Kitchee interim boss Kim Dong-jin in dark over future as defending champions continue quadruple quest
- Champions looking for a fourth straight Hong Kong Premier League title
- ‘The club has to decide. I cannot say if I deserve the job,’ Kim says after booking second cup final
Kim Dong-jin, the Kitchee interim head coach, remains in the dark over whether he will be permanently appointed, despite leading the reigning champions one step closer to a unique quadruple this week.
Hong Kong midfielder Tan Chun-lok scored deep into stoppage time against Tai Po on Wednesday to earn a 4-3 win and book Kitchee’s place in May’s Sapling Cup final.
Kim’s team won the Senior Shield in February, and will play Eastern in the FA Cup semi-finals. The club’s bid for a fourth straight league title is poised to go to the wire, with Kitchee trailing Lee Man by two points but having one game in hand over the league leaders.
Kim, who had a spell in caretaker charge in 2021-22, took over in September, after owner Ken Ng Kin fired previous boss Alex Chu Chi-kwong following a poor start to the season.
“I am not sure what will happen, we have to wait until the end of the season, then let’s see what decision the boss [Ng] makes,” Kim said.
“There is an audience [to see what we are doing], but the club has to decide. I cannot say if I deserve the job, I just need to work hard with our coaching staff, because we have good momentum, and we want our players to show their best on the pitch.”