Choi Yun-Kyum

Choi Yun-Kyum

Personal information
Full name	Choi Yun-Kyum
Date of birth	April 21, 1962 (1962-04-21) (age 49)
Place of birth	Daejeon, South Korea
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Manager (Former Defender)
Club information
Current club	Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (manager)
Youth career
	University of Incheon
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1986–1992	Yukong Kokkiri	153	(5)
National team
1988	South Korea U-23 (as wild card)
1987–1988	South Korea	5	(0)
Teams managed
2001–2002	Bucheon SK
2003–2007	Daejeon Citizen
2011–	Hoàng Anh Gia Lai
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Choi Yun-Kyum
Hangul	최윤겸
Hanja	崔允謙
Revised Romanization	Choe Yun-gyeom
McCune–Reischauer	Ch'oe Yun-kyŏm

This is a Korean name; the family name is Choi.

Choi Yun-Kyum is a South Korean football manager currently at V-League side Hoàng Anh Gia Lai. He played in the K-League for Yukong Kokkiri from 1985 to 1992. After he retired, he moved ito coaching, firstly as an assistant coach before moving in a head coach position. Choi managed 2 teams - Bucheon SK and Daejeon Citizen. His second son, Choi Minho, is currently a member of the popular boyband SHINee

Football career

Making his first mark on the football field, Choi Yun-Kyum made his debut in the K-League in 1985 as a Yukong Kokkiri defender. As a player, he appeared in 162 games. He was selected in the National Olympic Team and National A-Team, playing 5 games at international level. He also had a chance to play in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He retired as a football player in 1992.

Bucheon and Choi

After retirement, Choi decided to live the so-called "footballer's second life" by becoming a coach. He started his coaching life as a Training Coach at Bucheon SK, since renamed Yukong Kokkiri. Two years later, he was promoted as a Coach. Four years later, he was chosen to become the Assistant Coach. Finally, after years of diligence, Choi was appointed as Bucheon SK's head coach for the 2001 season. However, though he had no problems with the team and was able to lead it fairly well, the Bucheon SK board decided to change their manager. Bucheon SK's fans protested, but the decision wasn't reversed.

Coming back to hometown

In 2003, after the poor results of their 2002 season, Daejeon Citizen FC selected Choi as their coach. Choi, originally from Daejeon, willingly came back to his hometown. The lack of results in 2002 was frustrating for fans and players, and confidence was low. However, Choi inspired the team and completely changed it by implementing the 4-3-3 formation. The outcome was a near miraculous recovery from 2002, and he, together with Daejeon Citizen F.C., coined the catchphrase "Miracle 2003". Daejeon Citizen finished the 2003 season in 6th place, its best finish ever in the league, and at the same improved its average home game attendance to about 18,000 people. After 2003, although Daejeon Citizen was not able to make repeat its result of 2003, Choi was still considered a hero at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium. He continued his role as manager into the 2007 K-League season, before being replaced mid-season by Kim Ho.

In addition to his excellent management skills, Choi is also famous for his humble personality - a key factor in ensuring a harmonious team. "I want to make this the team that a player chooses on his own volition, and not by my own will or force. I shall not buy abilities and just gather the best players. This will be a team played by humans, a team that players love, and a team who dreams the same dreams as the fans."

On October 10th 2011, he signed a one year contract to V-League's Hoàng Anh Gia Lai - one of the most popular football club of Vietnam.

Club career statistics

All-Time Club Performance

Club	Season	League			League Cup			AFC Champions League			Total
		Apps	Goals	Assts	Apps	Goals	Assts	Apps	Goals	Assts	Apps	Goals	Assts
Yukong Kokkiri	1986	9	0	0	1	0	0	-	-	-	10	0	0
	1987	27	1	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	27	1	0
	1988	11	0	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	11	0	1
	1989	30	1	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	30	1	0
	1990	21	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	21	0	0
	1991	37	1	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	37	1	0
	1992	18	2	0	8	0	0	-	-	-	26	2	0
	Total	153	5	1	9	0	0	-	-	-	162	5	1
Career Totals		153	5	1	9	0	0	-	-	-	162	5	1

External links

• K-League Player Record (Korean)
• FIFA Player Statistics
• Club & Country Statistics

Persondata
Name	Choi, Yun-Gyeom
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1962-04-21
Place of birth	Daejeon, South Korea
Date of death
Place of death