Name Kim Pan-gon Role Football manager | Years Team Height 1.78 m Date joined 1992 | |
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Date of birth (1969-05-01) 1 May 1969 (age 46) Playing position Team coached Hong Kong national football team (Manager, since 2012) Manages Hong Kong national football team Similar People Yapp Hung Fai, Ernie Merrick, Alain Perrin | ||
Kim Pan-Gon (Hangul: 김판곤; Hanja: 金判坤, born May 1, 1969 in Jinju, South Korea) is a South Korean football manager who is currently the head coach of Hong Kong national football team. Kim holds the AFC Professional Football Coaching Diploma, the highest football coaching qualification in Asia.
Contents
- Playing career
- South China AA and Hong Kong national football team
- Gyeongnam FC
- Hong Kong National Academy
- Personal life
- Club career
- Hong Kong national football team
- Hong Kong Under 23 national football team
- References
Playing career
Kim Pan-Gon played for K League clubs Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors before arriving Hong Kong to play for Instant-Dict in 2000. His left foot freekicks and fighting spirit earned him praise from the fans. He moved to Double Flower after Instant-Dict pulled out. In 2003, he became player-manager at Buler Rangers and retired as a player at the end of the season.
South China AA and Hong Kong national football team
Kim returned to South Korea in 2004 and earned his Professional Coaching License, at the time only 5 men in Korea held the same qualification. Hong Kong association football expert Kwok Ka Ming was his lecturer of the coaching lesson. After a few years working in the Korean League, he became the manager of Hong Kong First Division League giant South China from 2008. He is known for greatly improving the physical fitness of the Hong Kong players. He led the team to the semi-final of the 2009 AFC Cup, but lost to Kuwait SC.
He was also the manager of the Hong Kong national football team and Hong Kong U-23 from August 2009 to March 2010, during which time he led the senior team to the finals of the 2010 East Asian Football Championship and the U-23 team to victory in the Football at the 2009 East Asian Games football tournament.
On 11 December 2010, after a 3-4 defeat by Kitchee, Kim Pan-Gon resigned from the post of South China team manager, citing health reasons that required him to recuperate back in South Korea.
Gyeongnam FC
After returning to South Korea, Kim Pan-Gon became the strategic consultant for Gyeongnam FC as well as physical fitness consultant for South China
Hong Kong National Academy
Kim Pan-Gon suddenly appeared in Hong Kong on 5 October 2011, he claimed to the media that his health has recovered and he has applied last week to the HKFA to be the new Hong Kong national football team coach. He also confirmed that his contract with Gyeongnam FC still has one year to run, but he will be released if he is appointed by the HKFA.
Kim Pan-Gon was appointed National Academy Coach by the HKFA on 22 December 2011. He was wholly responsible for the identification, development and coaching of all players aged 18 and below. He took up the position of acting head coach of Hong Kong national football team in November 2012 following the resignation of former head coach Ernie Merrick.
Following the team's impressive performance under Kim, the Hong Kong Football Association confirmed Kim as the permanent head coach of the Hong Kong national football team on 28 May 2013. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the HKFA.
Personal life
His cousin, Kim Ho-Gon, is also a football coach and is now Manager of Ulsan Hyundai. He resides in Hong Kong with his wife, son and daughter.
Club career
Hong Kong national football team
As of 17 November 2015
Hong Kong Under-23 national football team
As of 26 October 2009