Pink Spiders part ways with head coach Kwon Soon-chan: Reports

Kwon Soon-chan [JOONGANG SUNDAY]

The Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders parted ways with head coach Kwon Soon-chan on Monday, local media reports.

According to the JoongAng Ilbo, Kwon and the management of the club agreed to part ways on Monday morning, with Kwon informing players in training immediately after the decision was reached.

According to the report, the players were shocked and uncomfortable with the sudden news of Kwon’s departure.

Kwon’s departure comes despite the Pink Spiders currently sitting in second place in the V League and having beaten league leaders Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate last week.

Kwon played as a striker for the Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs in the 1990s and early 2000s, retiring in 2002. After training as a coach, Kwon worked for Seoul Woori Capital Dream Six, now the Seoul Woori Card WooriWON, and the Incheon Korean Air Jumbos before joining the Uijeongbu KB Insurance Stars as head coach in 2017.

Kwon led the KB Insurance Stars for two years, leading the team to finish fourth in the 2017-18 season and sixth in the 2018-19 season. He left the Stars in 2020 and worked as a pundit and volleyball analyst for two years before joining the Pink Spiders in April last year.

It is unclear why the team decided to part ways with Kwon considering the relative success this season, although sources quoted by the JoongAng said the decision came solely from the club.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]