FC Seoul head coach Ahn Ik-soo has suddenly announced his resignation. Seoul’s decision, along with the appointment of acting head coach Kim Jin-gyu and the hiring of a new head coach, could shake up the K League 1 standings, which are currently separated by just five points from fourth through ninth place.
Ahn Ik-soo announced his decision to quit as head coach at the post-match press conference after the team drew 2-2 at home against Daegu FC in the 27th round of the K League 1 at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 19. The announcement was made suddenly and without consulting the club.
In his prepared resignation statement, he said, “It’s time for a change if Seoul is to develop further,” and added, “I tried to keep my heart together to fulfill my promise to the fans, but I failed to fulfill my responsibility. I will resign.”
Ahn, who took over in September 2021 and led Seoul out of the relegation zone, is leaving the club after two years. He had to settle for staying in the top flight last year, finishing just two points behind 10th-placed Suwon Samsung, and this year he was relieved of his duties as the club threatened to slip into the bottom half of the table (7th-12th).
Seoul had been promising in the first half of the season, reaching second place in the league at one point, but their slump began when Hwang Eui-jo left the club after a short six-month contract to join Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League (EPL). Since their 7-2 thrashing at Suwon FC on March 12, they have drawn three and lost two, and the previous day against Daegu, they conceded a late Edgar equalizer to earn a point.
Starting with their match against league leaders Ulsan Hyundai on Nov. 27, Kim Jin-gyu could be the acting head coach for the remainder of the season. Kim took over after Ahn Ik-soo was suspended for accumulating cautions against Daejeon Hana Citizens on Nov. 13. However, the team lost 3-4 to Daejeon in a late-game scuffle.
With six games left in the regular season (Round 33) and the race for the Final A (top six team league) intensifying, Seoul is walking on thin ice with every game. Currently, fourth-place Seoul (39 points) is only three points behind seventh-place Daejeon and five points behind ninth-place Jeju.
If a new coach is hired with a view to next season, the team’s performance could drop during the transition period. Jeonbuk Hyundai coach Dan Petrescu also lost 0-2 to Gwangju FC in his debut match on June 24 after taking over from former coach Kim Sang-sik, who resigned in June citing poor performance.카지노사이트
An FC Seoul official told The Seoul Times, “The club was surprised by the unannounced resignation. Nothing concrete has been decided yet.” “There are not many games left and the competition for mid-table is fierce. We will consider various aspects.”