Teacher and pupil creating sensation at K-league

“Kim’s great performance serves as motivation to me.” (Seongnam F.C. coach Kim Hak-beom)

“Learning around Kim has been great help.” (Incheon F.C. Kim Do-hoon)

K-league football teams Seongnam and Incheon are creating a sensation in the first half of this season. Although many football fans and league insiders viewed the two citizen teams as underdog to be demoted at the beginning of season, Incheon and Seongnam have advanced to the 5th place jointly, looking forward to joining the top ranks. Carrying the momentum, Seongnam beat China’s strong team Guangzhou Evergrande in the first leg of their AFC Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday.

Kim Hak-beom and Kim Do-hoon, coaches of the two football clubs, had worked together in the same team for a long time. While Kim Hak-beom had led Seongnam as an assistant coach and a manager between 1998 and 2008, Kim Do-hoon had been a player-turned-assistant coach to support coach Kim. In 2013, they met again in Gangwon F.C. as a head coach and an assistant coach.

“Coach Kim Hak-beom is thorough and meticulous, sometimes to an excessive extent. From experiences working with him, I naturally got the habit of analyzing counterpart teams,” said Incheon FC manager Kim Do-hoon. Seongnam’s gaffer Kim Hak-beom said with smile, “I give some advice through phone calls from time to time. But Kim is doing well. Except for his reckless spirit of challenge.”

“Everyone said this season would be challenging for our team. But we did it, and I am confident with the future of Seongnam. Even though there will be many challenges to come as time passes, I believe Seongnam will achieve great result when the team does its best in every game,” said the Seongnam coach. Incheon gaffer Kim said, “Our team’s goal is a ticket to the Champion’s League, which is given to only top three teams. I hope both of us can smile together at the end of this year.”

creating@donga.com