Valeri Qazaishvili has been a key part of this Ulsan Hyundai side over the last two seasons. Eight goals and three assists in the league this year (up until Round 37) followed nine and two in 2021. 

But after the disappointment of losing the title last year, Vako can finally call himself a K League champion - the second winner's medal of his career having also won the Polish league title with Legia Warsaw in 2016-2017. 

Interview

Q: How does it feel to be K League champions?

A: "It's a very, very nice and good feeling and, you know, and we have one more game to go and I think after the last game there will be a lot of emotions. After 17 years, so it's really really nice."

Q: You've won a league title before, but is this the highlight of your career?

"Yeah, I can say that because I played a lot of games and from the beginning, our focus was to win the league and all during the season we were the number one (in the table) most of the time so I can say that for sure."

Q: What's been the difference in this Ulsan team this year compared to last year?

"I think it was all about experience and about the mistakes that we made last year. This year we tried not to repeat those, stay more focused, and every game and every point was important."

Q: Can you please describe your emotions during the game against Jeonbuk? Goals in the 96th and 99th minutes, what a rollercoaster that must have been?

"Yeah, that was the biggest game of the season. I don't know why, but from the first minute, even though we were losing, I believed that we would not lose that game. I really, really believed that until the last minute, we were going to win. We just tried, we pushed hard and it was an amazing feeling and especially to win the game like this at home it was really the biggest game of the season."

Q: When you saw the videos of fans and how emotional they were, did that make you realise even more just how special this is?

"Yeah, for sure. The fans and supporters, they were there from the first game and they always show support and always show a lot of emotions and it was like..., especially against Jeonbuk, it was the biggest game and to win like this and then after the game I saw the emotions in the fans and it's really felt very good that we won for them."

Q: You had to come from behind to win against Gangwon in the game that sealed the title. How did you feel when the referee gave the penalty for your foul?

"I believed that, even though we were losing, we had a good chance to even make a draw or win the game because we wanted to just play our game. But yeah, it was the referee's decision but it felt very bad at that moment but especially after the Jeonbuk game we switched our mentality."

Q: And then when the final whistle was blown and it was confirmed that Ulsan are K League champions, how did that feel? 

A: "It was crazy, really nice, a really good feeling and a lot of emotions in the dressing room. Now we are waiting for the last game then there will be more celebrations, pictures with the trophy and with the team and I'm really really looking forward to it. We will find out from the club [this week] what the plans are but I am sure there will be a big, big celebration."

Q: Your captain Lee Chung-yong has been nominated for MVP, how important has he been for the team this season?

A: "He's a great player and great person and a great captain as well. He's helped us with his experience and, for me, he's the best player that I played with. I'm learning a lot from him and he's such a good player and it's a joy to watch him every day in training."

Q: The manager too, Hong Myung-bo, has been nominated for the manager award. Winning the league title should be enough for him to win it, surely?

A: "Yeah, for sure. He deserves it and he's a great coach and he deserves to win this year for sure."

Q: You have been nominated for the Best XI. How do you feel about that?

A: "Of course it's nice. Let's see what's going to happen but the most important thing for me was to win the league. This was my goal from the beginning, from the first game this season so that's what was most important."

Paul Neat
Managing Editor