Incheon United FC
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| File:Emblem of Incheon United.svg | |||
| Full name | Incheon United Football Club 인천 유나이티드 프로축구단 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Mariners | ||
| Short name | IUFC | ||
| Founded | 2003 | ||
| Ground | Incheon Football Stadium (capacity: 20,891) | ||
| Owner | Incheon Government | ||
| Chairman | Mayor of Incheon | ||
| Manager | Jo Sung-hwan | ||
| League | K League 1 | ||
| 2022 | K League 1, 4th of 12 | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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Incheon United FC is a South Korean professional association football club based in Incheon. Founded in 2003, the club plays in the K League 1, the top flight of South Korean football. The club is a so-called "community club", with the government of the city of Incheon being its key shareholder. The club's home stadium is the Incheon Football Stadium.
History
Formation
Officially founded at the end of the 2003 season, the move to create a professional football club in Incheon had come about in part by the construction of the Incheon Munhak Stadium for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.[1] Mayor of Incheon Ahn Sang-soo began the process of creating a new club in earnest in June 2003 with the official founding of Incheon FC. German Werner Lorant was appointed as manager in September of that year, assisted by Chang Woe-ryong and Kim Si-seok.
A public share issue was launched and ran from October to November 2003 and in December, the name Incheon United was adopted.[2] Sponsorship contracts worth a total of $4m were signed with GM Daewoo and Daeduk Construction Company, while Puma supplied the club's kits.
Debut season
Lorant and his coaching staff recruited several high-profile players in a bid to make an impact on the league in the club's debut season in 2004. Goalkeeper Shim Bum-chul was recruited along with talented youngsters Choi Tae-uk, Kim Chi-woo and popular Japanese playmaker Masakiyo Maezono. The most high-profile of the imports was Turkish international defender Alpay Özalan, recruited from English Premier League side Aston Villa.
The club's first K-League match was a home encounter with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on 3 April 2004 which ended in a goalless draw. Their first league victory came in the third game of the season, also at home, as a Jasenko Sabitovic's own goal gave them a 1–0 victory over defending champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma.
Despite that promising start to the year, Incheon recorded just one more victory in the first stage of the season and finished bottom of the table on just nine points. Manager Lorant stepped down as manager at the end of August, and he was replaced in the hotseat by his assistant Chang Woe-Ryong as caretaker manager. Caretaker manager Chang Woe-Ryong made instant impacts on the side as the club finished fourth overall in the second stage of the league season, remaining in the race to claim victory in the stage until the final day.
Title challenge: Fly Up (2005)
Chang was confirmed as permanent Incheon manager in January 2005 as the club prepared to embark on what was to become a memorable season. The team finished runners-up in the first stage of the league season and joint third in the second stage of the K League, qualifying for the post-season championship playoffs by virtue of having the best overall record. Incheon were to face first stage winners Busan I'Park in the semi-final, and they easily defeated the southern side by a 2–0 scoreline to set up a championship final against Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i. In the first leg of the final at the Munhak stadium, goalkeeper Kim Lee-sub endured a torrid ninety minutes as Ulsan hit the back of the net five times in a stunning display of football, with Dženan Radončić netting a late consolation goal for the home side. Sung Kyung-mo replaced Kim Lee-sub in the Incheon goal for the second leg, and though United claimed a 2–1 victory they lost out on the title 6–3 on aggregate, but finished their second season in existence as K-League runners-up. This dramatic season was reproduced in a film, as a documentary film "Fly Up (Korean: 비상)" was released on 14 December 2006[3]
Incheon United also finished the 2005 season with the highest total and average home attendance in the league, with 316,591 spectators in total coming through the gates, an average of 24,353[4]
Crisis
After a remarkable 2005 season, Incheon United failed to continue its success. Although they reached semi-final in the FA Cup for two consecutive seasons in 2006 and 2007, they failed to make the playoff. Before the 2009 season, Incheon United appointed Ilija Petković, who had managed Serbia-Montenegro in the 2006 FIFA World Cup as their manager and finished 5th in the league, proceeding to the K League Championship. However, they lost to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in the first round after a penalty shoot-out.
In the middle of the 2010 season, Petković suddenly resigned due to his wife's health problems. Three months later, Incheon United appointed Huh Jung-moo, who had just led South Korea to the Round of 16 in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as their next manager. In the 2010 season, Incheon United produced their first ever K League Top Scorer as striker Yoo Byung-soo managed to score 22 goals in 28 appearances, becoming the youngest player in the K League history to win the award.
