A meteoric rise to the top
When Seo Jeong‑won took over Chengdu Rongcheng last season, few pundits imagined the club would be rattling the league’s traditional powerhouses within a year. The 54‑year‑old South Korean, best known for his FA Cup triumph with Suwon Samsung Bluewings in 2016, has applied a blend of disciplined defending and high‑tempo attacking that feels tailor‑made for the Chinese Super League. The result? An unbeaten August that lifted Chengdu to first place and earned Seo the coveted manager of the month honor.
The five‑match run in August reads like a checklist of marquee victories:
- 2‑1 win over Shandong Taishan – a club that has hoisted the league title multiple times.
- 2‑0 triumph against Dalian Yingbo, showcasing a clean sheet and efficient finishing.
- 5‑1 demolition of Yunnan Yikun, where the attacking unit displayed its depth.
- 4‑1 rout of Shanghai Port, a direct challenge to the defending champions.
- 0‑0 stalemate with Qingdao Hainiu, preserving an unbeaten streak.
Those results pushed Chengdu to four wins, one draw and 13 points – the highest tally of any side that month. The points haul not only created a comfortable cushion over second‑placed Beijing Guoan but also sent shockwaves through the league hierarchy.
Why Seo’s tactics matter
Seo’s impact goes beyond the scoreboard. He has restructured the squad’s shape, opting for a 4‑3‑3 that quickly morphs into a compact 4‑5‑1 when defending. This fluidity allows wing‑backs to surge forward while a disciplined midfield shields the back four. The approach has reduced the number of goals conceded to just five in the ten matches spanning August and early September, a stark improvement from the club’s defensive record in its debut top‑flight season.
Off the ball, Seo emphasizes set‑piece efficiency. Chengdu has turned corner kicks into a source of goals, netting three from dead‑ball situations in August alone. This focus on marginal gains has paid dividends, especially against Shanghai Port where two of the four goals came from well‑rehearsed free‑kick routines.
Equally important is his man‑management. Youthful players such as forward Li Jie have been given confidence‑boosting minutes, while seasoned veterans like midfielder Wang Lei have been repositioned to roles that maximize their experience. The blend of youthful energy and veteran poise has fostered a locker‑room atmosphere where players buy into the collective vision.
September has continued the momentum. A hard‑fought win over Changchun Yatai was followed by a 1‑1 draw against third‑placed Shanghai Shenhua, a game that saw Chengdu maintain its lead thanks to a superior goal difference of +31. While Shanghai Port matched Chengdu on points, the goal‑difference gap underscores the attacking firepower Seo has unleashed.
Chengdu Rongcheng’s story is also a tale of rapid institutional growth. Founded in 2018, the club earned promotion to the CSL in 2022 and has yet to claim a major trophy. Yet, after just seven games remain in the season, they sit on the brink of a possible first‑ever league crown. The stakes are high, but Seo’s pragmatic yet ambitious blueprint suggests the club is more than just a flash in the pan.
On the continental front, the team’s AFC Champions League debut was halted by Ulsan HD, coached by fellow South Korean Shin Tae‑yong. While the Asian campaign highlighted areas for improvement, it did not diminish the domestic surge. Seo’s ability to compartmentalize the two fronts—learning from the continental setback while maintaining league focus—speaks to his seasoned coaching pedigree.
Titan Sports, one of China’s leading sports dailies, highlighted that Chengdu’s blend of “potent offense and organized defense” makes them a genuine title contender. The publication praised Seo’s tactical adjustments in the victories over Shandong and Shanghai, noting that those wins widened the gap over Beijing Guoan to four points—a margin that feels comfortably safe heading into the final stretch.
For Seo Jeong‑won, the manager of the month award is a personal accolade that validates years of hard work across the Korean and Chinese football scenes. It also cements his reputation as a coach capable of turning underdogs into front‑runners within a single season. Whether Chengdu can sustain this intensity until the final whistle remains to be seen, but the narrative they’ve crafted under Seo’s stewardship is already one of the most compelling in recent CSL history.
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