K-football power team, K-League, Kim Pan-gon, won against Newcastle? There's still a long way to go in the K League
Jul 30, 2025
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Team K League, led by Ulsan HD coach Kim Pan-gon, beat Newcastle United 1-0 in the 2025 Coupang Play Series at Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 30th. Kim Jin-kyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai)'s first goal in the 36th minute of the first half led to the winning shot. Team K-League, an all-star team that includes the K-League 1 and 2, showed its power without regret by showing superior performance in both the first and second half against the Premier League's Big 5 Newcastle, which visited Korea for the first time in 133 years.
Ahead of the match against Newcastle, head coach Kim Pan-gon said, `We will play a dynamic game to give a cool feeling to the fans who will watch us"I vowed. Gwangju FC head coach Lee Jung-hyo, who worked with head coach Kim Pan-gon as a coaching staff, focused on winning the match against Newcastle, holding a coaching operation board for the first time in a long time and transplanting customized tactics to each player for more than an hour. Newcastle set up a 1.5-grade squad to play, but the team K-League showed good performance not only in terms of results but also in terms of content, pleasing the eyes of fans who visited the stadium.
-How do you feel about the game.
▶Thank you to many fans who came to the stadium and cheered even in the hot weather. I'm proud of our players for showing the level of the K League. I think he showed good performance to his fans. I hope each of you will return to the team and show good performance.
-What is the situation of director Lee Jung-hyo's whiteboard operation order.
▶This game is an event, but it is also a festival. (YouTuber) Heard Gamst becoming a team manager. Thinking that it would be nice to order a whiteboard operation, which is a characteristic of coach Lee Jung-hyo, he said 'Get Ready' to GAMST. It was the part that I tried to create a good atmosphere.
-The fact that the 'Resignation' call was heard just before kickoff was not a very pleasant situation.
▶Well, I haven't actually heard of it. If you heard it, you would still have thought it was a whiplash from Ulsan fans. I'm sorry. I am sorry that it happened to such a festival.
-What is the evaluation and supplement of the K-League players who are challenging for the World Cup against Newcastle.
▶ In the first half, we formed a team mainly with domestic players. Yesterday, I explained the game plan for the day and had a brief rehearsal, and I was able to check our players' talents by watching the part that came out well. Newcastle is quite a pressure and even hunting style, and I also felt that it was an advantage of our Korean players as I watched them peel it off well. I think he must have had courage and confidence. I hope to return after playing an equal game and a higher level at next year's World Cup.
-After the Club World Cup, I've faced European teams until today, and if you could evaluate the competitiveness of the K-League and the level of our players.
▶The Club World Cup was a stage to gauge our level. I thought the K League was far behind. I thought I was quite behind in fitness and speed. In 2010, he met Tottenham with Hong Kong South China. Even then, they won the game 1-0. Just because they beat Newcastle today, it is difficult to say that the level of the K-League exceeds that of the European team. I think each club should continue to foster good players.
-Park Seung-soo made his debut for Newcastle.
▶I'm a player I've only heard about. I was told that he has excellent speed and dribbling ability. Looking at it in person today, I literally think there is a talent and the physicality is good. If I develop my physical skills well, I think I will become the second Son Heung-min. I'll continue to support you.
-Your thoughts on this series are... your future resolutions in Ulsan.
▶I didn't spend much time preparing for this game because the flow was not good in the league. However, he believed that if he prepared a plan clearly and communicated well as he did when running the national team, he would be able to show good performance by spending even just one day with good players. We played the first and second half of the game by combining the plan used by me and director Lee Jung-hyo. I came to the team K League and said that I hope to get good energy from good players and good staff and provide an opportunity for a rebound. I will try to rebound as much as I received good energy.
-How do you feel about working with director Lee Jung-hyo.
▶Coach Lee Jung-hyo was a player when he was the head coach of Busan. He is a leader who supports him from the standpoint of a fan. Coach Lee Jung-hyo's temperament, he likes soccer. As soon as he took charge of the team K League, he immediately called me and accepted when I asked him to join me. I couldn't talk much because of the short time, but I met and communicated after a long time. They constantly researched and solved it without any addition or subtraction. I cheer for you to do well even when you go back to Gwangju.
-What can the K-League gain and what it wants through the match against prestigious European teams.
▶I think it's a great privilege for K-League players to play against such a good team. It is a great privilege for the best players in the K League to play against prestigious European teams every year. Looking back on the Hong Kong days, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Manchester United came every year to motivate Hong Kong players. The Korea Professional Football Federation and Coupang prepared well and had a good opportunity. I hope there will be continuous opportunities like this in the future.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
