Incheon United
1056438
225694067
2008-07-14T23:00:31Z
78.174.16.95
{{Football club infobox |
clubname = Incheon United<br />인천 유나이티드 |
image = [[Image:Incheon united fc.gif|logo|110px]]|
fullname = Incheon United FC<br />인천 유나이티드 FC |
nickname = In Utd|
founded = 2003 |
ground = [[Incheon Munhak Stadium]] |
capacity = 50,256 |
chairman = Ahn Sang-su |
manager = [[Chang Woe-Ryong]] |
league = [[K-League]] |
season = [[K-League 2008]] |
position = 1st |
pattern_la1=_black_stripes|pattern_b1=_blackstripes|pattern_ra1=_black_stripes|
leftarm1=0033FF|body1=0033FF|rightarm1=0033FF|shorts1=000000|socks1=0033FF|
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_greyblue_sleeve_seams|pattern_ra2=|
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=0033FF|socks2=FFFFFF|
}}
'''Incheon United''' is a professional [[South Korea|Korean]] football team currently playing in the [[K-League]]. The team's home town is [[Incheon]], the third biggest city in the country, and the team's home stadium is the [[Incheon Munhak Stadium]], one of the ten venues built in Korea for the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]].
==History==
===Origins===
Officially founded at the end of the 2003 season, the move to create a professional club in Incheon had come about in part by the construction of the Incheon Munhak Stadium for the 2002 FIFA World Cup tournament. Incheon city mayor [[Ahn Sang-su]] began the process of creating the club in earnest in June 2003 with the official founding of ''Incheon FC'', and [[Germany|German]] [[Werner Lorant]] was appointed as manager of the team in September of that year, with [[Chang Woe-Ryong]] and [[Kim Si-seok]] added to the coaching staff.
A public share issue was launched and ran from October to November 2003, and in December the name ''Incheon United'' was adopted. Sponsorship ontracts worth a total of $4m were signed with [[Daewoo]] and [[Daeduk Construction]], and a deal was struck with [[Puma]] to be the inagural kit suppliers to the new club.
=== Debut season ===
Lorant and his coaching staff recruited several high-profile players in a bid to make an impact on the league in the club's debut season in [[2004]]. Goalkeeper Shim Bum-chul was recruited along with talented youngsters [[Choi Tae-Uk|Choi Tae-uk]], [[Kim Chi-Woo|Kim Chi-woo]] and popular [[Japan|Japanese]] playmaker [[Masakiyo Maezono]]. The most high profile of the imports was [[Turkey|Turkish]] international defender [[Alpay Özalan]], recruited from [[England|English]] [[Premier League]] side [[Aston Villa FC|Aston Villa]].
The club's first ever K-League match was a home encounter with [[Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors]] on April 3rd, 2004 which ended goalless. Their first league victory came in the third game of the season, also at home, as a [[Lee Sa-Vik|Jasenko Sabitovic]] own-goal gave them a 1-0 victory over defending champions [[Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma]].
Despite that promising start to the year, Incheon recorded just one more victory in the first stage of the season and finished bottom of the table on just nine points. The club's fortunes improved slightly during the summer [[Hauzen Cup]] tournament, winning three times and finishing eighth out of the thirteen sides involved. Manager Lorant stepped down as manager at the end of August, and he was replaced in the hotseat by his assistant [[Chang Woe-Ryong]] as caretaker manager.
Talented former [[Busan I'Park|Busan I'cons]] player [[Radivoje Manic]] was added to the squad during the summer transfer window, and both he and caretaker manager Chang made instant impacts on the side as the club finished fourth overall in the second stage of the league season, remaining in the race to claim victory in the stage until the final day.
=== Title challenge ===
Chang was confirmed as permanent Incheon manager in January [[2005]] as the club prepared to embark on what was to become a memorable season. The team finished runners-up in the first stage of the league season and, after coming in eighth for the second consecutive season in the Hauzen Cup, finished joint third in the second stage of the K-League and qualified for the post-season championship playoffs by virtue of having the best overall record. Incheon were to face first stage winners Busan I'Park in the semi-final, and they easily defeated the southern side by a 2-0 scoreline to set up a championship final against [[Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i]]. In the first leg of the final at the Munhak stadium, goalkeeper [[Kim Lee-sub]] endured a torrid ninety minutes as Ulsan hit the back of the net five times in a stunning display of football, with [[Dženan Radončić]] netting a late consolation goal for the home side. [[Sung Kyung-mo]] replaced Kim in the Incheon goal for the second leg, and though United claimed a 2-1 victory they lost out on the title 6-3 on aggregate, but finished their second season in existence as K-League runners-up.
Incheon United also finished the 2005 season with the highest total and average home attendance, with 316,591 spectators in total coming through the gates, an average of 24,353.
=== Community growth ===
The [[2006]] season was something of a disappointment compared with the highs of 2005. Tenth overall in the first stage of the K-League and sixth in the second, the team finished bottom of the fourteen-team Hauzen Cup table, but reached the semi-finals of the [[Korean FA Cup]] before being eliminated on penalties by eventual winners [[Chunnam Dragons]].
