K League 1 Gwangju FC is the hottest team this season. They are leading the ‘promotion rebellion’ and are currently in fifth place (37-10 W, 7-7 D, 8-8 L) and are on course to surpass their best ever finish (sixth).
Having suffered relegation in 2012, 2017 and 2021, Gwangju have returned to the top flight three times. Those around the club say it would be a huge success to finish in Group A (1-6th) in this season’s split round and secure early retention. But Gwangju’s ultimate goal is to build a dedicated training ground.
바카라 Gwangju coach Lee Jung-hyo, 48, recently told Sporting Dong-A: “We had a target multiplier that we didn’t disclose before the season. It was a figure that others would have laughed at, but it seems to be achievable.” “Reaching the target number of wins gives us a reason to request improvements to the training environment, such as the construction of a dedicated training ground. The players are also determined to make Gwangju Metropolitan City and the clubs have no choice but to build a dedicated training centre.”
Gwangju does not have a dedicated training ground. The team rotates between Yeomju Sports Park, Gwangju World Cup Stadium, and Gwangju Football Stadium. Their home stadium, the Gwangju Football Stadium, is only available on match days due to grass maintenance. The Gwangju World Cup Stadium is available twice a week for two hours each time. Yeomju Sports Park cannot be used during the rainy season because it has no drainage, and the grass is necrotic. Although the team is ranked fifth in the first division, securing training time is stressful.
“There have been times when we’ve been kicked off the field for exceeding practice time,” says Lee. When it rains, the amount of training decreases,” he said. “The gap between the starters and the backups is widening due to the bad training environment. I would like to have a separate morning workout with the backups, but the situation is not convenient.”
Fortunately, the training environment has been improving since this season. Until last year, the team always travelled to away games against neighbouring clubs on the day of the game, but this year they are travelling the day before. Even when travelling to the metropolitan area, they are travelling by KTX instead of a team bus. If they can secure a dedicated training ground, they will gain a foothold to become a prestigious club.
“It’s been 13 years since Gwangju was founded,” said Lee. In such a harsh environment, even if you develop good players, they are bound to leave quickly, and it is always difficult to recruit players,” he said. “Only by performing well can we have a reason to improve the environment and keep the team in the top division.”