29th August, 2016 – Pune, India: DSK Shivajians Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of striker Kim Song Yong for the forthcoming season.
The former North Korean International, who has vast experience of playing in India, joins the club on a two-year deal.
Kim is the third foreign signing of Pune-based DSK Shivajians FC for this season after Spaniard Juan Quero and Irishman Shane McFaul.
The striker has been playing in India since 2013 when he joined Rangdajied United FC from Thailand Premier Club side Nakhon Ratchasima. He scored four goals in 13 outings during his first season in the country. Kim then moved to the newly-promoted Royal Wahingdoh for the 2014-15 season and netted five times in 19 appearances to help the club finish third in the I-League.
In 2015, he signed for the current I-League champions Bengaluru FC, where he found the back of the net four times in their campaign en route the title.
Dave Rogers, DSK Shivajians FC Manager, talking about the new signing, said: “I saw Kim play regularly last season for Bengaluru FC, and I’ve always been very impressed with his performances. As a No. 9, I feel, he is the best in the I-League. A man of his experience and quality will only add strength and flexibility to the squad I’m building here.”
DSK Shivajians FC President, Shirish Kulkarni said; “We are happy to have signed a player of Kim’s stature. He’s an incredibly talented player who has valuable experience of playing for some of the top clubs in India. I am confident that he will be an asset to the squad in the upcoming season. I wish him all the best of luck for the season.”
Kim was born and raised in Japan, however, chose to play his international football for North Korea. He was a part of North Korea’s 2010 AFC Challenge Cup squad and has represented his country at the senior level on three occasions. Since 2007, he was a constant fixture in North Korea’s Under-23 squad before being called up to the senior side.
Expressing his joy on signing for DSK Shivajians FC, Kim said: “Since the time I know DSK Shivajians F.C, I observed the club has a professional management structure. The facilities are unmatched in India. These were reasons that made me interested. Luckily, I got a chance to join this year.
The team comprises of several young talented players, who in about 2-3 years will be in the running for a spot on the National team. The club’s Academy set-up is fantastic, which helps develop the long-term vision of DSK Shivajians FC.
I hope I can share my experience with my teammates for the benefit of the club. I am also very excited to help young players develop their skills. My aim is to score and help the team put in good performances and log as many wins. The pre-season training has been very hard, and that is the way it should be. My fellow players have helped me become a part of the DSK Shivajians FC family. The coaches have been helpful in every aspect of the game, and I hope that we can achieve bigger things together.”
