SEOUL– Having netted six goals in his last three matches, Jeju United striker Joo Min-kyu is closing in on his first scoring title in the top South Korean football league. And the 31-year-old said Tuesday he also wants to enjoy some team success as the best season of his career winds down.
With three matches left on the K League 1 season, Joo holds a four-goal lead over Lars Veldwijk of Suwon FC, 21 to 17.
Joo is poised to become the K League 1’s first homegrown scoring champion since 2016. And the last one to accomplish that happens to be Joo’s current assistant coach, Jung Jo-gook.
“The coach has taught me a lot about staying patient and capitalizing on opportunities inside the box,” Joo said Tuesday in a phone interview. “And we’ve been playing so well as a team. Everyone gets along well with each other, and it shows on the pitch. Guys are going out of their ways to set up chances for me.”
Jeju earned a promotion to the top division this season after winning the K League 2 title in 2020. They’ve guaranteed themselves at least another season with the big boys by cracking the top six at the 33-match mark, when the dozen K League 1 teams were split into upper and lower tiers.
Jeju are undefeated in their past six matches and are sitting one point behind Daegu FC for third place at 51 points.
With the top two clubs, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Ulsan Hyundai FC, so far ahead of the pack, teams below them are left playing for third place and a spot in next year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.
Joo, who had his first taste of the continental tournament in 2019 while with Ulsan, said he would like nothing more than to get back at it next year because of all the lessons he learned the first time.
“Jeju have been to the AFC tournament before (in 2011, 2017 and 2018). We all have a clear sense of purpose, as far as wanting to return to that stage,” Joo said. “If we can secure a ticket to the tournament and I can wrap up the scoring title, that would be the best-case scenario for me this season. I will try to stay focused until the end of the season.”
Joo, a former midfielder who switched to forward in the second division in 2015, had his first breakout K League 1 campaign in 2017 for the military club, Sangju Sangmu, with 17 goals in 34 matches.
He said his objective every year is to reach double figures and he’d never expected to contend for a scoring title this year.
“I prepare for every season the same way, and I suppose I was finally able to put it all together this year,” Joo said. “I’d already accomplished my goal (of scoring in double digits) in the first half of this year. So I wanted to push myself to get another 10 goals the rest of the way.”
Joo is also one goal away from becoming just the 12th player to reach 100 career goals in the K League.
“It will be such a significant milestone,” Joo said. “Only 11 players have accomplished that in a league as old as ours. I’ll try to get to No. 100 first and go from there.”
Despite his goal scoring prowess, Joo has never been selected for the national team. Head coach Paulo Bento has deflected multiple questions about his snub of Joo, saying he prefers to consider tactical fit of his forwards rather than goal totals.
“There are many talented forwards available, and I am not really that disappointed that I haven’t been picked,” Joo said. “Until my career ends, my goal will be to make the national team.”
Joo said he doesn’t believe Bento has ever watched Jeju United play in person and added, “We have some good players on our team. If he saw us play, maybe he would find someone who can fit into his style.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency