On August 5th, Ulsan Hyundai held a new manager inauguration ceremony at the峨山 Policy Research Institute in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where Kim Pan-gon officially took over the reins of the team, becoming the 12th official head coach in Ulsan’s history.
Kim Pan-gon, who played for Ulsan from 1992 to 1996, has returned to his old stomping grounds, hoping to write a new chapter as head coach. “Returning here after 28 years and taking charge of the team, I feel very honored. I started my coaching career 27 years ago and have accumulated various experiences. My heart is always full of hunger, and I hope to gain the recognition of the players. This year, our goal is to win the K League and the Korean FA Cup, and in the AFC Champions League, we aim to reach the final.”
After retiring, Kim Pan-gon began his coaching career at Jungkyung High School, had coaching experiences in Hong Kong, and served as the head coach of the Hong Kong national team and the Malaysian national team. Kim Pan-gon also served as the technical director of the Hong Kong Football Association, accumulating rich experience. He has also been involved in football administration, serving as Vice President of the Korea Football Association from 2018 to 2021. As Chairman of the Strength Enhancement Committee, he selected the highly praised Portuguese coach Paulo Bento for the Korean national team.
In terms of coaching philosophy and team management, Kim Pan-gon has been influenced by legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. “I am deeply fascinated by Ferguson’s football. I am impressed by the football Ferguson pursued and his winning formula. These have been incorporated into my football philosophy and game model.” In terms of playing style, Kim Pan-gon revealed, “We want to dominate the game for 90 minutes. The previous coach also emphasized dominating the game, and I want to continue that. We prefer attacking rather than passive defending. We won’t wait for the opponent to make mistakes; we will try to induce them to make mistakes.”
Ulsan Hyundai currently sits in 4th place in the league standings with a record of 12 wins, 6 draws, and 7 losses. They are 4 points behind the league leaders, Gimcheon Sangmu. During this crucial period for the title race, former head coach Hong Myung-bo was allegedly appointed as the Korean national team coach through “insider dealing,” causing a stir in the Korean football community. Coincidentally, this “insider dealing” overturned the “selection system” established by Kim Pan-gon during his time as Chairman of the Strength Enhancement Committee at the Korea Football Association.
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