Singapore Premier League outfit Lion City Sailors have announced 2020 AFC Champions League winner Kim Do-hoon as its new head coach this week
Image credit: Lion City Sailors Facebook
Jalan Besar Stadium - Singapore Premier League (SPL) outfit Lion City Sailors have announced Kim Do-hoon as its new head coach this week.
The South Korean led Ulsan Hyundai FC to victory in the 2020 AFC Champions League in December 2020 to round-up a hugely successful four-year spell in which he also led the K League 1 side to the Korean FA Cup and two runners-up finishes. He joins the Sailors on a two-and-a-half year deal.
Arriving nine (9) weeks after former Head Coach Aurelio Vidmar's mid-season departure for Thailand's BG Pathum, Kim is looking to "accelerate the process" of the Sailors progress in its aspirations of becoming a competitive regional powerhouse.
Image credit: Lion City Sailors Facebook
Lion City Sailors have been without a Head Coach since 27 April 2021, during which time Robin Chitrakar was the interim caretaker manager of the Sailors, who currently sit second in the Singapore Premier League table after 11 matches, just a single point adrift of league leaders Albirex Niigata.
The league is slated to resume on 17 July 2021 after a month-long international break, with the Sailors returning to action in a mouth watering top-of-the-table clash with Albirex Niigata at Jurong East Stadium on 23 July with Kim at the helm.
Image credit: Lion City Sailors Facebook
Speaking to Lion City Sailors' official media, Kim is optimistic about raising the overall level of football in Singapore, beyond just chasing success with the Sailors.
He also hopes to help the Sailors reach their potential, and believes from his initial few training sessions with the Sailors that the team has what it takes to meet his high demands in pursuit of their domestic and regional aspirations.
“There is still a lot of room for improvement. But if we work together as a team and put in the effort, we can become a force in Asia in due time,” the 50 year-old shared with the Lion City Sailors' official website. “There are no shortcuts to success, but I’m here to help us achieve our goals in a faster manner.”
For now the short-term target for Kim is to spearhead the Sailors to their first-ever Singapore Premier League (SPL) title since the club's 2020 inception.
No local club side has won the SPL since 2014, with the now defunct Warriors FC last Singapore team to crowned as champions of Singapore's top flight.
Image credit: Lion City Sailors Facebook