"Something different" - John Iredale talks switch to South Korean capital

After spending several years in Europe, featuring in an exciting promotion run and facing off against top talent, John Iredale now plays his club football in South Korea. Even though his continental switch was a curious move to Australian football fans, the Socceroo is enjoying his time in South Korea as he looks to write an exciting new chapter in his club's history.

John Iredale celebrates his first Socceroos goal against Lebanon in Canberra. (Image: Aleksandar Jason/Socceroos)

Born in Sydney, John Iredale is a striker who battled hard in Europe to earn minutes every week. He learned how demanding football was on the continent early on as Iredale was just 18 when he joined the youth ranks at Eredivisie side SC Heerenveen. During his time in the Netherlands, he managed to share the pitch with plenty of talent coming out of the country, including Liverpool attacker Cody Gakpo, Morocco international Zakaria Aboukhlal and Newcastle United defender Sven Botman.

Iredale's breakthrough in Europe happened at German 3. Liga club Wehen Wiesbaden, where he played a role in a special promotion run that even saw the Australian striker score in a promotion playoff against Arminia Bielefeld. But after the club were relegated again to the third tier of German football, Iredale made the switch to Danish Superliga outfit Aalborg BK.

The weeks went by in Denmark, and despite getting on the scoresheet in a few matches, the 26-year-old forward became increasingly motivated to want to experience something new in his career. Ever since he left Australia at 18, his professional career had never taken him outside of Europe. When an offer came from K League 2 outfit Seoul E-Land FC, it was a unique opportunity that caught his attention.

"After playing five years in Germany, I felt that I wanted to do something different," Iredale told Front Page Football  about his recent moves from Europe to Asia.

"I am lucky enough to play football as a job, and I wanted to unlock the ability to see the world as well. At one point in your career, you have to consider what is realistic and what's not. My goal was to always play for Manchester United. But I didn't want that goal to make me stay in one position for my whole career and then later wish I did more, [and] push myself in different environments. I went to Denmark for six months, it was good, but I made that move thinking about what other people would think.

"As long as you make the decisions for your own career, that's the most important thing. When I had the opportunity to move to Seoul, it was pretty exciting, and obviously, the club has high expectations to push for promotion this year, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to move to a club that will dominate a lot of games and have a lot of chances."

Seoul E-Land FC is owned by the E-Land Group, one of the largest conglomerates across the country; they have a share in various consumer industries such as theme parks, hotels, construction and fashion apparel. Established in 2014, Seoul E-Land FC have remained in the second tier of South Korean football ever since their creation and has never progressed beyond the Round of 16 stage of the Korean Cup.

Earning promotion to the K League 1 is a challenging path, as only the first position in the K League 2 is guaranteed to go up. Positions second through fifth all enter a playoff that features matches against the bottom sides of K League 1. In 2024, no K League 2 outfit managed to earn promotion via the playoffs, which shows how hard it is for the second division sides to climb up the football pyramid. Despite its challenges, Iredale understands the level of South Korean football and recommends the K Leagues as a place where Australian footballers can gain valuable experience abroad.

"South Korean football is very intense, I don't know if they know how to do things slowly," he said.

"It's like one hundred miles per hour the whole time, but that also brings a lot of technical mistakes. I think if players could slow down in important situations, it would be better quality, but you really have to work hard if you want to play in South Korea.

"I do think it's worth it for Australian players to play in South Korea, there are already a few Aussies here, especially in the second division. For example, Charles Lokolingoy just moved here a few weeks ago, and I think if you are or aren't doing well in Australia, Asia is a great opportunity to excel your career or revitalise it. With Charles, he has everything in front of him if he can do well, so I think it shows that you shouldn't stay close-minded. If Australians want to do something new or try to see the world while playing football, South Korea is a great place to do that."

There are plenty of football culture and lifestyle differences between South Korea and Australia. While South Korean football lacks the financial backing of Saudi Arabia or Japan, the country boasts an extensive history, evident in both its club and international scenes. Clubs such as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Ulsan HD and Pohang Steelers have won the Asian Champions League Elite, with South Korean clubs collectively winning the most Champions League titles of any country. As for the national team, the Taeguek Warriors have qualified for 11 straight FIFA Men's World Cup appearances.

Ulsan HD were the last South Korean club to win the Asian Champions League Elite. (Image: Mahdi Zare)

"Football and baseball are their two biggest sports, and Heung-Min Son is everywhere," Iredale said about the football scene in South Korea.

"They have their icons here like K-pop stars and K-Drama, and put them on such a high pedestal, so if they're a fan of a club like FC Seoul, it just means the world to [the fans]. It's so cool to see our group of fans as well, even though we're a young club, we're everything to them.

"A culture shock would be the hierarchy there, it's so different to anywhere else in the world," he added about life off the pitch in South Korea.

"If somebody is even a month older than you, you're moving out of their way, you're letting them into the lift first. Age is a massive thing in South Korea. It's really nice to be a part of. Living in Seoul, you can get off at any metro station and it feels like you're in a different city. No matter how long I live here, I don't think I will be able to see it all. My Spanish teammate Osmar, who has been here for 11 years, said even if you do see it all, it always changes. I'm really enjoying it, and you also can't go wrong with a Korean BBQ."

---

READ MORE ON FPF

AUSSIES ABROAD: FPF's Aussies Abroad power rankings: Week 1

FRANK PIMBLETT: From schoolboy prodigy to Brisbane City star, and kickabouts with Rod Stewart: The Frank Pimblett story

AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL'S ECONOMY: "There are massive opportunities" - How the Australian football economy is growing

---

On the topic of international football, Iredale is an Australian international and Socceroo #640. He made his debut in March 2024, coming off the bench against Lebanon in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Western Sydney Stadium. Just a few days later, after making his debut, the 26-year-old forward scored his first international goal as he netted Australia's fourth goal in their 5-0 win over Lebanon in Canberra. The newly-capped Socceroo scored with his first touch of the match, breaking into tears with a special dedication to his fiancée and dad. For Iredale, it was years of sacrifice and commitment that rewarded him with a Socceroos call-up and goal.

"As a kid, that was the only thing I wanted to do, was to represent the national team," he said.

"Having my dad there, he flew in from the United States, and I had my family drive down from Sydney to Canberra to watch me score. I knew that they were there, and their support means everything for me. That goal was not just for me, but it was for them. So all the emotions hit me at once, and now I want to chase that feeling again.

"The [Socceroos] have got a lot of motivation to do even better than in the last World Cup," Iredale added when talking about the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"By directly qualifying, the players have every right to be confident heading into that World Cup. Obviously, I was part of the 2023 Asian Cup and a few other camps, but going out of the Asian Cup, it hurt everyone. We really wanted to go all the way there and later it showed with a couple of poor results. But the whole reset (in management) brought some new motivation to really get the job done, and I was really proud to see that."

Click here to read more of Front Page Football's Aussies Abroad coverage!