Despite a relative lack of success on the field for the top team, the club continued to strengthen its set-up at reserve and youth level. The reserve team claimed victory in the K-League reserve league championship, and the U12 side won the 2006 Youth Football Championship.
=== 2007 season ===
Manager Chang departed for [[England]] at the start of the year to begin a year of study, so assistant manager [[Park I-cheon]] stepped up as caretaker manager for the [[2007]] season. The club struggled home in 9th place in the regular K-League season, but reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the second consecutive season before again losing out to eventual winners Chunnam. There was also an earlier semi-final defeat in the revamped Hauzen Cup competition, where Incheon lost 4-3 on penalties to [[FC Seoul]] after a goalless draw in normal time.
==Honor==
*{{sport honours|[[K-League]] Runner-up|1|[[K-League 2005|2005]]}}
==Current squad==
''As of [[June 6]] [[2008]]''
{{Football squad start}}
{{Football squad player|no=1|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Lee-Sub]]|pos=GK}}
{{Football squad player|no=2|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Young-Bin]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=3|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ahn Jae-Joon]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=4|nat=South Korea|name=[[No Jong-Gun]]|pos=MF}}(C)
{{Football squad player|no=5|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ahn Hyun-Sik]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=6|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Hak-Cheol]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=7|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Sang-Rok]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=8|nat=Serbia|name=[[Dragan Mladenović]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=10|nat=Serbia|name=[[Borko Veselinović]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=11|nat=South Korea|name=[[Bang Seung-Hwan]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=12|nat=|name=Supporters|pos=}}
{{Football squad player|no=13|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Tae-Jin]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=15|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ahn Jae-Gon]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=16|nat=South Korea|name=[[Seo Min-Gook]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=17|nat=South Korea|name=[[Jeon Jae-Ho]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=18|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Jung-Youl]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=19|nat=South Korea|name=[[Choi Young-Hoon]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=20|nat=South Korea|name=[[Im Joong-Yong]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=21|nat=South Korea|name=[[Sin Sang-Woo]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=22|nat=South Korea|name=[[Park Jae-Hyun]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=23|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ju Ho-Jin]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=24|nat=South Korea|name=[[Byun Yoon-Cheol]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=25|nat=South Korea|name=[[Song Yoo-Geol]]|pos=GK}}
{{Football squad mid}}
{{Football squad player|no=26|nat=South Korea|name=[[Yeo Seung-Won]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=27|nat=South Korea|name=[[Jo Won-Gwang]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=28|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kang Su-Il]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=29|nat=South Korea|name=[[Park Seung-Min]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=30|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Sun-Woo]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=31|nat=Montenegro|name=[[Dženan Radončić]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=32|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Hyuk]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=33|nat=South Korea|name=[[Sung Kyung-Mo]]|pos=GK}}
{{Football squad player|no=34|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Jun-Young]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=35|nat=South Korea|name=[[Park Chang-Heon]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=36|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Yong-Han]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=37|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Min-Goo]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=38|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Se-Joo]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=39|nat=South Korea|name=[[Yoon Won-Il]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=40|nat=South Korea|name=[[Choi Kyu-Hwan]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=41|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Ho-Jin]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=42|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Jeong-Hyun]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=43|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Seon-Woo]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=44|nat=South Korea|name=[[Park Hyung-Guen]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=45|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ham Min-Seok]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=51|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kwon Chan-Soo]]|pos=GK}}
{{Football squad player|no=77|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lim In-Seong]]|pos=GK}}
{{Football squad end}}
===2008 Season transfers===
Manager [[Chang Woe-Ryong]] returns from a year of study in England, replacing caretaker manager [[Park I-cheon]].
