A  Korean men's national football team coach on Friday was named the new boss for a second-tier pro club in Seoul.

Seoul E-Land FC said Park Kun-ha, an assistant to Uli Steilike, will be their new skipper after signing a two-and-a-half year contract. The K League Challenge club, founded in 2014, struck the deal nine days after sacking Scottish head coach Martin Rennie.

"We decided to choose Park Kun-ha as the second head coach in club history," Seoul E-Land said. "He emphasizes communication with players and has experience with the national team."

Park, 44, is familiar with E-Land, the South Korean retail giant that owns the club. He played for semi-pro club E-Land Puma FC for two years before moving to the first-tier pro club Suwon Samsung Bluewings in 1996. E-Land Puma disbanded in 1998.

"I had a dilemma because the national team had to prepare for the final Asian qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in September," Park told Yonhap News Agency via phone. "But I thought this is the right time for new challenge. Stielike also gave permission to leave and he wished me luck."  Park had never coached the first-team squad of a pro club. After playing 11 seasons for Suwon, he began his coaching career with the K League Classic club from 2007, managing youth teams and reserve squad.

In 2011, Park joined the Olympic team as an assistant to Hong Myung-bo and helped the squad win the bronze medal at the 2012 London Games. Park has been an assistant to Stielike since 2014. "I have learned lots of things with the national team," Park said. "I'm sorry for leaving the national team abruptly, but I will collect good results at Seoul E-Land."

Seoul E-Land said Park will watch Saturday's match against Busan IPark from the stands and will make his coaching debut at home against Gangwon FC next Wednesday. Seoul E-Land are seventh in the 11-team league with five wins, five draws and six losses. (Yonhap)