Gyeongnam FC have appointed FC Seoul reserve team chief Choi Jin-han as their new manager, bringing to an end the recent round of managerial changes following the end of the 2010 K-League season.
The club had earlier confirmed that Kim Kwi-hwa, who held the position on a caretaker basis following Cho Kwang-rae’s departure for the national team job in August, would not be appointed on a full time basis and invited applications for the position after the side exited the K-League championship playoffs to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on November 20th.
Choi spent the bulk of his professional playing career with Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso, the club with which he enjoyed his greatest playing success by winning the 1990 K-League championship and being voted MVP for that season. He moved to Yukong Kokkiri at the end of 1990 before retiring in 1992 having made 173 career league appearances.
He began his coaching career with Kwandong University in 1993 and remained in charge of that side until he took up a position in the national team set-up in 1999. He was on the U23 coaching staff from 1999-2002 and was a trainer in Guus Hiddink’s 2002 World Cup coaching staff that reached the semi-finals of that tournament.
More recently he enjoyed coaching spells at Daegu FC and Chunnam Dragons before joining former club Hwangso in their current guise of FC Seoul as U18 coach in 2007. He was promoted to reserve team manager at the start of 2010, and led the second string side to victory in their regional league section.
