KLU Monthly Awards - August

As K League enters the final stages before the split, Football Radar's Alex Lee is back with his Player, Young Player, and Manager of the Month for August.

Player of the Month - Wanderson (Pohang Steelers)

In his second spell with Pohang, Brazilian forward Wanderson is having the best season of his career. The ex-Jeonnam player bagged 5 goals and 3 assists in August, and is the second topscorer in the league with 12 goals. Under manager Kim Ki-dong, Wanderson was shifted from left back to right wing which allowed him to fully utilise his attacking talent. His display against Incheon summed up how crucial he was to his team as he completed his hat-trick even when they were down to ten men. Although the departure of striker Kim Seung-dae in the summer transfer window was a big loss for Pohang, given Wanderson’s recent form, one might even say that the Brazilian has surpassed Kim as he has now become a menacing goalscorer.

Shortlist

Stefan Mugoša (Incheon United FC)

Cesinha (Daegu FC)

Young Player of the Month - Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

Even at the age of 21, Song Bum-keun has been the firm first choice for Jeonbuk and is also considered one of the best keepers in K League. Song has put in excellent performances to give Jeonbuk the edge in the title race, such as his penalty save against Seoul and a clean sheet against Ulsan’s relentless attack. The Korean U-22 international has accumulated 10 clean sheets so far, making fewer mistakes than his debut season last year as he continues to grow as a player. If he maintains his current form, he will undoubtedly be Korea’s number one in the future.

Shortlist

Kim Dae-won (Daegu FC)

Song Min-kyu (Pohang Steelers)

Manager of the Month - José Morais (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

When Jeonbuk were surpassed by Ulsan in the table, José Morais kept his cool and led his team through this gripping title race. With three wins and two draws this month, including a resounding 3-0 win against Ulsan, Jeonbuk have played like the best team in the country and deservedly reclaimed their top spot. The front three of Rosa, Moon Seon-min and Lopes are looking unstoppable as they managed 11 goals in the last five games, with former targetman Kim Shin-wook being long forgotten. The club is currently on a 17 game unbeaten run as they have built one of the strongest squads in Asia. Summer signings Kim Seung-dae and Kwon Kyung-won are still looking to break into the team despite joining as star players at previous clubs. However, José Morais will have to endlessly improve their football as the title race is expected to come down to the wire this season.

Shortlist

Kim Tae-wan (Sangju Sangmu FC)

André (Daegu FC)