SK Wyverns manager Kim Sung-keun has been sacked following his decision to retire from coaching after the 2011 season, according to the club.

The Wyverns, the defending champion in the country’s top division baseball league, announced on Thursday that it is to expel Kim from his post. Assistant coach Lee Man-soo will take the helm of the club, the Wyverns said.

<YONHAP PHOTO-1989> 덕아웃 나서는 김성근 감독 (인천=연합뉴스) 하사헌 기자 = 17일 오후 인천문학구장에서 열린 프로야구 삼성-SK 경기에서 삼성에 9-0으로 패한 후 SK 김성근 감독이 덕아웃을 나와 감독실로 향하고 있다. 김 감독은 경기에 앞서 기자들에게 올해를 끝으로 SK 사령탑에서 물러나겠다는 뜻을 밝혔다. 2011.8.17 toadboy@yna.co.kr/2011-08-17 21:34:51/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2011 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.>\r\nKim Sung-keun. Yonhap News
덕아웃 나서는 김성근 감독 (인천=연합뉴스) 하사헌 기자 = 17일 오후 인천문학구장에서 열린 프로야구 삼성-SK 경기에서 삼성에 9-0으로 패한 후 SK 김성근 감독이 덕아웃을 나와 감독실로 향하고 있다. 김 감독은 경기에 앞서 기자들에게 올해를 끝으로 SK 사령탑에서 물러나겠다는 뜻을 밝혔다. 2011.8.17 toadboy@yna.co.kr/2011-08-17 21:34:51/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2011 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.>\r\nKim Sung-keun. Yonhap News

Kim Sung-keun. (Yonhap News)

Kim’s dismissal came just one day after the 68-year-old manager announced Wednesday his decision to step down from his post at the end of the season.

Kim insisted that he had no intention to move to another team in the KBO league, noting that: “I have no plans beyond this year.”

Kim, who is dubbed “God of Baseball,” joined the Wyverns in 2007 season, and won the Korean Series title with the team in 2007, 2008 and also in the 2010 season. After winning his second successive league title in 2008, Kim re-signed with the Inchon-based team for another three years, and is contracted with the team until the end of this season. Kim also managed five different teams, including LG Twins and Samsung Lions before joining the SK Wyverns.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldm.com)