That was the smile of ‘novice coach’ Oh Bum-seok (40), head coach of Paju City Football Club. Pajuju Min, led by Oh, came from behind to win 2-1 against Changwon FC in the third round of the 2024 K3 League at the Changwon Football Center last month. The K3 League is the third division and top semi-professional soccer league. It merged with the National League in 2020. This season, 16 teams will compete in 30 rounds. Last season, Hwaseong FC won the championship. The K3 League, which had a promotion system only with the K4 League, the fourth division, will also have a promotion system with the K League 2 from 2026.
The victory was Oh’s first in his coaching career. “It was only the third game. I was impatient and worried, but thanks to the players, we won quickly. 카지노사이트 It was my first win as a head coach, so it was even more special.” “It was like scoring my first goal in the pros, and I felt like I had ‘done it’. It’s the same feeling, but the difference is that I’m worried about the next game,” he laughed.
Oh has transformed into a manager this year.
Oh has had an illustrious career, playing in the K League, Japan’s J League, Chinese Super League, and Russian Premier League. He also played for his country at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the 2007 Asian Cup, and the 2003 U-20 World Cup. After retiring from the game in 2021, Wu tried his hand at many different things. “Originally, I was going to take a break. I wanted to experience a variety of things because I had only played soccer for so long. As soon as I retired, I did commentary and entertainment, but I missed the soccer field,” he says.
That’s when the Paju City People’s Association offered him a job. “I thought about it. I didn’t have much of a dream after retirement. I thought about what to do, but when I tried commentating and broadcasting, I felt myself alive when I was on the field.” “I wondered if it was right to become a head coach without coaching experience, and if it was right to do it in the K3 League instead of the K League.” The answer was ‘challenge’. Born in 1984, Oh became the youngest coach in the league. He is also the youngest coach in the entire K3 League from K League 1 to K League 3.
So far, he’s happy with his choice.
“It’s fun. It’s hard, but it’s also rewarding. If things don’t go well, I get stressed, but my personality gets over it quickly.” “I was worried that I didn’t have much experience. Coaches and managers have different areas. There is no division of labor in the K3 League, so even though I am a manager, I also have to play the role of a coach. I have a lot of experience. I think he will be a great asset in my coaching life.” “Without an analyst, I feel like I’m just watching soccer from the time I open my eyes to the time I close them. I don’t have 24 hours to think about how to improve the team,” he laughed. “Paju Mayor Kim Kyung-il is very interested in soccer, so he helps me a lot. Thanks to him, I can focus on soccer without much difficulty.”
“I was honored to play with various great coaches such as Hong Myung-bo, Heo Jung-moo and Kim Ki-dong during my career. I learned a lot from watching them. Personally, I don’t want to play a certain style of soccer, but I want to build a cohesive team. 사설 토토사이트 When opponents meet us, I want them to think, ‘Oh, the coach’s team works hard and it’s not easy,'” he said, adding, “I want to grow up and coach in the K League, and of course, it would be great to go up to the K League with Paju Min.”