EXCLUSIVE Chelsea icon Gus Poyet is now managing in South Korea and is closing in on the league title with his former West Ham ace son as a coach
14:00, 12 Oct 2025
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Gus Poyet is the manager of K League giants Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Chelsea icon Gus Poyet is closing in on the South Korean league title with his former West Ham ace son as his coach.
The 57-year-old Uruguayan midfielder made his mark across seven years in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge and across London at Tottenham. And following his retirement, Poyet has enjoyed a managerial career that has taken him across the globe.
After coaching roles at Swindon Town, Leeds United and Spurs, Poyet made the jump into management with Brighton, leading the Seagulls from League One to the Championship play-offs.
He later went on the manage Sunderland in the Premier League before spells in Greece, Spain, China, France and Chile before taking the Greece international job. Now, Poyet is closing in on the K-League title with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
With six games remaining, Jeonbuk are 13 points clear at the top of the table in what could be the Green Warriors’ first title since 2021.
Gus Poyet celebrates scoring for Chelsea against Tottenham Hotspur
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Gus Poyet scored 49 goals in 145 games for Chelsea(Image: Mike Hewitt /Allsport)
Mauricio Taricco, who played with Poyet at Tottenham, and has been with the Uruguayan as assistant manager throughout his time in the dugout, dating back to when Poyet took the Brighton job in 2009 and remains his trusted assistant to this day.
Poyet’s son, Diego, has also become a crucial part of the backroom team. At only 30, Diego last played professionally for Pafos FC in 2018.
Just two years before, he was at West Ham as a 21-year-old.
Diego Poyet
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Diego Poyet retired just two years after leaving West Ham aged 21(Image: GETTY )
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, via Online Cricket Betting on the dynamic with his son under his wing, Poyet said: “He's still thinking as a player, and he will analyse the game like he was playing, and what he was doing.
“So he’s still young, but if I’m honest, he knows what I want, so it's straightforward. He will never say ‘I don't know.’
“He will tell me something, even if it's the opposite of what I think, and that's good for my way and for my staff. I want that kind of staff with me, people who tell me the truth.”
Diego Poyet now coaches alongside his dad Gus
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Diego Poyet has found success as a coach under his dad, Gus(Image: Instagram @diegopoyet)
The former Irons midfielder moved to East London from Charlton Athletic, where he had been in the youth ranks as a teenager.
But Diego made just three Premier League appearances at West Ham before heading on loans to Huddersfield, MK Dons and back to Charlton.
Poyet Jr’s career soon began to take it’s interesting turns as he rejected interest from England and Europe to sign for Argentine club Godoy Cruz after being released by the Hammers, just a year later played his last game before stepping into coaching.
Diego Poyet
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Diego Poyet looks unrecognisable from his playing days
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Having been born in the same decade as most of the first-team playing squad, Poyet lauded: “In his first job, he was in Chile when we went there, and even the young players, they were all speaking to him, asking things and for help me and help me your dad!
“But now it is more different kinds of ages. It's depending on the player, depending the approach, but he's very easy for the players.”