Lee Kwang-jong


Lee Kwang-jong was a South Korean football player and manager.

Managerial career

Lee was temporarily appointed manager of the football team|South Korea national under-17 team] during the 2004 [AFC U-17 Championship qualification] in October 2003. He became an assistant coach of the national under-20 team the next year, and participated in the 2004 AFC Youth Championship and the 2005 [FIFA World Youth Championship].
Lee was appointed permanent manager of the national under-17s in October 2007, and qualified for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup by leading his team to a runner-up finish at the 2008 AFC U-16 Championship. Under him, South Korea reached the quarter-finals at the U-17 World Cup for the first time in 22 years since 1987.
Lee moved to the under-20 team the next year. He could not call up three forwards playing at Big Five leagues, namely Son Heung-min, Ji Dong-won and Nam Tae-hee, for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup due to their clubs' disallowance. His team earned three points in three group stage matches, narrowly avoiding early elimination. They lost 7–6 on penalties to Spain after a goalless draw in the round of 16.
Lee managed the next generation at the under-20 team after the 2011 U-20 World Cup. The new players were called the "Valley Generation", which meant the weakest generation, in South Korea, but unexpectedly won the 2012 AFC U-19 Championship under him. There were no key players among them, but their teamwork also led them to the quarter-finals at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Lee was promoted to under-23 team manager in November 2013. The players showed weaknesses in frontline movements and set pieces while playing at the 2013 AFC U-22 Championship, and so he called up overage target forward Kim Shin-wook to remedy the defective offense prior to the 2014 Asian Games – Men's tournament|2014 Asian Games]. However, Kim was injured in the second group stage match, and Lee had to change his plan. His team constructed a strong defense around captain Jang Hyun-soo, and brought a gold medal after winning all seven matches without conceding a goal. The Korea Football Association extended the contract with him until the end of the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2016 Summer Olympics].
In February 2015, Lee suffered from an acute leukemia, resigning from his post. On 26 September 2016, he died at the age of 52.

Honours

Player

Yukong Elephants
South Korea B

Manager

South Korea U17
South Korea U20
South Korea U23