Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ABC KID]

At the risk of being controversial, I felt I must start a thread about Ji-Sung Park as a big story is blowing up here in Korea.

My own view of Ji-Sung Park is that he is a very useful member of Manchester United's squad. He can run all day and comes up with the odd goal. He is an honest pro, who seems to be appreciated by his manager most of the time. However, in my opinion it is difficult to strongly argue that he is part of their strongest team.

Alex Ferguson of course, left him out of the Champion's League final team, naming Owen Hargreaves ahead of him. He wasn't even a substitute. Man Utd won the game, which surely vindicates the decision.

However, the reaction within Korea has been ridiculous. Words such as 'Scandal' have been thrown about. Korean Yahoo goes with 무자비한 퍼거슨 (Merciless/Cruel Ferguson). One guy on the radio suggested Ji-Sung's role in getting United to the final was enormous. However, he actually played less than half the games. He didn't score any goals and perhaps didn't even get any assists. Admittedly though, he did play in the quarter final and semi final.

If you watch the Man Utd league games on Korean TV, they show Ji-Sung Park 'highlights' packages at half and full-time. This usually consists of him having the ball, running into a defender and losing the ball about three times and one accurate very short pass. Of course, on the occasions he scores, it is milked for at least a week. When Utd won the league recently, they showed a season's highlight package of Park, feeling it necessary to prop it up with a goal he scored from February 2007 - LAST SEASON!

I am not anti-Korean. I am not anti-Park. I'm just trying to present some reality. Am I the only one who thinks like this?

[VanIslander]

[GoldMember]

Name something Koreans are NOT delusional about.
Worlds greatest_________________(insert item)

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[bassexpander]

Imagine how we all felt watching months... I'm not kidding... months of world cup Korean-only highlights and replayed matches back in 2002?

[betchay]

put yourself in their shoes... this is a western world and if an asian gets "recognized" in the west, it is a big deal for us asians

[cazzy3]

the OP is right about PJS being a solid player and korean need to recognize exactly where he stands with United. He's an outside midfielder/forward and who are you going to replace in the starting XI? Tevez, Rooney, Ronaldo? not very likely in a Champions League final. Plus, you knew Scholes, Giggs, and Hargreaves were going to be on the squad so that doesn't leave room for too many more midfielders in the 18 man team.

I think most people who understand soccer...sorry football (Korean or otherwise)...know that a team as balanced and talented as Man U. will always have some quality players not on the final 18 man roster come game time. Those that are claiming 'scandal' just don't understand the game and the tactics that decide how a manager chooses a side.

[goo_stewart]

As a Blue from the correct side of Manchester, I would like to comment on this. PJS is a useful player, his work rate is off the scale, but he does suffer from the Asian footballing 'individual' syndrom. He doesn't have the team vision of the other players in his team.

Having said that, he was my MotM in the semis. He is a good player in the squad and should be recognised for elevating Asian football, BUT he isn't the god-like player that most Koreans think he is. I talk to Koreans about him all the time and they do think he is the star player, the rock of the team. This is incorrect. He isn't a bit-part, but he ain't the rock either.

Would I like to see PJS in a blue shirt? Yes I would. Do I think he is in the premiership top 20 players, no, I don't.

[Yaya]

The scary thing is, Ferguson will again have United spend tens of millions to sign new players. All of the team's signings seem not cost effective, even if it keeps winning championships, because pro teams in the U.S. sign a few good players to keep winning (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli with the Spurts; Tom Brady and Randy Moss of the Pats; and all of the stars on the Boston Red Sox and Yankees).

But I hear Chelsea is about to unleash a financial whirlwind to sign players and probably a new coach.

[ABC KID]

[JJJ]

I do think Park is a good to very good player but the main thing he is to Man Utd. is a wonderful cash cow. How many shirts at (I dunno) $120 or more a pop has the team sold here in Korea alone. Gosh, I saw a couple of K-guys yesterday and asked them when the game was and they had no clue or even that there was a game. They aren't fans of football or Man Utd., ONLY Park Ji-Sung.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[doggyji]

[ABC KID]

[toddswift]

little country, little people, little minds.