Before the 2012 season, Incheon United unveiled their new uniform which used blue as the main color and red lines on the shoulder, instead of their traditional blue and black stripes. Although the club explained that the design was created based on the inaugural season's uniform, supporters were furious with the club's decision to abandon their traditional stripes. Incheon manager Huh Jung-moo also lost fans' support as he openly expressed disagreement with the fans' concern over the issue.[5] Huh Jung-moo eventually resigned in the middle of the season after a poor start. Kim Bong-gil took over as a caretaker manager and on 16 July 2012, he was officially appointed as the manager of the club.
Meanwhile, Incheon United suffered from a financial crisis. Rumors about the city of Incheon trying to sell the club were published through media. According to the reports, the club had been suffering from a budget deficit for years and the city could not afford to spend more on the club because of the 2014 Asian Games.[6] It was also later revealed that the club had been failing to pay the wages for the players on time for two months.[7] As a consequence, key players were forced out, such as Jung In-whan, Jeong Hyuk, Lee Kyu-ro, Han Kyo-won, Kim Nam-il and Ivo. Despite the hardships, Kim Bong-gil managed to save the club from relegation. However, the club decided to sack him after the 2014 season.
Incheon planned to appoint Lee Lim-saeng as their next manager, but he eventually refused to take the seat as he was concerned with the club's controversial sacking of Kim Bong-gil.[8]
Kim Do-hoon era
Former legendary striker Kim Do-hoon replaced Kim Bong-gil on 13 January 2015. Kim Do-hoon enjoyed his debut season as a manager, leading Incheon to the FA Cup final for the first time ever. Despite losing 3–1 to FC Seoul, the club was praised by the media and was dubbed the "wolves" for their teamwork and fighting spirit.
Andersen era
After the departure of Kim Do-hoon, former North Korean national team coach Jørn Andersen became Incheon's manager and debuted in the 15th round against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on 7 July.[9]
2020 season
Incheon United appointed Lim Wan-Sup as their manager to lead the upcoming 2020 K League 1 Season.[10]
Stadiums
Incheon United used Incheon Munhak Stadium, which was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup from its debut season to 2011. However, as it was built as a multi-purpose stadium, it was too large and did not provide good view to the spectators. From 2012 season, they have been using the Incheon Football Stadium with the capacity of 20,891, which was built for the 2014 Asian Games.
Honours
Domestic competitions
League
- K League 1
- Runners-up (1): 2005
Cups
Season-by-season records
| Season | Division | Tms. | Pos. | FA Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 | 13 | 12 | Round of 32 |
| 2005 | 1 | 13 | 2 | Round of 16 |
| 2006 | 1 | 14 | 9 | Semi-final |
| 2007 | 1 | 14 | 9 | Semi-final |
| 2008 | 1 | 14 | 7 | Round of 32 |
| 2009 | 1 | 15 | 6 | Round of 32 |
| 2010 | 1 | 15 | 11 | Quarter-final |
| 2011 | 1 | 16 | 13 | Round of 16 |
| 2012 | 1 | 16 | 9 | Round of 16 |
| 2013 | 1 | 14 | 7 | Quarter-final |
| 2014 | 1 | 12 | 10 | Round of 32 |
| 2015 | 1 | 12 | 8 | Runners-up |
| 2016 | 1 | 12 | 10 | Quarter-final |
| 2017 | 1 | 12 | 9 | Round of 32 |
| 2018 | 1 | 12 | 9 | Round of 16 |
| 2019 | 1 | 12 | 10 | Round of 32 |
| 2020 | 1 | 12 | 11 | Round of 24 |
| 2021 | 1 | 12 | 8 | Round of 24 |
| 2022 | 1 | 12 | 4 | Round of 24 |
- Key
- Tms. = Number of teams
- Pos. = Position in league
Current squad
- As of 16 July 2022
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Retired number(s)
12 – Fans of the club (the 12th Man)
Coaching staff
Senior coaching staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Jo Sung-hwan
|
| Assistant Manager | Park Sung-chul Lim Joong-yong
|
| Goalkeeper Coach | Kwon Chan-Soo
|
| Scout | Shin Jin-won
|
| Trainer | Lee Seung-jae Lee Dong-won Yang Seung-min
|
| Translator | Chun Ji-hun
|
Youth coaching staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| U-18 Head Coach | |
