Hong Kong FA Cup: Kitchee hit new low in semi-final defeat, head coach Kim’s future hangs in balance as club stays silent
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Interim head coach Kim Dong-jin’s future was left hanging by a thread on Sunday, after the South Korean was benched during Kitchee’s 2-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat against Eastern.
The loss was a new low in a rotten campaign for the defending champions, who will fail to win either the Hong Kong Premier League or FA Cup for the first time since 2016.
Last week, Ken Ng Kin, the Kitchee owner, told the Post the club was “looking at some options” for the managerial post next season, and hinted Kim’s prospects of landing the job hinged on securing cup success.
Kim was seemingly subjected to a public demotion at Mong Kok Stadium, where Eastern striker Noah Baffoe struck twice, either side of an equaliser from Mikael Severo.
The 42-year-old stayed rooted to the bench for the entire game, with assistant manager Edgar Cardoso apparently taking charge alongside fellow assistant Poon Man-chun.
Kim stormed down the tunnel at full-time, refusing to answer questions from reporters. Cardoso said he could not comment, while defender Andrew Russell also declined to talk.