Suwon Samsung Still in a World of Trouble

By: Brett | May 27th, 2009

With snow gently falling around him, Lee Won-jae looked up at the clock. It read 94:45. The Suwon and Korean legend took a deep breath and slowly turned around. He took two of those enormous steps of his and with his remaining strength, heaved the ball towards the opposite end of the field. Before it could return to earth, the referee was blowing his whistle. The Suwon Samsung Bluewings K-League champions of 2008.

FC Seoul had been chasing them all season. They were relentless, like Elmer Fudd hunting after Bugs Bunny. They never got the hint, that their pursuit was pointless. They were ever present, constantly nipping at the Bluewings’ heels, just waiting for them to slip up. To trip. To stumble. So they could land the killer blow.

That championship seems long ago, these days...

But, they never did slip up. Or trip. Or stumble. The ‘Grand Bleu’ were, like ol’ Bugs, always one step ahead. They finished the regular season at the top of the table, their superior goal difference separating them from their neighbours in the capital. The difference between them after the two-legged championship play-off – a single goal. A 2-1 win at home following a 1-1 draw in Seoul was enough to make Suwon champions. Deserving champions.

Season 2009 has been markedly different. Instead of waiting for them to stumble and fall, football fans throughout Korea are waiting for the champions to find their feet. To get their act together. To show some resemblance of the side which dominated 2008. A single win from ten matches is a long way from the 9 they had at this point last year.

There have been moments of half-decent football, but these have by and large been in the Asian Champions League. Qualification for the knockout phase has been ensured, defeating the likes of J-League champions Kashima Antlers 4-1 and Shanghai Shenhua along the way. The talent is clearly there. But something is very different down Suwon way in 2009. The magic of last year just isn’t there.

Following last years title, some key players left. Defenders Mato Neretljak and Cho Won-hee were lost to the J-League and the English Premier League, respectively. Their replacements, Chinese captain Lee Weifeng and former Vasco de Gama defender, Jorge Luiz. Both players bought with them big reputations and commanded big pay packets, but more often than not, have struggled against what have mostly been smaller, quicker opposition.

The real problem for the Bluewings, though, has been going forward. Often they look simply clueless. This is bizarre seeing as they possess the attacking talents of Bae Ki-jung, Seo Dong-hyun, Lee Sang-ho and possibly the best import in the league, Brazilian Edu.

Lee Chun-soo was seen as surplus to requirements by manager Cha Bum-kun at the end of last year. Too much trouble for his worth. Not prepared to play the kind of ball Cha wanted him too. So, the team where he was on loan in turn loaned him out, to Chunnam Dragons. His 4 goals, 4 assists and overall dynamic attacking play would be handy these days, for a team who has managed only six goals in 10 matches.

Their home record has been a disgrace. Only 3 of a possible 15 points have been claimed at the Big Bird Stadium all season. An opening day 3-2 defeat to Pohang was seen as a blip – an aberration. A slow start to what would surely be another successful season for one of Asia’s biggest club teams. As it turns out, the blip has been their solitary victory, 2-0 over Busan I’Park. They lost 1-0 to Jeju United. Then 4-1 to a Lee inspired Chunnam. Then 2-0 to Gwnagju Sangmu. The Bluewings, along with fellow strugglers Ulsan Hyundai, have the dubious honor of worst home record in the league.

Cha’s chargers visited 12th placed Gyeongnam FC on Sunday. Last year this would have been a pretty much guaranteed 3 points. In the end, it took a penalty save from Lee in the 92nd minute which allowed them leave with any points at all. It wasn’t much of a game – the weekly highlights show gave it about a minute of airtime. And even that seemed generous.

The 0-0 draw may have seen the four-time champions climb off the bottom of the ladder to 13th, but they are still in a world of trouble. Only Daegu FC and Daejeon Citizens have been worse, and not by much. It’s a sign of how far the champions have fallen that there is renewed optimism and energy in the camp after taking home a point against the side picked by many, including this blogger, to come stone cold last this season.

Week 11 Happenings

The K-League is taking a four week international break. Except FC Seoul and Gwangju Sangmu that is – they’ll go head to head next Saturday night in a match that was rescheduled due to the capital club’s pre-season friendly with Manchester United in July. They are clearly a nice bunch down in Gwangju to agree to that.

It’s been a good week for Dejan Damjanovic. Fresh from scoring the equalizer in Osaka midweek, the Montenegrin striker scored both goals for FC Seoul on Sunday in Daejeon. He has five for the season and is getting stronger by the week.

Choi Sung-kuk and Kim Myoung-jung were both instrumental in Gwangju Sangmu’s 3-1 win over Daegu FC in Daegu. These two are dominating at the minute.

Pohang Steelers may be finding life easy in the Asian Champions League, but the same can’t be said about them domestically. They let a one goal lead at home slip against Busan I’Park. The 1-1 draw was their seventh for the season. They’ve yet to win at home this campaign and haven’t won at all since week 1.

Results: Jeonbuk Hyundai 0-0 Incheon United, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 3-1 Chunnam Dragons, Ulsan Hyundai 3-4 Gangwon FC, Pohang Steelers 1-1 Busan I’Park, Daejeon Citizens 0-2 FC Seoul, Daegu FC 1-3 Gwangju Sangmu, Gyeongnam FC 0-0 Suwon Samsung.

Top 5: 1. Gwangju Sangmu (23), 2. Jeonbuk Hyundai (21), 3. Incheon United (21), 4. FC Seoul (20), 5. Chunnam Dragons (16).