The Suwon Samsung Bluewings have been relegated to the second division for the first time since their inception.
It’s a shocking result, but some say it was inevitable.
Lack of support from the club, years of failure to sign foreign players, and frequent managerial changes led to the relegation.
Suwon Samseong drew 0-0 with Gangwon FC in the final match of the K League 1 Final B (7th-12th place) at Suwon World Cup Stadium on February 2.
Suwon was relegated directly to the second division after finishing 12th (33 points). It is the downfall of a club that has been a household name since its founding in 1995.
Suwon Samseong has always been in the top tier of the league since its inception, thanks to the strong support of its parent company, Samsung Electronics.
The team recruited top players and finished runner-up in the league and FA Cup in its first year, and won the regular season title three years later.
In 2013, the team received 28.8 billion won in parental support in the K League and spent 9 billion won on labor costs alone, making them the envy of other clubs.
However, the amount of subsidies decreased in 2013.
In 2014, Samsung Sports changed hands to Cheil Industries, sparking a debate over the efficiency of the club’s operating costs.
Since then, Samsung Group’s support has hovered around the 20 billion won mark, with 20.5 billion won in 2016, 18 billion won in 2019, and 20.9 billion won in 2022.
Suwon Samseong’s labor costs, which exceeded 9 billion won in 2013, have remained in the 7 to 8 billion won range since then.
This compares to 17.6 billion won last year for Ulsan Hyundai, this year’s K League champions.
After finishing third in 2017, Suwon’s performance dropped to sixth in 2018, eighth in 2019 and 10th in 2022.
Kim Dae-gil, a sports commentator for KBSN, said, “Even though the clubs are not investing financially and players are slowly leaving, they recognize the importance of bringing in good players.
A rich man can go bankrupt for three years, but Suwon Samsung, which has invested in the future by fostering youth soccer in Matango, has survived.”
Parental support can also be reduced based on efficiency and marketing goals.
In that case, the team must overcome the difficulties through the composition or combination of players.
Suwon Samsung has not been successful in recruiting foreign players, a key strength.
They have signed six foreign strikers in the last three years, but their record is only 15 goals in 109 games.
Maxwell Acosti, who led the second division in assists last year, has four goals in 24 games this year.
Commentator Han Jun-hee said, “It seems that the front office lacked rational planning and failed in scouting.
It is also true that the ambition and mental strength of the team throughout the season did not meet the expectations of the fans.”
“We need to identify the reasons for the decline and come up with a reasonable prescription.”
The lack of stability at the helm was also exposed.
After failing to win in the first seven games of the season, Lee Byung-geun was sacked.
Choi Sung-yong, Kim Byung-soo and playing coach Yeom Ki-hoon were then appointed as acting managers in a desperate situation where the possibility of relegation to the second division grew at the last minute. 카지노사이트777
Commentator Kim Dae-gil said, “Suwon Samseong needs an experienced coach with the know-how to overcome difficulties in order to rebuild.
It doesn’t have to be a former Suwon legend.”
The rebound of Suwon Samseong, a prestigious club and fan favorite, is met with mixed reviews.
Commentator Kim Dae-gil said, “If they keep their current players, add new players, and appoint an experienced manager, they will go straight to the top league.
The addition of Suwon Samseong will also increase interest in the second division.”
On the other hand, Han Jun-hee, a commentator, said, “The overall power and level of the second division is getting better and better, so it’s hard to see a quick rebound in the second division if the club continues to operate like it is now.”
Meanwhile, in the final match of the Final A (1st-6th), which concluded on Wednesday, Ulsan Hyundai, who had already secured the title, beat Jeonbuk Hyundai 1-0 to boost their celebrations.
Ulsan Hyundai received a double boost as striker Lee In-gyu, who scored 17 goals this season, was named the top scorer.
The assist title went to Pohang Steelers’ Baek Seong-dong, who has eight assists this season.
