Huh Jung-moo Returns to Chunnam Dragon

Huh Jung-moo (49), the former chief coach of the Korean national soccer team, has returned to the professional league in 7 years by becoming the head coach of the Chunnam Dragons.

After Coach Lee Jang-soo left the team due to team conflicts, the Chunnam Dragons appointed Huh to head coach. Newly appointed head coach Huh held the position of head coach of the Pohang Atoms from 1993 to 1995. As the head coach of Chunnam from June, 1996 to 1998, Huh had had a good record, winning the championship of the FA Cup and becoming a semi-finalist in the league. For the first time in Korea, Huh has been appointed head coach for the third time.

Huh was a professional soccer player for 17 years, including the years playing with Eindhoven Philips. Then, he was a coach on professional teams. He coached the national soccer team and the Olympic team since 1998. Although he joined Bonfrere’s team last July, he resigned from the positing right after the Korean national soccer team advanced to the finals round of the preliminary league on November 25, saying, “My job is done.”

It is told that although Chunnam had considered Park Hang-suh, coach of the Pohang Stillers, and a foreign coach from Portugal for the head coaching position, the team chose Huh, who was born in Jindo, Chunnam for reasons of regionalism and fan marketing.

Head coach Huh said, “The goal is to win the championship. We’ll play fast and offensive soccer which will provide entertainment to the fans.” As he returns to Chunnam, fans are focusing on his rivalry with Coach Cha Bum-geun of Suwon Samsung, who was also a star player who played in Europe in the 1980s.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com