New Year Same Old Stories

Ahn Returns




It’s that time of the year again when it feels like half of the K-League is on the move. The close season in Korea is a frantic affair and at times hard to keep up with.

The fate of Ahn Jung-hwan has been the big story of the new year so far. Precisely a year ago, the “Lord of the Ring” was in the process of turning down a trial with Blackburn Rovers. Instead he headed to MSV Duisberg who were then in the Bundesliga.

After relegation, Ahn was released from his contract but since August has been without a club. On the wrong side of 30, his options are not likely to increase and he finally decided to return to the K-League on January 9 when he signed for Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

The three-time champions who already boast international stars such as Kim Nam-il, Cho Won-hee, Baek Ji-hoon and Song Chong-guk, took some time to close the deal with the ex-Perugia, Yokohama, Shimizu and Metz striker.

``We met with Ahn and his agent for the negotiation several times. There was huge difference at first over contract terms, but our talks has recently moved forward further,’’ Suwon club boss Ahn Ki-heon told Yonhap news agency.

``Ahn’s side has yielded a lot in the contract term including the annual salary. We are positive we could bring him unless there is significant disagreement during the rest of the talks.’’

A week later, Ahn signed and was given the number ten shirt. Now the challenge is to win back the red shirt of the national team.

Seoul Life

FC Seoul have released Portuguese midfielder Ricardo Nascimento -the 34 year-old playmaker spent two years in the capital, becoming a firm favourite with the fans. He returns to his homeland’s top flight to join struggling Desportivo das Aves.


Passing in the opposite direction was the club’s new manager. Senol Gunes arrived on January 6. The capital was sitting under a few inches of snow by the time the ex-Turkey coach returned to Korea for the first time since participating in the 3rd/4th play-off game at the 2002 World Cup.

“Thanks to those who came to meet me despite the bad weather,” he said. “My first impression of the fans is a good one.”

“Of course the most important thing is victory but I will try to give fans football that they can love.”

“I still have a good feeling from the 2002 World Cup. Turkey and Korea got good results. The two nations are brothers and that is one reason why I decided to come here.”

At a press conference in the bowels of Seoul World Cup Stadium 48 hours later, the 54 year-old made all the right noises and promised entertainment and results for fans.



The two Lees

A constant story since the summer has been that of Lee Young-pyo. The versatile Spurs star lost his place at the start of the new season and was a whisker away from joining AS Roma at the end of August. At the last minute however, the 29 year-old changed his mind and decided to stay in North London.

The reason for the change of heart has been kept close to the chest of “Chorongi” who had to deny in a press conference that his deep religious beliefs were behind the decision.



Stories in Italy also talked of financial reasons and pressure from Sky Sports on the player not to reduce Korean interest in the Premier League by leaving it. It sounds about as likely as reports of Chelsea interest in the defender.

Fortunately for the player, he has since won back his place in the team but the rumours still abound that he could soon swap England’s capital for its Italian counterpart. Supposedly in the first week of the New Year, Roma asked for a loan and then a full transfer.

Lee will stay put but the same can’t be said of 2002 and 2006 World Cup team-mate Lee Chun-soo. The 2005 K-League MVP said in December that he was ready to leave Ulsan Hyundai Horang-I and the K-League.

Yokohama Marinos and Urawa Reds in Japan fancy the winger who hit six goals in two and a half games in last August’s East Asian Champions Cup held on the archipelago.
As documented on here before, Lee is eyeing Europe – especially England. There has been little mention of possible moves for the winger since the transfer window opened.

It remains to be seen if that is good news or bad.

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Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile

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Korea On Brink Of Asian Cup

They were both qualifying games for the 2007 Asian Cup but the similarity between Pim Verbeek’s first two matches in front of home fans as head coach of South Korea ends there.

The first was a high-tempo 1-1 draw with Iran on a Saturday night in front of 63,000 fans in Seoul World Cup Stadium.

The second was a stroll in the park with an 8-0 midweek thrashing of Taiwan in a half full Suwon World Cup arena.

The end result was the two-time continental champions needing just a point from their last two games in Group B – either at home against Syria in October or in Iran a month later.



Before the pair of games, the Dutchman shocked a few people by leaving 2005 K-League phenomenon Park Chu-young and World Cup star Ahn Jung-hwan out of the squad – though Ahn was probably the most shocked of all, especially after he had scored the first goal of Verbeek’s reign on August 16 in the 3-0 win in Taiwan.

Ahn wasn’t at his best in that game however, and his failure to find a club this summer has cost him his place in the team. After telling his European-based stars that they need to be playing regular football for their club teams, it was always going to be difficult for Verbeek to pick a player who had no club bench to sit on and Ahn’s comments that he might take a break for four months didn't give the best impression of his motivation levels.

At least the Lord of the Ring has finally been released from his contract with German club MSV Duisberg. He is now free to move anywhere but who knows what will happen? Nothing is ever simple with Ahn Jung-hwan.

If the player watched the Iran game, he would have seen a hard-fought clash against a West Asian team that had arrived in Seoul under some pressure.

A disappointing World Cup was followed by a change of coach but an unconvincing victory against UAE and a 1-1 draw with Syria haven’t made Amir Ghaleneoi’s new job any easier.

After already coming under fire from most of Tehran’s sixteen daily newspapers, it was perhaps understandable that the former Esteghal boss was conservative in his approach in the Korean capital. Team Melli got plenty of men behind the ball and looked to hurt their opponents on the counter-attack.

Korea had most of the possession and chances but lacked the killer final pass in the final third – how many times have we heard that before?

Seol Ki-hyeon finally put the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time with a smart header but there was always a feeling that if a second didn’t come then Iran may not return home empty-handed.

The visitors came more into the game in the second half and in the last 20 minutes started to cause a few problems with Bolton Wanderers’ new midfielder Andranik Teymourian quietly impressive in the middle of the park.

It came with the very last kick of the game. Kim Sang-sik had lots of time to clear the ball from the right corner of the penalty area – too much time. The Seongnam defender changed his mind and was robbed of possession by Vahid Hashemian.

“The Helicopter” may be known for his skill in the air but he showed admirable coolness by immediately lobbing the ball over goalkeeper Kim Young-kwang who had been on his way out of goal to find out what exactly Kim was doing.

People say that in such a situation, a draw feels like a defeat. It didn’t seem to. The fans and media were disappointed but not too despondent as qualification for the 2007 Asian Cup was still very much on the cards. The feeling was just that of a good Saturday night ending on a sour note (or beginning, depending on your plans).

As one would expect, the Taiwan game was a walkover. The visitors'squad was made of students (even two high school kids), soldiers and company workers. They looked like what they were - amateurs against bigger, stronger and faster professionals.



It was 2-0 within four minutes thanks to Reading's August Player of the Month Seol Ki-hyeon and FC Seoul striker Jung Jo-gook. The two were at it again in the last two minutes of the first-half, getting another goal within a minute of each other.

Four more were added in the second half. Cho Jae-jin got two – interestingly, the Shimizu S-Pulse striker refused to let partner Jung, who was on a hat-trick, take the 83rd minute penalty that made it 7-0. It turned out OK though as Jung did get his third with two minutes left.

In the midst of all this, the increasingly impressive Kim Do-heon scored a fantastic 25 yard-half volley.

A friendly game with Ghana has almost been arranged for October 8 in Seoul, three days before the next Asian Cup qualifier with Syria.

Copyright: John Duerden and Soccerphile