2016 Season Preview: Jeju United

Jeju United at the top of Mount Halla. From Jeju-Utd.com

The sign reads "Reply 1989! Again 1989! Champions 2016!

Team Overview

While not the strongest nor the richest team in the K League, Jeju United have a reputation for playing good attacking football that on occasion sees them threatening to enter the ACL places. Despite some good runs of form though this hasn't happened since they finished second in 2010. This year however they will be crossing their fingers, dreaming of pigs and hoping to harness the spirit of 1989 (the last and only time they have won the league) to challenge for the higher places in the league.

Last Season

6th W:14 D:8 L:16

What Happened

A great start was disrupted by injuries until a last minute charge saw Jeju squeeze into the top six. Read more about last season here.

Key Player

Despite losing some key players in the transfer window Jeju will be happy to have kept hold of Song Jin-hyung. He is a creative player who can play at either AM or on the wing and will likely be key to a lot of Jeju's attacks this year.

Korea National Team Player to Watch

While Jeju are lacking in terms of regular national team players, CF Kim Hyun has just returned from a successful spell with the under 23 team and will be hoping that this year can be a break out year for him. He has played a lot of football but will really need to add some more goals to his general play.

Transfer Window

Despite losing three key players in Alex, Yon Bit-garam and Lopes, Jeju have made some promising signings who will hopefully be able to come in and improve the team.

The most important signing is probably Kim Ho-nam from Gwangju, he is good attacking player with an eye for goal and should fit nicely into Jeju's style of play.

Jeju also have a pretty good record when it comes to buying South American's and we usually sign one outstanding player every year. Hopefully this will continue with the signings of strikers Marcelo and Moises.

Read a more in depth record of Jeju's transfers here.

Expectations This Season.

Jeju will be expecting a top six finish, and hoping that if a couple of things go their way they can put a bit of pressure on the ACL positions.

Predicted Finish: 3rd

Being very optimistic here but there is no point going into a new season expecting to finish sixth! While I think Jeonbuk and Seoul's squads look incredibly strong, Pohang and Suwon both have uncertainty around their team and could be there for the taking.