New Gwangju FC head coach eyes return to top tier in K League 1
Gwangju FC head coach Lee Jung-kyu speaks at his introductory press conference at Gwangju World Cup Stadium in Gwangju, Sunday. Yonhap
Rejoining his former club as their new head coach, Gwangju FC bench boss Lee Jung-kyu has set out a modest goal for the 2026 K League 1 campaign.
With Gwangju having finished in the lower tier of the 12-club league in each of the past two years, Lee wants to push them back into the upper echelon of the top division.
Each year, the 12 K League 1 clubs are split into two tiers after 33 matches — "Final A" for the top six clubs and "Final B" for the bottom six teams. Gwangju ranked third in 2023 but finished ninth in 2024 and then seventh last year.
"I want to maintain the system that Gwangju FC have built over the years and also make sure we will take the next big step," Lee said Sunday at his introductory press conference at Gwangju World Cup Stadium in Gwangju. Lee and his team departed for Thailand on Monday to set up their offseason training camp.
"Our primary objective is to get into Final A. And during training camp, we will be able to develop more specific goals for the new season," Lee added. "I think we can be a competitive club if we train and prepare with purpose."
Lee, 43, served as Gwangju's top assistant for head coach Lee Jung-hyo from 2022 to 2024. He is now replacing his former boss, who has since left for Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the K League 2, and this is Lee Jung-kyu's first head coaching gig in the pro ranks.
The new coach said his tactical philosophy "isn't that much different" from that of Lee Jung-hyo, but he will still try to add to it as the season progresses.
"I want my players to be active in pressing and to create and own space," Lee Jung-kyu said. "I am all about the process over the outcome. If we concentrate on having a good process during our training camp, then I think good results will naturally follow."
Specifically, Lee said he wants to address Gwangju's defensive issues this offseason. Last year, they had a goal difference of minus-1 and had a minus-7 difference the year before that.
"My focus will be on building an aggressive defensive system, rather than a conservative one," Lee added.
Gwangju FC won't be able to register new players during the first half of this year due to their earlier violation of a FIFA ban. They may still sign players now and prepare them to start playing once the registration ban is lifted in the summer, and Lee said he is trying to make the best out of the situation.
"I am well aware of our situation, and I don't want to make it an excuse," he said. "I think it's important for us to have new players learn our tactics and system as quickly as possible so that they can hit the ground running in June."
Lee said veterans and young players alike will all have the same opportunity to compete for and win playing opportunities.
"I will look at players' effort at camp, not names on the back of their shirts. Young players will certainly have their opportunity," he said. "The most important value for me is consistency. You have to stay consistent and stick to the process."