“I think the first step is to talk to the club and catch (Yang) Hong-seok.”
On the 14th, Suwon KT appointed senior coach Song Young-jin as the new head coach.
Coach Song Young-jin wore the uniform of Changwon LG with the first overall pick in the 2001 rookie draft, and moved to Busan KTF (now Suwon KT) in 2005. He then played in KT’s uniform for 10 seasons, from the 2014-2015 season.
Immediately after his retirement, from the 2015-2016 season to the 2017-2018 season, he assisted coach Dong-Hyun Cho (current Hyundai Mobis coach) as a coach at KT. Afterwards, he worked as a coach at Yonsei University and Whimoon High School, gaining experience in many fields. He returned to KT as head coach last season, and now takes the helm of KT as head coach.
Coach Song Young-jin said, “It is an honor to take on such an important role in a team where I spent a lot of time as a player, a team where I coached for the first time after retiring, and a team where I came back again. Feelings are also new. So I have a desire to do better. I want to follow the example of my seniors and coaches and lead them to become a prestigious club. I would like to thank those who chose me,” he said.
Director Song Young-jin already knows the internal circumstances of KT, so he does not need to adapt to the team. It is a great strength that you can communicate smoothly with Heo Hoon and Yang Hong-seok, as well as seniors and Ha Yoon-gi, who belong to the rookie axis.
Then, what kind of picture is the basketball that director Song Young-jin draws? “I want to be a team that moves organically. I was also a player who valued movement without the ball. To do this requires sacrifice. Also, I want to make a high probability attack by playing fast basketball that matches the trend.” These are the words of director Song Young-jin.
Regarding the future schedule, director Song Young-jin said, “I was suddenly in charge, so I didn’t have time to think of specific parts. First of all, I think the first step is to talk to the club and catch (Yang) Hong-seok. Also, foreign players are important, so I am thinking of moving quickly.”
In a press release,안전놀이터 KT revealed the reason for choosing coach Song Young-jin, saying, “He has excellent player guidance and development skills, such as coaching Ha Yoon-ki and growing him into a top-notch center in one year.” Ha Yoon-gi was recognized for his growth by receiving the 2022-2023 season regular league skill development award.
When asked about this by manager Song Young-jin, he said, “The coaches took charge of each position and worked hard in the offseason. (Ha) Yoongi is a friend with good hardware and excellent abilities. We gave a lot of advice and talked a lot with each other. He is a player who never neglects practice and follows well, so he did well (laughs).”