After a stint away from the game, former Sunderland manager Gus Poyet is back at work. Gus Poyet, the former manager of Sunderland, has unexpectedly accepted a new position with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC of South Korea.
Between 2013 and 2015, the Uruguayan spent a year and a half in the dugout at the Stadium of Light, leading the Black Cats to an EFL Cup final at Wembley and preventing their relegation from the Premier League. Poyet has held a number of managerial positions after departing Wearside, including those at AEK Athens, Real Betis, and Bordeaux. The 57-year-old most recently coached the Greek national team, but he resigned in March after two years.
On Tuesday, it was reported that his next attempt will take him to the South Korean top flight to work with Jeonbuk, who were Asian Champions League winners in 2006 and 2016. After placing tenth in the previous season, the team barely averted relegation from the K-League in a play-off earlier this month. Poyet has experience working in Asia; from 2016 to 2017, he managed Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, a Chinese team.
Lee Do-hyun, general manager of Jeonbuk, commented on Poyet’s appointment, saying: “It was difficult to choose a head coach because there were so many excellent prospects both domestically and abroad. After extensive discussion, we took into account the team’s long-term goals as well as its current state. Poyet made a lasting impression with his unwavering football vision and enthusiasm for the team, which complemented the values and goals of our club.
“Coaching in Asia and the K-League is a new challenge,” Poyet himself continued. I’m committed to collaborating closely with the players and supporters in order to succeed. In football, I think trust and communication are more important than strategy and tactics. I’ll do all in my power to assist Jeonbuk Hyundai in regaining its standing as the top K-League team.
This weekend, Poyet is scheduled to travel to South Korea to tour Jeonbuk’s facilities and give the first press conference. Additionally, it is said that the club is getting ready for its first official event of the 2025 season, a training camp in Thailand that is set to begin on January 2.
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