Lee Jungkyu Appointed as Gwangju FC Head Coach: "Aiming for Final A Entry"

Gwangju FC's new head coach Lee Jungkyu is posing at the inauguration press conference held on the afternoon of the 4th at Gwangju World Cup Stadium. Photo by Yonhap News

Lee Jungkyu, who has taken office as the 8th head coach of Gwangju FC, has set the goal for the 2026 season as advancing to K League 1 Split A (Final A, 1st to 6th place).

At his inauguration press conference held on January 4 in Pungam-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, Coach Lee stated, "The goal I set clearly from the moment I took charge is to reach Split A," adding, "By gradually sharing this goal with the players through training and staying committed to the process, I believe the results will follow."

He evaluated, "Gwangju FC is not a team that only chases results," and added, "It is because we have been faithful to the process that we have been able to achieve our past successes."

Regarding his tactical direction, he explained, "While my approach is similar in many ways to the previous coach's football philosophy, there are definitely areas that need to be supplemented and added. My philosophy is football that possesses and presses space, and that is faithful to the process rather than just focusing on results."

For the winter training camp, he highlighted "aggressive defense" as a key focus.

He said, "Rather than conservative defending, we will opt for aggressive defense," and added, "During the first phase of winter training, we will focus on refining defensive organization and pressing structure."

Regarding the limitations on player recruitment, he emphasized, "I don't want to make excuses. Although the circumstances are difficult, we can overcome them through training, and both young players and veterans will have opportunities to compete on equal footing."

Coach Lee declared, "Gwangju FC is not a team that relies on specific players, but a team where everyone moves as one. We will show you Gwangju's unique football, which remains consistent and faithful to the preparation process."