Hanshin Tigers senior director Senichi Hoshino, whose name had surfaced as the top candidate to take over as manager of the Yomiuri Giants, indicated Saturday he will remain with the Tigers front office next season.
Hanshin Tigers senior director Senichi Hoshino announces that he will remain with the Tigers front office next season at a press conference in Osaka.
Asked whether he will remain with Hanshin, Hoshino, 58, said, "I believe that's how it will turn out," denying reports that he has received an offer to manage the struggling Giants.
Hoshino, who managed the Tigers for two seasons and led the Central League club to its first pennant in 18 years in 2003, appears content with his post in the Hanshin front office and said he does not plan to manage the team again.
Hanshin owner Masatoshi Tezuka made a formal request for Hoshino to remain with the club at a scheduled report session at the Hanshin Electric Railway headquarters on Thursday.
"I received a request to stay with Hanshin a long time ago and I was happy to accept the offer. The Tigers' fans also have asked me to stay and I believed that I needed to respond to them by sticking with the team," he said.
Hoshino stepped down as Hanshin manager after the 2003 Japan Series, citing health problems.
Hanshin club president Toshihiro Makita said he was relieved to hear the good news.
"We will carry out the normal procedures and work out a contract. I reconfirmed his intentions to stay, so I'm relieved," said Makita.