Choi Yun-kyum

Choi Yun-Kyum is a South Korean football manager currently at K League Challenge side Gangwon FC. He played in the K-League for Yukong Elephants from 1985 to 1992. After he retired, he moved into coaching, firstly as an assistant coach before moving in a head coach position. Choi managed 2 teams - Bucheon SK and Daejeon Citizen. His second son, Choi Minho, is currently a member of the popular boyband SHINee.

Football career

Making his first mark on the football field, Choi Yun-Kyum made his debut in the K-League in 1985 as a Yukong Elephants defender. As a player, he appeared in 162 games. He was selected in the National Olympic Team and National A-Team, playing 5 games at international level. He also had a chance to play in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He retired as a football player in 1992.

Bucheon and Choi

After retirement, Choi decided to live the so-called "footballer's second life" by becoming a coach. He started his coaching life as a Training Coach at Bucheon SK, since renamed Yukong Elephants. Two years later, he was promoted as a Coach. Four years later, he was chosen to become the Assistant Coach. Finally, after years of diligence, Choi was appointed as Bucheon SK's head coach for the 2001 season. However, though he had no problems with the team and was able to lead it fairly well, the Bucheon SK board decided to change their manager. Bucheon SK's fans protested, but the decision wasn't reversed.

Coming back to hometown

In 2003, after the poor results of their 2002 season, Daejeon Citizen FC selected Choi as their coach. Choi, originally from Daejeon, willingly came back to his hometown. The lack of results in 2002 was frustrating for fans and players, and confidence was low. However, Choi inspired the team and completely changed it by implementing the 4-3-3 formation. The outcome was a near miraculous recovery from 2002, and he, together with Daejeon Citizen F.C., coined the catchphrase "Miracle 2003". Daejeon Citizen finished the 2003 season in 6th place, its best finish ever in the league, and at the same improved its average home game attendance to about 18,000 people. After 2003, although Daejeon Citizen was not able to make repeat its result of 2003, Choi was still considered a hero at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium. He continued his role as manager into the 2007 K-League season, before being replaced mid-season by Kim Ho.

In addition to his excellent management skills, Choi is also famous for his humble personality - a key factor in ensuring a harmonious team. "I want to make this the team that a player chooses on his own volition, and not by my own will or force. I shall not buy abilities and just gather the best players. This will be a team played by humans, a team that players love, and a team who dreams the same dreams as the fans."

On October 10, 2011, he signed a one year contract to V-League's Hoàng Anh Gia Lai - one of the most popular football club of Vietnam.

Club career statistics

External links

• Choi Yun-kyum at kleague.com
• FIFA Player Statistics
• Choi Yun-kyum at National-Football-Teams.com

South Korea squads South Korea squad – 1988 Summer Olympics 1 Cho Byung-deuk 2 Park Kyung-hoon 3 Choi Kang-hee 4 Cho Min-kook 5 Chung Yong-hwan 6 Lee Tae-ho 7 Noh Soo-jin 8 Chung Hae-won 9 Kim Yong-se 10 Choi Sang-kook 11 Byun Byung-joo 12 Kim Pan-keun 13 Nam Ki-young 14 Choi Soon-ho 15 Kim Jong-gun 16 Kim Joo-sung 17 Gu Sang-bum 18 Choi Yun-kyum 19 Yeo Bum-kyu 20 Kim Poong-joo Coach: Kim Jung-nam