On the day when the professional soccer K-League was held, it was hung on the cheering seats at Steel Yard, a soccer-only stadium in Pohang. Pohang Steelers, founded in April 1973 as an unemployed soccer team of Pohang Iron and Steel, is the only professional soccer team that has not changed its name and location for 50 years.
Lee Hoi-taek, Huh Jeong-moo, Choi Soon-ho, Hwang Seon-hong… . Korean soccer’s famous figures served as coaches. 먹튀검증 Director Kim Ki-dong, who succeeded the ‘genealogy’, is also from Pohang’s legend. He has played a total of 501 games in the K-League alone, including 227 games played in Pohang (1991-92, 2003-11), ranking second among field players with the most appearances. During his active career, Kim Ki-dong was a ‘iron man’ who played tirelessly as a defensive midfielder despite his small stature (171 cm).
After coach Kim took the baton in 2019, Pohang became a ‘theater goal team’. A theater goal refers to an equalizer or come-from-behind goal scored just before the end of the regular time period after 90 minutes. Pohang scored 7 theatrical goals this season alone, and, oddly enough, the main characters were defenders or substitutes.
Pohang Steelers is losing key players every year as parent company POSCO’s support decreases. Nevertheless, coach Kim always kept the top rank. This season, they are ranked second among 12 teams in the K-League 1, and have advanced to the semifinals in the FA Cup, which determines the best club in Korea.
On the 8th, I met coach Kim, who came to Jeju for the FA Cup semi-finals (delayed by a typhoon) at the Seogwipo KAL Hotel.