"FC Seoul's rebirth will not come without confidence."

These are the words of Kim Ki-dong, 53, who will lead the rebuilding of professional soccer's FC Seoul in 2024. "I wouldn't have come here if I didn't have the confidence to make FC Seoul more like FC Seoul," Kim, who signed with the club late last month, said at his inaugural press conference at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday. "We need to do well first, whether it's in terms of performance, attendance, or box office, to make FC Seoul more like FC Seoul."

After finishing third in the 2019 season, Seoul finished 9-7-9-7 and saw a string of coaches leave. Kim said, "People around me say it would be good to finish sixth (as a first goal), but I want to finish higher than that. We will aim to qualify for the Asian Champions League this year," Kim said. "It's my personal goal to lift the trophy while I'm in Seoul," Kim said, adding that he wants to challenge for the big prize.

Kim wasn't a flashy player in the spotlight during his playing days, but his steadiness and grit earned him the distinction of being the oldest player to appear in 501 matches as a midfielder in the K League. The 'Hall of Fame' player, who played for the Pohang Steelers, has also had a successful career as a head coach in Pohang. In five seasons at the helm of Pohang since taking over in 2019, he has consistently led the team to the top of the table, even in the face of significant player turnover. He led the club to the 2021 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League runner-up spot and the 2023 Korean Football Association (FA) Cup title, and was named the KFA Coach of the Year in 2023.

"I led Pohang for five years and did a good job, if not great. After winning the FA Cup last year, there was talk in Seoul about the need for a change," he said. "Some people said it was possible 사설토토 because it was Pohang, and I wasn't conscious of that, but I've always had the will to take on new challenges."

Kim said he is in talks with the club about changing the generation and bringing in new players, but he also hopes to keep veteran Ki Sung-yueng, whose contract has not been finalized.

"I want to give the players faith that things will be different when they say, 'Coach Kim Ki-dong is different,' and follow me," said Kim, who used 'big brother leadership' to connect with the players at Pohang. Seoul will begin training on Nov. 5. The team will then prepare for the new season in Hua Hin, Thailand and Kagoshima, Japan.