SEOUL– Lee Chung-yong, captain of the K League 1 champions Ulsan Hyundai FC, has been nominated for the MVP award in the top South Korean football league.
The K League on Tuesday unveiled lists of candidates for the MVP and other major awards. Lee, who captained Ulsan to their first title since 2005, is up against Gangwon FC forward Kim Dae-won, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors defender Kim Jin-su and Pohang Steelers midfielder Sin Jin-ho.
Ulsan locked down the title with one match to spare last Sunday, when they defeated Gangwon FC 2-1. Afterward, Ulsan head coach Hong Myung-bo and other players touted Lee’s MVP case, saying his leadership on and off the field helped instill a winning culture within the team.
Lee only scored twice and had two assists, though his Ulsan teammates have said his impact goes beyond mere numbers.
Kim Dae-won had a breakout campaign for Gangwon with 12 goals and 13 assists. He is the only player this season to reach double figures in both goals and assists. Kim Jin-su was the key cog on Jeonbuk’s backline, where he also contributed two goals and three assists. Sin manned the midfield for Pohang while putting up four goals and 10 assists.
K League MVPs have often come from championship teams, as have the winners of the Coach of the Year awards.
Hong, only the fourth man to win a championship both as player and head coach, appears to have the inside track on the top coaching prize. He will be battling Pohang’s Kim Gi-dong, Jeonbuk’s Kim Sang-sik, and Incheon United’s Jo Sung-hwan.
The winners will be determined by votes from head coaches (30 percent), captains (30 percent) and media (40 percent).
The season will wrap up on Sunday, and the award ceremony is scheduled for the following day in Seoul.
Source: Yonhap News Agency