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Kim Ki-tae named new manager of Kia Tigers

Posted October. 29, 2014 05:38,   

한국어

The Kia Tigers have named Kim Ki-tae, 45, former manager of the LG Twins, as its new manager.

After searching to recruit its new manager after the resignation of former coach Sun Dong-yeol, Kia announced on Tuesday that it named Kim as its new commander. The team signed with Kim a three-year contract of 1 billion won (950 million U.S. dollars), including 250 million won or 238,000 dollars in down payment, plus 250 million won in annual salary. Kim, who voluntarily resigned as LG manager early this season, is thus returning to pro baseball after a six-month hiatus.

There was a flurry of twists before Kim, an alumnus of Gwangju Jeil High School, takes the helm of the team based in his hometown. Kia originally planned to renew appointment of Sun, who had led the team for three years. The team even announced on Oct. 19 that Sun would continue to lead the team for another two years.

However, Kia’s fans strongly protested upon hearing the news on reappointment as the team’s coach Sun, who failed to bring the team to the round of four best teams for three consecutive years. Facing backlash of negative public opinions, Sun voluntarily offered to resign on Saturday last week, the sixth day after the team announced the renewal of his appointment. After starting a search for the next manager, Kia recruited Kim as its new leader on the third day.

A source at Kia said, “What the team needs the most is ‘leadership of an elder brother,’ whom the players can trust and follow. Manager Kim is a leader who is strong in communications and trustful. We have judged him to be the best candidate than will achieve teambuilding and unity.”

Kim’s “elder brother leadership” shined out at LG. Having assumed LG’s leadership position in 2012, Kim led his team to the post season in the following year, for the first time in 11 years. LG players, who had been ridiculed as ‘sand particles’ due to poor teamwork, displayed solid teamwork under Kim’s leadership, and rose to the second place in the regular season last year. Kia, which struggled amid despair due to chronically poor performance, have given high marks to Kim’s charisma and communication skills.

Kim told The Dong-A Ilbo on Tuesday, “I know what fans want right now. Through this year`s wrap-up exercise and next year`s overseas training camp, I will do my best to change the color of the team. I will achieve the revival of Kia as a prestigious baseball team without fail.”

Currently staying in Gwangju, the new coach will conclude his schedules in Korea including learning about the situation of its players and selection of coaching staff, before joining a wrap-up training camp in Miyazaki, Japan that will start from Wednesday.