Incheon United's M'Poku Sit Down on the K League
"There’s not enough entertainment in games" but M'Poku singles out Gwangju for praise of their playing style. "when I see the coach of Gwangju and the way they play, I love it"
The 2024 K League 1 season ended with the first-ever relegation of Incheon United. Long known as the "survival specialists" of the league, recent years had seen them achieve the dizzying heights of Asian Champions League qualification, back-to-back top-half finishes, and a cup semi-final. However, this year, it all came crashing down, sending shockwaves through the league, just a year after the relegation of Suwon Bluewings. A major talking point among K League fans, particularly Incheon United supporters, was the exclusion of former Cagliari and Standard Liège midfielder Paul-José M’Poku, who had been signed in the aftermath of the Asian Champions League qualification and had deleivered some excellent performances in that competition, as well as in the League in the 2023 season.
The 2024 season started well for M’Poku, with a welcome four starts in the first five games, which saw Incheon top the table early in the season. However, April and May saw M’Poku often limited to just 45 minutes per game, as the four-player foreign rule largely restricted his playing time. At the end of May, he scored his first goal of the season in a 1-1 draw with champions Ulsan Hyundai.
In the very next game, a bizarre 42nd-minute substitution did little to help the team as they began their slump down the table, eventually leading to the dismissal of Cho Sung-hwan. Under new manager Choi Young-keun, M’Poku started only twice. As the team's struggles intensified, particularly during Final B, the 32-year-old was limited to just nine minutes across the last five games of the season.
Incheon had always been a defense-first side under Cho, but as Choi’s inexperience began to show, his approach became even more defensive. This shift meant that creative players like M’Poku were often sidelined, rarely seeing any time on the pitch—even from the bench.
Key changes:
His ability on the ball and in possession was no doubt a loss to the team, alongside his experience while his defensive stats are not to be sniffed at either, winning most of his tackles and a high number of duels.
I interviewed M’Poku in the aftermath of the team’s relegation in Round 37 prior to the last game of the season, which M’Poku was not a part of.
What are your thoughts on Daejeon game?
It was the same every game. We never lead or act first; most of the time, we react. At home, we didn’t take many points, so for me, it was like déjà vu, and it was like we were never gonna see the end of the tunnel.
Comment: Incheon failed to score in the opening 15 minutes of any K League game this season
What was the incident after the whistle?
Nothing much just all of the frustration of not playing , losing and going down and the Daejeon player speaking a bit to much so I just lost it a little.
What went wrong this season for Incheon?
For me, and from what I have been hearing about Incheon and have seen since I came here, is that usually, Incheon play not to get relegated. But when I came with the other player who came two years ago, it was to play for ACL and top 6. But for that, you can’t keep playing the same way you were playing before because now we have a different type of player. But they kept playing the same way they have been playing for years, and for me, this is a problem. If they wanted to keep playing that way, then you have to bring players who know how to play “the Incheon way.” But if you want to play a certain way, you need to have the players to play the way you want and not just bring players because they are good or had a good career. Everything has to match, and I think not everything was matching.
Comment: Incheon also signed Shin Jin-ho in 2023, who had just been named in the Best XI of the 2022 season for Pohang. His move has also been a frustrating one, and one can certainly argue that the playing style never suited the player and vice versa.
Are there personal frustrations with not being able to help the team with lack of minutes?
I’m so frustrated because when I came here, I came to help, contribute, and do the things I’ve been doing for years: scoring, providing assists, showing skills, and bringing my positive energy. But unfortunately, I couldn’t do that. First, because of Incheon’s style of play: defensive. And second, because of their way of thinking about football and how players should think or play.
Every time I was doing well, the next game I’d be on the bench or not playing at all. I never had a few games in a row to make my mark, and that was so frustrating for me. I know my quality and what I can bring, but if they don’t give you the opportunity and the confidence, you can’t do anything.
What’s your preferred position?
I played in all these positions during my career, and most of the coaches I had at previous clubs always said it’s such an honor to have a player like me because I understand the game. They would say, "We can put you anywhere, and you will do the job." But here, it seems different.
What are your future plans?
I don’t know, to be honest. First, I really want to have a holiday, take a break, and cut off from everything. Then I’ll see. I just want to enjoy my football again because the last two years have not been easy.
General thoughts on K League?
Training, youth players, and coaching in the K League—it's not a bad league, but most of the teams don’t play football. A lot of teams sit back and wait; most of the games are not open, and for me, there’s not enough entertainment in the game. I think there are a lot of good young players with bright futures.
I’ve only had two coaches since I arrived, so I can’t say much about the others. But when I see the coach of Gwangju and the way they play, I love it. However, I’ve heard that in terms of mindset, most of the coaches are the same everywhere.
Comment: K League often ranks lowly globally in terms of goals per game