Daejeon Hana Citizen getting relegated seems like a waste | OneFootball

Sitting rock bottom with just four wins to their name, Daejeon Hana Citizen are staring at the possibility of returning to K League 2 after just two seasons. At this point in 2023, Daejeon were sat in eighth place with 30 points - 10 clear of the first relegation playoff place and 18 above last place - following on seven wins, nine draws, and six losses. Getting relegated just seems like such a waste of the last few years.

They say it's the hope that kills you. The late winner against Gwangju FC in Round 18 gave Daejeon a bit of hope. A grand total of 18 points from 18 games wasn't ideal but Daejeon were only four points behind the top six. Perhaps after this relegation scare, the Purples could put together a string of results and reach Final A?

Results elsewhere have gone in Daejeon's favour and Hwang Sun-hong ought to consider himself lucky that his team are not completely cut adrift. But when teams in and around Daejeon have dropped points, Daejeon have failed to capitalise. Since the Round 18 win over Gwangju, Daejeon have lost three out of their last four - the comeback draw at home to Jeonbuk being the only point gained since. Jeonbuk picked up their first win in 10 in midweek, and Incheon in ninth are on a run of five without a win, Daegu four.

Daejeon slipped to bottom of the table on Wednesday night following a 2-1 loss away to FC Seoul and Jeonbuk's 2-1 home win over Jeju. Both were comeback wins with the away sides scoring early. For Jeonbuk, the cruel irony that Jeon Byeong-kwan and Tiago Orobo - two players who were Daejeon's last season - both scored won't be lost on the Citizen faithful. It just seemed to sum up

Bottom of the table and four points from safety, really it's five because of Daejeon's low goals scored tally and low goal difference. Is this it, then? Eight years in K League 2 for two years in K League 1 and then sleepwalk back into the second tier? It all seems such a waste. Also, it almost makes you feel foolish for enjoying the promotion season, the relatively successful first campaign back in K League 1 last year, and for having the pre-season optimism. After all, the noises coming from the club were all about ACL qualification.

Daejeon went through hell and high water to get back to K League 1 but are now staring down the barrel of, at best, a relegation playoff spot. And that's what Daejeon are going to have to accept. It will, most likely, be three of the current bottom four who make up the bottom three. One of Incheon, Daegu, Jeonbuk and Daejeon will be relegated automatically. Two of the others will put their lives on the line in the playoffs. All Daejeon need to do is avoid finishing 12th and in that sole automatic relegation spot, there's no point in thinking about much more than that.

Final Round Robin

This weekend sees the start of the third round robin of the 2024 season. It's the last chance for Daejeon - and the other teams in the bottom four for that matter - to get their act together. In the last three seasons, the team that was propping up the table at this point went to suffer automatic relegation - Gwangju FC in 2021, Seongnam FC in 2022, Suwon Bluewings in 2023. Incheon survived in 2019 and 2020 but this broke the trend of Gyeongnam in 2014, Daejeon in 2015, Suwon FC in 2016, Gwangju in 2017, and Jeonnam in 2018.

Simply put, it is not looking good for Daejeon. But the Purples are one point behind 11th and three from safety. Over the last 10 years in a 12-team K League 1, the average number of points the 12th-placed team has been from 11th is three, and the average point gap from safety is seven. Last year, the Bluewings were three points from 11th and 15 from safety - the joint-biggest margin.

Relegation Place History

In 2023, after 22 matches played, Suwon Bluewings were 12th having won just twice and were relegated. Suwon FC and Gangwon FC were 10th and 11th respectively and both survived by winning their relegation playoffs. In 2022, Seongnam were bottom on two wins and went on to suffer relegation, Gimcheon were 10th and the Bluewings were 11th but would later swap places and the former suffered relegation, the latter survived in the playoffs.

In 2021, the last season of just one relegation playoff spot, Gwangju were bottom after five wins and went on to fall through the trap door, with Seongnam in 11th. Seongnam would survive, finishing 10th with Gangwon falling from ninth into 11th. Daejeon fans won't need reminding of what happened next.

In 2020, Round 22 was the last regular season round due to the pandemic-forced late start. Incheon were bottom but would go on to pull off the greatest of great escapes. It was Busan who went down automatically. There was no relegation playoff as Sangju were moving to Gimcheon and had to start life in the second tier.

In 2019, Incheon were bottom and Gyeongnam were 11th. Incheon survived, but Gyeongnam did not. Jeju went down automatically, slipping from 10th to 12th. In 2018, Jeonnam Dragons were 12th and went down. Incheon were 11th but survived. FC Seoul, despite being seventh and 13 points clear of the 11th, ended up in the relegation playoff and survived.

In 2017, Gwangju were 12th and got relegated. Incheon were 11th but survived, Sangju who were ninth at this point of the season, ended up slipping into the playoffs but beat Busan over two legs. In 2016, Suwon FC were 12th and went on to suffer automatic relegation. Incheon were 11th but it was Seongnam who ended up finishing in that position and were relegated.

In 2015, it was Daejeon who were 12th with just one win. They got relegated, as did Busan who were in 11th at this point, losing to Suwon FC in the playoffs. In 2014, the first season of the 12-team K League 1, Gyeongnam were 12th and relegated but via the playoffs, finishing 11th. Sangju finished 12th and went down automatically.

There's Still Time...

But it's beginning to run out. Daejeon's injury list is giving Hwang Sun-hong a serious headache. Kim Seung-dae, Kim In-gyun, Park Jin-seong, Lee Jun-gyu, Vladislavs Gutkovskis, and Shin Sang-eun are all currently sidelined. Choi Geon-ju took a knock in the loss against Seoul and Masatoshi Ishida was left out of the squad altogether.

The transfer window is still open and Daejeon are said to be busy working on bringing even more players in. The Purples have already signed seven new players including Korea international right wingback Kim Moon-hwan, promising young striker Cheon Seong-hoon from Incheon, as well as Masatoshi Ishida who returned just six months after leaving for J1 side Jubilo Iwata. But Daejeon need to get their act together very quickly, starting with the visit of Gangwon FC in Round 23.