Kim Nam-il, an integral member of the semifinalist South Korean team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, will join a task force for the nation's football industry, the Korea Football Association said on Tuesday.
The KFA said that Kim, who recently decided to end his playing career, will be a member of its Strategic Planning for Future Task Force that rolls out productive plans for South Korean football. The KFA technical committee chief Lee Yong-soo is the leader of the task force.
"Kim's abundant experience in various football leagues will help us design future plans for South Korean football," Lee said. "We have big expectations for Kim who was on the pitch until recently."
Kim recently told Yonhap News Agency via phone that he decided to hang up his boots. He had been searching for a club since January after his contract with Kyoto Sanga FC in the second-tier Japanese league expired last year, but couldn't find any suitors. The 39-year-old defensive midfielder then entered the KFA's coaching license sessions that started on Monday, hinting that he would someday manage in the future.
"I have no regrets (about retirement) because I have played enough," Kim said last Friday.
Dubbed "Vacuum Cleaner" for his defensive prowess, Kim played 98 matches for South Korea, featuring at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cup. After making his pro debut with Jeonnam Dragons in the top-flight K League Classic in 2000, he has played with domestic clubs Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Incheon United and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. He also played for Dutch club Excelsior and Russian side Tom Tomsk. (Yonhap)
