Who would have thought that such a ‘nuclear bomb’ would be dropped on the KIA Tigers out of nowhere.
Shock is the only word to describe it. An arrest warrant has been issued for an active baseball manager on suspicion of embezzlement. At first, I thought it was a case of bribery for soliciting recruits for an independent baseball team. An executive of an independent baseball team was accused of extorting money from players based on his friendship with the team’s manager, who happened to be KIA manager Kim Jong-guk. It happened in the middle of this month. At the time, the real names of Kim and the club were not disclosed. Kim expressed his frustration in an anonymous voice.
However, something else happened that brought him down.
Prosecutors, who were investigating Jang Jeong-seok, 토토사이트 the former manager of the controversial Park Dong-won (LG) FA, requested an arrest warrant for Kim on suspicion of embezzlement. According to prosecutors, Kim allegedly received about 100 million won from a coffee company that sponsors the Kia team to help with a contract. Kia fired Kim on Sept. 29. The move followed a suspension on Aug. 28.
Kim underwent a substantive examination of the warrant at the Seoul Central District Court on the 30th. It was a rare moment for an active coach to stand in the court photo line. It’s unclear how the money was spent or what Kim did for the sponsors, but it’s clear that he took the money. For now, he was spared arrest. The arrest warrant was dismissed after a probable cause review. However, the case is expected to continue to be fiercely fought in court.
It’s a big shock, but if KIA isn’t going to disband the baseball team, it has to play baseball. Coincidentally, the day the coach was arrested, the team left for spring training in Australia. Spring training can be led by the existing coaching staff, but once the season starts, the team will need a manager.
It’s urgent to find a new coach.
But it’s a tricky one, because the season is right around the corner, and the most realistic scenario is to hire a coach from within, someone who knows the team best. If hiring a head coach is a risky proposition, there’s always the option of playing the season on an interim basis to put out the fires. However, Kia is a team that is fully capable of challenging for the title this year. It’s hard for a team to stay intact for the long haul with an acting coach. That’s why the Kia team is blunt: “There will be no acting manager.”
Even if he is promoted to full-time manager, there is no one in the organization who has the experience to turn this mess around. Jin Gap-yong, Lee Bum-ho, and others could be candidates, but whoever does it, it will be Choboda. Furthermore, it doesn’t look good for the team to have someone who worked well with Kim to take over as head coach. However, everyone in the baseball world knows that this coach is someone that KIA is “developing” as a future manager. We can’t rule out the possibility of a surprise appointment.
But realistically, a new manager from the outside seems more likely.
However, the timing and reality is that the current coaching staff cannot be replaced. In the end, it has to be someone who can work with the current coaching regime, even if they don’t like it. Whether it’s because you know them or because they’re charismatic and can set the tone, you need to have a clear sense of direction. In the end, we need an experienced leader.
There are already a number of people who have made their way to Hamapyeong. One of them is former LG coach Lee Jong-beom, a franchise star in KIA’s legendary history. He has been touted as someone who could one day manage at KIA. Until last season, he worked as LG’s first base coach and maintained his field sense. He is the perfect card to overturn the current negative issues. However, his lack of managerial experience is a weakness.
That’s why the names of winning coaches come up. Ryu Jung-il, the national team coach who built the Samsung Lions dynasty. The return of Kia’s “national treasure” Sun Dong-yeol is also an option. Kim Kyung-moon is one of those coaches who needs no introduction. 토토사이트 순위 Kim Ki-tae and Cho Bum-hyun, who both tasted championships with KIA, could also be suitable as ‘firefighters’. Former NC Dinos coach Lee Dong-wook gets high marks for leadership. Kim Won-hyung, who led SSG Landers to the title, but was fired for unexplained reasons, could also be an alternative.
“We will think long and hard, but we want to appoint a new coach quickly,” said a KIA official. This statement sums up the difficult reality of KIA’s current situation.