Seoul released a press release at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and officially announced that it has appointed Kim as the 15th head coach. The team did not disclose specific conditions such as contract period and annual salary. Multiple sources in the soccer community believe that Seoul has guaranteed conditions equivalent to those of the best K-League coach.
Seoul played the rest of the season as head coach Kim Jin-kyu’s acting coach after former coach Ahn Ik-soo resigned unexpectedly in August. Seoul, which failed to advance to the Final A group by staying seventh in the league, contacted Kim, who was recognized for his leadership in the K-League after the season. He chose Kim as the right person to rebound the team that has stayed in the Final B group for four consecutive seasons. 스포츠토토
Manager Kim, who played for Bucheon SK (currently Jeju) and Pohang as a player, took the helm of Pohang during the 2019 season and elevated Pohang, which was the mid-ranked team in the 2020 season, to the third place in the league, winning an unusual “Non-Winner Team Manager of the Year Award.” He became the best resourceful man in the K-League by winning the runner-up prize in the Asian Champions League in the 2021 season, the runner-up in the league, and the FA Cup in this season. The runner-up in the league and the FA Cup were the best performances Pohang has achieved since 2013.
“Coach Kim Ki-dong is a leader whose strength is excellent insight into the opponent’s attack based on high-quality tactics,” the Seoul club said. “He is praised for using various data to implement high-quality strategies and show his ability to cope like a fairy tail with quick judgment. Seoul appointed Kim Ki-dong, who has excellent tactics and strong leadership, as a coach, as he judged him to be the right person to lead the change to a team that meets the club’s philosophy and direction of pursuing fun and dynamic soccer, and above all, does not collapse easily.”
“Thank you for choosing me in Seoul, and I will do my best to show that I chose it well,” the new coach said. “I think it is my role to recreate the splendid glory of Seoul. I will definitely live up to many expectations.”
New coach Kim started his professional career in Pohang in 1991 and was evaluated as a midfielder representing the K League in Jeju’s predecessors, the Elephant of Merit, Bucheon Merit, and Bucheon SK. Since then, he moved back to Pohang in 2003 and played in 501 K-League games until he retired in 2011, earning a reputation as a representative “iron legend” in the K-League, holding the second-highest record for field players in the K-League history.
After his retirement, he became the coach of the U-23 national team in 2013, helping the team win a gold medal at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. He served as Pohang’s head coach in 2016. He has led 171 K-League matches, recording 73 wins, 50 draws, and 48 losses. Kim will take a short break and start preparing for the season in earnest.