As the 2023 season comes to an end, the Premier League has seen a wave of managerial changes that are very different from the past. Even Harbor and Shenhua, who have just won the Cup, are no exception to this trend. The relegation teams have also made changes, with Qingdao Hainiu replacing the coach who was instrumental in their relegation. Overall, most of the Chinese Super League clubs are eager to make a breakthrough in the new season, and have chosen to change their managers on their own initiative. As the wave of managerial changes continues into January 2024, veteran club Henan has also joined the ranks. Although Sarko was widely praised for leading the team to relegation in the 2023 season and had a relatively stable lineup, the club was still dissatisfied with his performance. As a result, Sarko had no choice but to step down after only 10 months in charge.
This decisive decision of Henan team has also attracted the attention of the market. After in-depth talks with the famous Korean coach Nam Ki Ik, the club officially announced his joining, and Nam Ki Ik became the first new coach of the CSL in 2024. For fans familiar with the Korean league, Nam Ki-il's name is no stranger. The 50-year-old coach has set two records in Korean soccer. One, he is the first coach to lead three different clubs to successful promotion to the K-League, all with remarkable results. Secondly, he has been a coach for the longest period of time, and his rich coaching experience is also an important reason for Henan to value Nam Ki-il.
Before Nam Ki-il joined Henan, he coached at Jeju United and led the team to a solid upper-middle level of the K-League for the past two seasons, contributing greatly. Nam Ki-il's popularity soared as he won the Coach of the Month several times due to his excellent team leadership skills. Henan offered him a generous package, which he gladly accepted, and the two sides hit it off right away. It is worth mentioning that Nam Ki-yi's joining coincides with Henan's 30th birthday, which is not only a gift to the outside world, but also highlights the club's determination and confidence in achieving good results in the new season. The pressure of relegation still exists, but it is more pragmatic to aim for a place in the Asian Champions League.
However, Henan team also faces certain risks in signing Nam Ki Ik. On the one hand, Nam Ki-il has been coaching in the Korean league for a long time and lacks coaching experience in the international league, which is a new challenge for him. It is not clear whether he can quickly adapt to the unfamiliar league environment. On the other hand, Korean coaches need to be equipped with interpreters, and the language barrier is a problem that cannot be ignored. Both internal and external communication need to be matched with Korean translators, and although communication is not difficult, an adaptation period is essential. Henan signed Nam Ki-yi in advance, also to help him better integrate into the team, and strive to complete the friction in the winter training to meet the new season in the best condition.