;In
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=5|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ahn Hyun-Sik]]|pos=DF|other=Transferred from [[Daejeon Citizen]]}}
{{Fs player|no=10|nat=Serbia|name=[[Borko Veselinović]]|pos=FW|other=Transferred from {{flagicon|Serbia}} [[FK Partizan]]}}
{{Fs player|no=13|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Tae-Jin]]|pos=MF|other=Transferred from [[FC Seoul]]}}
{{Fs player|no=14|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Jang-Kwan]]|pos=DF|other=Transferred from [[Busan I'Park]]}}
{{Fs player|no=18|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Jung-Youl]]|pos=DF|other=Transferred from [[FC Seoul]]}}
{{Fs player|no=21|nat=South Korea|name=[[Sin Sang-Woo]]|pos=DF|other=Transferred from [[Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma]]}}
{{Fs player|no=23|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ju Ho-Jin]]|pos=DF|other=Transferred from [[Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix]]}}
{{Fs player|no=26|nat=South Korea|name=[[Yeo Seung-Won]]|pos=FW|other=Transferred from [[Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix]]}}
{{Fs player|no=32|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Hyuk]]|pos=MF|other=Drafted from [[Yonsei University]]}}
{{Fs player|no=35|nat=South Korea|name=[[Park Chang-Heon]]|pos=MF|other=Drafted from [[Dongguk University]]}}
{{Fs player|no=40|nat=South Korea|name=[[Choi Kyu-Hwan]]|pos=MF|other=Drafted from [[Pukyong National University]]}}
{{Fs player|no=41|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Ho-Jin]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=44|nat=South Korea|name=[[Park Hyung-Guen]]|pos=MF|other=Drafted from [[Kyunghee University]]}}
{{Fs player|no=45|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ham Min-Seok]]|pos=DF|other=Drafted from [[Ajou University]]}}
{{Fs player|no=77|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lim In-Seong]]|pos=GK|other=Drafted from [[Hongik University]]}}
{{Fs end}}
;Out
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=32|nat=South Korea|name=[[Jang Kyung-Jin]]|pos=DF|other=Transferred to [[Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix]]}}
{{Fs player|no=44|nat=South Korea|name=[[Choi Byung-Do]]|pos=DF|other=Transferred to [[Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix]]}}
{{Fs player|no=10|nat=Serbia|name=[[Dejan Damjanović]]|pos=FW|other=Transferred to [[FC Seoul]]}}
{{Fs player|no= |nat=South Korea|name=[[Ha Sung-Min]]|pos=MF|other=Transferred to [[Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors]]}}
{{Fs player|no=5|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Dong-Won]]|pos=DF|other=Transferred to [[Daejeon Citizen]]}}
{{Fs player|no=15|nat=South Korea|name=[[Seo Ki-Bok]]|pos=MF|other=Retired}}
{{Fs player|no=41|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Jin-Soo]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=42|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kang Chi-Soo]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=3|nat=South Korea|name=[[Yoo Woo-Ram]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=23|nat=South Korea|name=[[Choi Kyung-Joon]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=14|nat=Serbia|name=[[Željko Kalajdžić]]|pos=MF|other=Transferred to {{flagicon|Montenegro}} [[FK Budućnost Podgorica]]}}
{{Fs player|no=40|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Hwan]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=43|nat=South Korea|name=[[Choi Ji-Hoon]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=21|nat=South Korea|name=[[Seo Seong-Cheol]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=26|nat=South Korea|name=[[Kim Tae-Won]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=34|nat=South Korea|name=[[Ahn Sung-Hoon]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=14|nat=South Korea|name=[[Lee Jang-Kwan]]|pos=MF|other=Retired}}
{{Fs end}}
==Staff==
Coaching Staff
*Manager: {{flagicon|KOR}} '''[[Chang Woe-Ryong]]'''
*First Team Head Coach: {{flagicon|Brazil}} '''Puka'''
*Coach: {{flagicon|South Korea}} '''Kim Bong-Kil'''
*GK Coach: {{flagicon|South Korea}} '''Shin Bum-Chul'''
*Playing Coach: {{flagicon|South Korea}} '''6.Kim Hak-Cheol'''
Medical Staff
*Trainer: {{flagicon|KOR}} '''Kwon Huk-Joon'''
*Trainer: {{flagicon|KOR}} '''Lee Seung-Jae'''
Youth Academy Staff
*U-18 Manager : {{flagicon|KOR}} '''Myung Jin-Young'''
*U-15 Manager : {{flagicon|KOR}} '''Kim Jeong-Jae'''
*U-12 Manager : {{flagicon|KOR}} '''[[Seo Ki-Bok]]'''
*U-15/ U-12 Coach : {{flagicon|Brazil}} '''Jose Carlos Serrao Junior'''
*I'United Child Football Class Manager : {{flagicon|KOR}} '''Choi Jin-Tae'''
==Famous players==
*{{flagicon|CRO}} [[Jasmin Agić]]
*{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masakiyo Maezono]]
*{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Choi Tae-Uk]]
*{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kim Chi-Woo]]
*{{flagicon|MKD}} [[Blaže Ilioski]]
*{{flagicon|SRB}} [[Dragan Mladenović]]
*{{flagicon|SRB}} [[Dejan Damjanović]]
*{{flagicon|TUR}} [[Alpay Özalan]]
*{{flagicon|SLO}} [[Sebastjan Cimirotič]]
== Kit Supplier ==
* 2006-Present : [[Puma AG|Puma]]
==See also==
*[[List of Korea-related topics]]
*[[List of South Korean football clubs]]
== External links ==
*{{ko icon}} [http://www.incheonutd.com/ Incheon United FC Official Site]
*{{en icon}} [http://www.rokfootball.com/incheon_united Incheon United at ROKfootball.com]
*{{ko icon}} [http://www.ultrashawk.net/ Incheon United FC Ultras Group 'Ultras Hawk']
{{Incheon United}}
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{{K-League}}
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[[Category:South Korean football clubs]]
[[Category:Football (soccer) clubs established in 2003]]
[[Category:Incheon]]
[[Category:K-League clubs]]
[[Category:Incheon United]]
[[Category:Sport in Incheon]]
[[fr:Incheon United]]
[[ko:인천 유나이티드 FC]]
[[ja:仁川ユナイテッドFC]]
[[pl:Incheon United]]
[[pt:Incheon United]]
[[tr:Incheon United]]
[[zh:仁川聯]]