Kim, Jae-hwoon, LG Forward Player, Betters His Performance

Does a player require a good manager to better his performance?

30 month-old son hits upon Kim, Jae-hwoon (30, 1m93, photo), forward player of the LG, whenever he looks at Kim, Taewan, the manager of the team. His lovely son has the same name as the manager.

Kim, Jae-hwoon, who had his son before the manager Kim came to LG, selected the name, Kim, Taw-hwan, among several other names offered from a naming store in Jong-ro, Seoul. The manager came into his mind at the moment, the player said.

Kim, Jae-hwoon, who joined the LG from SBS as he gained free agent status this season, confessed the story to the director Kim. The manager welcomed the player and the story with his characteristic boisterous laugh as well.

Performance of Kim, Jae-hwoon, however, failed to satisfy managements in early stage of this season. He could not adapt himself to team color of the LG, which gives priority to speed and his scoring capability fell significantly. “The burden that I have to show best performance had stopped me,” he said looking back.

Unable to standby any longer, the manager took a deadly measure. He kicked Kim from the best five out to substitution group. Training hours are expanded more than two hours a day.

Kim, Jae-hwoon, as well, gave all he got on his individual training, staying at his lodge rather than home even in weekends. The strenuous training soon began to be paid.

His score, which halted average 3.7 in early seven games of this season, increased to 10.9, almost three times more, in afterward seven games. His defense, which often used to be pointed out as weakness due to his slow movements, has been improved. And now, he exerts amazing defense whenever main offense player of confronting team does his play.

Manager Kim, a well-known tactician, was gratified saying, “I put him under difficulties on purpose to give him stimulus because of his easy-going character, but now he is a hero of our team.”

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com