2025 Season Review: Daegu FC | OneFootball

After securing survival in 2024 via the playoffs, there was hope that Daegu FC would enjoy an upturn in fortunes in 2025. However, a disastrous first half of the season left them with too much ground to make up, and despite an impressive late surge in form, it proved too little, too late. The campaign ended with the Sky Blues slipping into K League 2 after nine consecutive seasons in the top flight.

What Went Well

With manager Park Chang-hyun relieved of his duties early in the season following a poor start, his successor Kim Byung-soo did little initially to change the team’s fortunes. However, things appeared to click late in the campaign, as Daegu went on an impressive run that saw them lose just once in their final 12 matches. This late revival gave the Daegu faithful renewed optimism that the club can make a swift return to K League 1 next season.

Another bright spark in an otherwise miserable campaign was the form of club legend Cesinha. Despite now being 36 years old, he showed no signs of slowing down, finishing the season with 12 goals and 12 assists, as well as picking up Player of the Month awards in both September and October. If, as expected, he decides to stay for another year, he will once again be Daegu’s key man.

In a season that saw the team win just seven league matches, there was little that went well overall. Recruitment during the winter window was particularly poor, with none of the new signings making a significant impact. There was considerable excitement surrounding the return of Brazilian midfielder Bruno Lamas from Busan IPark, but after a bright start to the season, he failed to impress and spent large portions of the campaign on the bench. Elsewhere, striker Park Dae-hoon managed just three goals after joining from Chungnam Asan, while left-back Jeong Woo-jae featured only 16 times before eventually being dropped from the squad for disciplinary reasons.

Despite the lack of effective reinforcements, the season began promisingly, with Daegu recording two wins and a draw from their opening three matches. That form did not last, however, as six consecutive defeats followed, culminating in the resignation of Park Chang-hyun and the appointment of Kim Byung-soo after a longer-than-ideal recruitment process.

Beyond the problems on the pitch, Daegu FC were also beset by significant issues off it. Supporters spent much of the season protesting against the club’s leadership, with criticism focused on recruitment, frustration over managerial appointments, and growing dissatisfaction with the way the club communicated with its fanbase.

At the end of the campaign, Korean football legend Cho Kwang-rae resigned as CEO under sustained supporter pressure. Several players publicly expressed their sadness at his departure on social media, with Cesinha even urging him to reconsider his decision.

However, the unrest did not end there. Fans continued their protests after the season’s conclusion, most notably by arranging funeral wreaths to be placed outside Daegu City Hall, calling for more drastic reshuffles of the administrative system including the recruitment of a new CEO on a merit-based process who genuinely can steer the club in the right direction.

A new general manager was eventually appointed on the 23rd December in the form of former Pohang Steelers leader Jang Young-bok, however this has done little to appease the fans due to Jang’s history of controversy during his time there.

The emergence of Han Tae-hee as Daegu’s number one goalkeeper was one of the few positives on the pitch. The 21-year-old made his debut early in the season and went on to cement his place as first choice, an area in which Daegu have struggled for consistency in recent years.

The young stopper commands his area extremely well and is particularly adept at dealing with high balls into the box, which is all the more impressive given his age. He ended the season with a call-up to the South Korea under-23 squad, a fitting reward for what was a successful individual campaign despite the team’s struggles.

Team MVP

With few players covering themselves in glory this season, it once again fell to veteran attacker Cesinha to lead the way. He topped both the club’s scoring and assist charts and collected numerous man-of-the-match awards, as well as two K League Player of the Month honours.

It is clear that Daegu are a very different team without him, and there is a strong sense that had he not missed two months through injury, the club might well have avoided relegation.

A special mention must also go to Brazilian defender Caio. He was an absolute mountain at the back, while also posing a threat from set pieces at the other end of the pitch. Daegu’s situation could have been considerably worse without him, and he is certain to attract interest from clubs higher up the pyramid during the off-season.

Most Disappointing Player

Much was expected of winter signing Park Dae-hoon, who arrived from Chungnam Asan fresh from scoring a brace against Daegu in the 2024 playoff. However, he struggled to make an impact, taking 11 matches to score his first goal — a well-taken strike in the cup against Anyang in May. He would not score again until late August, when his two goals secured a 3–1 victory over Suwon FC.

That proved to be his final meaningful contribution, as he failed to find the net again and finished the season with a meagre return of three goals and no assists. Daegu supporters will expect far more from him in K League 2 next season as the club looks for someone to ease the scoring burden on Cesinha.

Most Important Decisions of the Off-Season

There are several areas of the squad in need of strengthening, as well as a number of players who likely need to be moved on. The club currently have two senior goalkeepers in Oh Seung-hoon and Choi Young-eun, neither of whom were making the bench in the latter part of the season, and both will surely need to depart to free up wages.

Mid-season signing Carlos Jatoba is another candidate to move on, having barely featured after his first few weeks and even making an appearance for the club’s K4 ‘B’ team. If he is not going to play a role moving forward, freeing up that squad space is essential.

A lack of consistency also plagued central midfield, with the club never settling on a regular partnership. Although Han Kook-young has recently been signed from Jeonbuk, there are doubts over whether the 35-year-old can play week in, week out, meaning further reinforcements are required. Left-back is another position that needs attention, and an experienced, reliable option should be high on the club’s shopping list.

In terms of retention, veteran striker Edgar has already renewed his contract for another year, a sensible decision given his experience and leadership as the club looks to bounce back at the first attempt. It is equally vital that Daegu retain Cesinha, and while his age and wages could be a factor, his love for the club makes a move elsewhere unlikely.

Finally, there remains lingering unrest off the pitch. With Jang Young-bok now in place, he faces a demanding list of responsibilities. Beyond guiding structural changes within the club, he is tasked with managing every aspect of the playing roster. Decisions surrounding the future of head coach Kim Byung-soo—who is widely expected to remain—along with negotiations and potential changes involving the rest of the coaching team, will ultimately be determined by him in what is sure to be a challenging off-season for the club.