Post Match | "I want my lads to be more confident and ambitious" - Lee Junghyo

Daegu FC and Gwangju FC shared the spoils after Beka's curling effort was cancelled out by Daegu defender Kim Gangsan with a header in the first half in Round 36 of the 2023 Hana 1Q K League 1 campaign. Daegu FC correspondent Muyeol Jung heard from Gwangju manager Lee Jeonghyo in the press conference at DGB Daegu Bank Park. 

How are you feeling after today's game?

"It's a very disappointing game. A lot of away fans came to get us behind but we didn't get the result we wanted, and I'm also jealous of the fact that Daegu had another sell-out crowd today. The game went as we wanted, but it is regrettable that the flow of the game changed due to a small mistake we made. This cost us a goal. That's a shame. I don't know how to put into words how I am feeling, but I have a lot of ambition as a coach, but it's a pity that our players don't seem to have the same ambition as I do. I will prepare better and prepare well for the match against Jeonbuk in two weeks. I will try even harder to get the raise the players' ambition. I think the players did their best."

It appears that Gwangju suddenly lost control of the game after Daegu brought on Barcelos in the middle of the first half.

"I don't want to blame individual players, to be frank. I don't think we lost control of the game because of Barcelos coming on for Daegu, to be honest. It's a shame that our keeper Lee Jun let it happen by making mistakes in the build-up. I know our boys also try to do what I want them to do, but if these kinds of mistakes are repeated, I think it's down to quality rather than just mistakes. I think players should not repeat the same mistakes over and over. In that case, I don't think this kind of mistake is down to the manager's responsibility alone." 

Gwangju seems to be struggling against defensive sides like Daegu and Incheon? What can be done to improve?

"The players seem to have little ambition. The status of the team Gwangju has increased significantly this season, and despite the opponent analyzing Gwangju, they sit deep. I want our players to have more confidence and ambition, and execute what we practice without fear on the pitch. If anything goes wrong over and over, managers can take responsibility. I don't know what they are afraid of. It's frustrating to see why the players can't do what they prepared in training with little confidence. The responsibility always falls on the manager anyway." 

Apart from the mistakes in the build-up you mentioned, how do you assess the team's performance in terms of creating space?

"I think they kept trying to create space as we trained in preparation for Daegu away. I'd like to see that positively and this will be a good point to start from for the remaining games and into the next season. When the opposition dropped deep the lads had options that they were aware of. Things came to fruition in that respect."