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| Ulsan Hyundai manager Hong Myung-bo instructs his players during a K League 1 match against FC Seoul at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, May 14. / Yonhap |
By John Duerden
In England, there are concerns that Manchester City is starting to dominate the Premier League. In Korea, it is looking like Ulsan Hyundai FC is going to run away with the 2023 K League season.
Sunday's 3-2 win over Suwon Samsung Bluewings was a sixth straight win and with the club already topping the standings, the gap has grown to a worrying 13 points. Coach Hong Myung-bo is fashioning a winning machine in the Southeast of the country. The defense has, for the main part, looked solid and even when it isn't, there is a goal threat spread throughout the team. If Joo Min-kyu doesn't score, then Sweden's Gustav Ludwigson or Valeri Qazaishvili from Georgia will do the damage.
Coach Hong, one of the most famous soccer players in the history of Asia ― as he played at four World Cups and captained the Taeguk Warriors to the last four of the 2002 World Cup ― has earned himself a lucrative new contract.
After the biggest of setbacks as a coach in 2014, he has rebuilt his reputation. When he started his coaching career back in the first decade of the 21st century, he was seen as a huge hope for Asian coaches and the answer to all the prayers of the Korean Football Association.
His coaching career started so well. In 2009, he led South Korea to the quarter finals of the Under-20 World Cup. In 2012, he then led the U-23 team at the 2012 Olympics and famously defeated Japan to take the bronze medal. Hong was suddenly one of the most highly-rated young coaches in the world.
So when qualification for the 2014 World Cup ended and Choi Kang-hee left the position after a campaign that was seen as underwhelming, the Korea Football Association (KFA) needed someone to step in and Hong was seen as the obvious candidate.
He then had a year to prepare for the big tournament but it did not go well. Korea took a single point from their three games ― Russia, Algeria and Belgium ― and while the results were poor, the performances were even worse. As the team returned home, they were pelted with "yeot," (traditional Korean candy) at Incheon International Airport by disgruntled fans. Hong took responsibility for the World Cup and resigned.
It looked as if a fine coaching career had been bitten off, chewed up and spat out by the Korean national team. He took some time off and it wasn't until 2020 that he returned to the serious business of being a head coach and took over Ulsan. After missing out, again, to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC, in 2021, Hong delivered the title last season, finally emerging from Jeonbuk's illustrious shadow.
To do it once again would be confirmation that Ulsan is the top team in Korea and that would be down to Hong's leadership. At the age of 54, he has not only refashioned Ulsan but his own coaching reputation. Could he, perhaps one day, return to the national team job as an older and wiser coach? He may be wise enough to give it a wide berth, but then he may feel that there is unfinished business so-to-speak.
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