Yoon Jung-hwan replaces Choi Yong-soo as Gangwon FC manager

Yoon Jung-hwan [K LEAGUE]

Gangwon FC appointed Yoon Jung-hwan as the club's new manager on Thursday, just a day after sacking former manager Choi Yong-soo.

Gangwon, who finished sixth on the 12-team K League table last season, have struggled this season and sit in 11th place as of Thursday with just two wins so far.

Yoon, 50, is a veteran manager with about 15 years of coaching experience. After 12 years of playing in the K League and J League, he started his coaching career at Japanese club Sagan Tosu's youth team in 2008, before he became the team’s assistant manager and went on to become the manager in 2011.

He then took the helm of K League side Ulsan Hyundai in 2015 and left the team a year later, going on to coach Japanese team Cerezo Osaka and Thai team Muangthong United.

Japanese team JEF United Ichihara Chiba was the last club he coached from 2020 to 2022.

Yoon’s foremost objective is to elevate the standings to get Gangwon out of the relegation zone.

The main reason behind the team’s unsuccessful run this season is due to a lack of goals.

Gangwon have been the least prolific team this season with only 11 goals in 18 league matches.

They have scored less goals than last-place Suwon Samsung Bluewings, who have managed 16.

Yoon will make his debut as Gangwon manager against Suwon FC on June 25, after the FIFA international break ends.

Former manager Choi was dropped after a year and nine months with Gangwon. He took charge of the team in November, 2021 when Gangwon were on the verge of relegation. He saved the team that year and finished in sixth place last year, but lost his magic touch this season.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]