot and learned about it.
Gwangju defeated ACLE Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) 0-7 in the 2024-2025 quarterfinal match held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (hereinafter referred to as Saudi Arabia). Since the ACLE quarterfinals and above are held in a single match, a loss means elimination. Gwangju is the only K-League team that advanced to the quarterfinals in the 2024-25 season.
According to a post-match interview in Gwangju delivered by the Korea Professional Football Federation, coach Lee Jung-hyo said after the game, "I would like to thank the Gwangju fans for coming all the way. I want to praise the players for doing their best until the end, even though they must have had a hard time."
He continued, "The long journey of the ACLE is over, but I hope the players will try harder to nourish today's game, and I think they will be able to get back on their feet if they invest more time without doubting their skills. Above all, our players worked hard, and we are satisfied because we played without injury."
Al-Hilal is a luxurious corps that has recruited a large number of star players who used to compete in Europe with Saudi Arabia's "oil money." According to data from TransferMarkt, the value of Al-Hilal's squad (the total amount of players' transfer fee estimates) is more than 20 times that of Gwangju.
Asked how he felt as a coach during the tournament, head coach Lee Jung-hyo replied, "I have to play more faithfully to the basics."
Coach Lee Jung-hyo said, "I still saw a lot of things to improve and improve. When I play soccer, there are more times when things don't go as planned. It's okay. Whether it's 0-7 or 0-10, I think that's enough if the players have something to learn. Today's game must have been a great motivation for the players. This game gave me a chance to come and I wanted to beat the strong team again someday. I hope today's game will nourish me greatly. I want to tell the players, 'Don't be discouraged! It's okay."
"I felt that I lacked in everything, including physical and technical skills," he said. "I thought a lot about how to proceed from now on, so I thought a lot about the guidance of the players. I think I just need to do well as a coach. If I coach well, I think a lot of good players will come out," he added.
No one expected Gwangju to become the only team in the K-League to advance to the quarterfinals. "If I started with a small dream and doubt at first, I'm certain now," coach Lee Jung-hyo said. "I will lead the players well so that they don't have any small doubts, and move forward so that they can have greater confidence in the future." 먹튀검증
Finally, he emphasized his pride in Gwangju.
Manager Lee Jung-hyo said, "K-League fans showed a lot of interest and support. I think it played a big role in promoting Gwangju FC and even Gwangju Metropolitan City. I wanted to talk about it after winning, but I hope a good company will support our club, and I hope you will also give a lot of praise to our players."