It is increasingly likely that Jeju coach’s first overseas stage challenge before Nam Ki-il will end up as a failure.
The Chinese portal Sohu.COM reported on the 29th, “If director Nam Ki-il Henan fails to defeat Beijing Guoan on June 15, the dismissal clause will be invoked.”룸알바
Coach Nam, who took the helm in January, drew 0-0 against Changchun Yatai in the 24th round home game of the 2024 Chinese Super League on the 26th.
Coach Nam’s position in his team, which lost five games in a row prior to the match, is getting narrower. Henan is ranking 14th in the relegation zone due to lackluster performance with only two wins in 14 matches. He is one point shy of Nantung Zwin, ranking 15th in the relegation zone.
“Henan has not fallen to the relegation zone, but coach Nam Ki-il’s performance is still questionable,” wrote Sohu.
The Henan Ilbo, a local newspaper in Henan, said, “Coach Nam Ki-il may still have the idea of ‘let’s give it a try’ deep in his mind, but Henan no longer tolerates mistakes.”
According to the Henan Ilbo, the match against Guoan in Beijing on June 15 is expected to be the game that will determine coach Nam Ki-il’s future.
Coach Nam got off to a sluggish start with six consecutive wins since the opening game. He temporarily eased the crisis by winning two consecutive games when he was almost dismissed immediately, but lost five consecutive games again, triggering complaints from management. Although “Suwon native” Vice Chairman Li Wei Feng resigned and former Chinese representative Yang Chen was appointed as the new vice chairman, the team’s performance did not improve significantly.
“Coach Nam blamed various losses on ‘unfortunate’ at the press conference against Changchun, but that does not obscure his team’s lack of preparation for tactics,” Sohu said. “Nam’s team failed to establish a complete offensive system until the 14th round. Henan relies more on individual players’ ability when attacking. Nam’s coaching style seems too conservative and insecure, and lacks determination to coordinate on-site tactics.”
Sohu said, “Following the Beijing match, Henan fans have mixed feelings. Some Henan fans say they don’t want him to win because this match is likely to be an important one that determines his fate. On the other hand, some fans expressed their support that it would be difficult to expect results immediately without Nam having a comfortable coaching environment.”
The Super League will take a break from late May to mid-June. Nam returned home after completing a match against Changchun and is reportedly taking rest at his home. Korean soccer officials said Nam is drawing attention from K-League teams that are currently vacant. Nam made a name for himself as a promotional contractor who led promotion of three teams in Gwangju, Seongnam and Jeju to the top division in the K-League.