| U-18 Coach | Chun Jae-ho
|
| U-18 Goalkeeper Coach | Yoon Jin-ho
|
| U-15 Head Coach | Woo Sung-yong
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| U-15 Coach | Lee Sung-gyu
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| U-15 Goalkeeper Coach | Lee Sun-hyung
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| U-12 Head Coach | Kim Tae-jong
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| U-12 Coach | Choi Jae-young
|
Managers
| # | Name | From | To | Season | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Werner Lorant
|
2003/09/25 | 2004/08/30 | 2004 | ||
| C | Chang Woe-Ryong
|
2004/08/31 | 2005/01/02 | 2004 | ||
| 2 | Chang Woe-Ryong
|
2005/01/03 | 2006/12/28 | 2005–06 | ||
| C | Park Lee-Chun
|
2007/01/04 | 2007/12/20 | 2007 | ||
| 2 | Chang Woe-Ryong
|
2007/12/21 | 2008/12/09 | 2008 | After overseas coaching training, returned. | |
| 3 |  Ilija Petković
|
2009/01/29 | 2010/06/08 | 2009–10 | After being appointed technical advisor (2009/01/29), he was promoted to manager. | |
| C | Kim Bong-Gil
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2010/06/27 | 2010/08/21 | 2010 | ||
| 4 | Huh Jung-Moo
|
2010/08/23 | 2012/04/11 | 2010–12 | ||
| C | Kim Bong-Gil
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2012/04/12 | 2012/07/15 | 2012 | ||
| 5 | Kim Bong-Gil
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2012/07/16 | 2014/12/19 | 2012–14 | ||
| 6 | Kim Do-hoon
|
2015/01/13 | 2016/09 | 2015–16 | ||
| 7 | Lee Ki-hyung
|
2016/09 | 2018/05 | 2016–18 | Was made caretaker, then hired after avoiding relegation. | |
| C | Park Sung-chul
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2018/05/11 | 2018/06/08 | 2018 | ||
| 8 |  Jørn Andersen
|
2018/06/09 | 2019/4/15 | 2018–2019 | Former coach of North Korea | |
| C | Lim Joong-yong
|
2019/04/15 | 2019/05/14 | 2019 | ||
| 9 | Yoo Sang-chul
|
2019/05/14 | 2020/01/02 | 2019 | ||
| 10 | Lim Wan-Sup
|
2020/02/06 | 2020/06/28 | 2020 | ||
| C | Lim Joong-yong
|
2020/06/29 | 2020/08/06 | 2020 | ||
| 11 | Jo Sung-hwan
|
2020/08/07 | 2020– |
Shirt sponsors and manufacturers
| Year | Kit Supplier | Main Shirt Sponsor | Secondary Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Puma |
GM Daewoo | Daeduk Construction Corp. |
| 2005 | None | ||
| 2006 | |||
| 2007 | Shinhan Bank | ||
| 2008 | |||
| 2009 | Incheon Bridge | Shinhan Bank | |
| 2010 | Shinhan Bank | None | |
| 2011 | |||
| 2012 |  Le Coq Sportif
| ||
| 2013 | Incheon Government | Shinhan Bank | |
| 2014 | Shinhan Bank | None | |
| 2015 |  Hummel |
Incheon International Airport | |
| 2016 | |||
| 2017 | |||
| 2018 | |||
| 2019 | |||
| 2020 |  Macron
|
See also
References
- ^ "인천 프로축구단 올해안 창단" (in Korean). Mail Business News Korea. 13 August 2003.
- ^ "인천 유나이티드 FC" (in Korean). The Hankook Ilbo. 23 December 2003.
- ^ "인천, 스크린서도 돌풍... '비상' 1만 관중 돌파" (in Korean). Sportal Korea. 19 December 2006.
- ^ "인천-수원, 서울에 이어 관중 동원 2–3위" (in Korean). OSEN. 13 December 2005.
- ^ "인천UTD, 새 유니폼 바라보는 팬들과의 온도차" (in Korean). The Asia Economy Daily. 14 February 2012.
- ^ "경영난 인천유나이티드FC '매각설 솔솔'" (in Korean). Yonhap News. 13 November 2014.
- ^ "또 월급 못주는 인천유나이티드FC" (in Korean). The Kyeongin Ilbo. 10 December 2014.
- ^ "'연이은 헛발질' 인천유나이티드, 감독 선임 난항" (in Korean). Sports Hankook. 26 December 2014.
- ^ 주, 성남. "인천유나이티드 새 감독에 안데르센 전 북한대표팀 감독 선임". Newsway.
- ^ "인천유나이티드, 제10대 사령탑으로 임완섭 감독 선임". Incheon United F.C. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
External links
- CS1 Korean-language sources (ko)
- Articles lacking in-text citations from January 2013
- All articles lacking in-text citations
- Articles needing additional references from March 2017
- All articles needing additional references
- Articles with multiple maintenance issues
- Use dmy dates from July 2021
- Articles with short description
- Pages using football kit with incorrect pattern parameters
- Football team templates which use short name parameter
- Articles containing Korean-language text
- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- Incheon United FC
- Association football clubs established in 2003
- K League 1 clubs
- Sport in Incheon
- 2003 establishments in South Korea