"NC Director? I thought it would never be" A dream that has become a reality, I'm having an official inauguration ceremony today

Oct 31, 2024

Lee Ho-joon, new director of NC Dinos. Photo =NC Dinos

"It's definitely not me. I couldn't go, so I was thinking only like this."

NC Dinos' new coach Lee Ho-joon will finally hold an official inauguration ceremony. The NC club will hold the inauguration ceremony of new coach Lee Ho-joon at 2 p.m. on the 31st at the Olympic Memorial Hall in Masan Stadium in Changwon City. CEO Lee Jin-man, general manager Lim Sun-nam, the entire team, coaching staff and front staff will all attend to congratulate the new coach.

The NC squad was divided into several parts after the regular season, and the whole team could not gather in one place. Coach Lee Ho-joon has also been looking at finishing training in Changwon since his inauguration, but he has not met all the players. With the inauguration ceremony, all the players will be able to meet in one place and greet each other. Starting with coach Lee Ho-joon's uniform dressing ceremony and introduction of the coach, a bouquet of flowers will be delivered, a welcome speech, an inauguration speech and a meeting of the team.

Lee Ho-joon as NC coach. Sports Chosun DB

For Lee Ho-joon, it will be his first return to Changwon in about three years and his first managerial inauguration in seven years since he began his coaching career. Lee Ho-joon, who was NC's first FA recruit, played five seasons as an NC player and spent three more seasons as a coach after retirement. After finishing the 2021 season, he left NC and served as batting coach, QC coach, and head coach for the LG Twins.

Coach Lee Ho-joon was selected as a candidate for the coach who had been prepared since he was a player. He was a leader-type player who led the team during the SK Wyverns dynasty. In particular, after moving to NC, a new team, he contributed to the team's discipline in a situation where a large number of young and inexperienced players were making up. After retirement, he has been evaluated as a person who can one day take office as a director while walking the path of a full-fledged leader.

He has also been selected as a candidate for the coach of other teams several times. Last year, he was mentioned as a leading candidate for the next coach of SSG Landers, but he also had an experience that unfortunately failed. Director Lee Ho-joon said, `This year, everyone around me was really careful. Because that happened last year, LG's team representatives, general managers, and team leaders (former team members) didn't show off at all. It was really noticeable that the team was careful, too. I felt that all my close friends and relatives thought of me quietly without saying anything. He was worried that it might go wrong."

사진=NC 다이노스

As NC's head coach position became vacant, Lee Ho-joon was mentioned as the most influential candidate this time, but the person in charge tried to focus more on his role as the head coach at LG. Coach Lee Ho-joon said, `It happened last year, so I could see that everyone was careful. I'm also trying not to make it obvious that it's not going to be me at all. I tried to give up my expectations thinking, 'I can't go to NC, never' I think there were so many people who helped me like that. Everyone thought a lot about me. "After the announcement that he became the director, people around him went crazy. Everyone was happy as if it were their job."

NC has suffered a hard time this season, including a series of injured players and 11 consecutive losses due to the ups and downs of key players. Although they competed for second place in the early part of the season, their final regular season performance was only ninth. How will coach Lee Ho-joon change the atmosphere of the NC squad. Starting with the official inauguration ceremony, we are now taking a full-fledged step.

youll@sportschosun.com