Kim Ho-gon Takes Helm of Olympic National Team

Busan Icons` coach Kim Ho-gon (52) is to take the helm of the national soccer team of Korea for the 2004 Athens Olympics. In the future, the national team will be divided into 2 kinds: the [regular] national team and the Olympic national team.

On Nov. 2nd, the Korean Federation of Soccer held a session and decided to appoint Kim coach of the Olympic national team. On the other hand, the national team will be managed by a foreign coach, who will be selected early next year.

Kim Jin-kook, a committee chairman of the federation, explained, "We have decided to leave the national team to a foreign coach, considering the good performance of the national team during the last World Cup. But, we think it`s right to give a chance to a Korean coach. Thus, we appointed Kim the coach of the Olympic national team."

In the meanwhile, Kim`s term as the coach of Busan Icons ends at the end of this year. As a player, Kim was a member of the national youth team and the national team in 1970s. Then, he started his career as a coach in 1979, taking the helm of Seoul Trust Bank. Thereafter, he led the national team in the New Deli Asian Games in 1982, the Mexico World Cup in 1986, and the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. His term as the Olympic team coach will last until 2004. In addition, since the national team does not have its coach now, Kim will lead the national team in the Nov. 20th A match against Brazil.

Chairman Kim also confirmed, "We will consider all the options we have in appointing the national team coach. There is no major game until March of next year. But we will not insist on Guus Hiddink."

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com