Chunichi announced on the 15th that Yoshiyuki Kudo (工藤公康) had become its new manager. At a press conference in Nagoya, the new manager spoke about his ambitions, and the club also announced that he would wear uniform number 81.
The Chunichi Dragons officially announced on the 15th that Yoshiyuki Kudo (工藤公康) had become their new manager and held an appointment press conference in Nagoya. Owner Oshima Uichiro (大島宇一郎) and team president Kato Hiroyuki (加藤宏幸) also attended, and the new manager took the stage.
The new manager referred to team president Kato's words, "I want you to build a strong team for the next 100 years," and indicated that he would accept the pressure and channel it into the players. It was also announced that he would wear uniform number 81, the same number as before.
Manager Kudo is from Nagoya and reached the national high school baseball championship tournament during his high school career. Emphasizing that he is from Nagoya, he expressed his gratitude to the Dragons of his hometown and his desire to give back. He spoke of his trust in the club and his feelings for the region.
At the press conference, Manager Kudo set winning the championship as his ultimate goal and expressed his determination to give his all every day. Owner Oshima also said he expected Manager Kudo to rebuild the team and develop a strong Dragons side.