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Sports Asian hopes pinned on Park
2011.05.28 02:06
 Every December, Manchester United fans sing the 'Twelve Days of Cantona' song to repeatedly pay homage to their French hero. On Saturday, in the UEFA Champions League final, perhaps they should request a team of Park Ji-Sungs to take to the Wembley pitch against Barcelona. After all, the South Korean also goes by the name of 'Three Lung Park' so ten more of him would effectively give the Red Devils 50% more energy and stamina than the Spanish giants man for man - enough and then some to disrupt their passing game. Every May, or so it seems in recent years in the build-up to the final, newspapers talk of a young skinny lad in Korea drinking frog juice in order to grow big enough to become a professional footballer. But, if the 30 year-old version can help do something about Barcelona on Saturday, champagne will be the beverage of choice. The 2008 vintage was bitter-sweet, 2009 had promise but quickly revealed a sour aftertaste, but 2011 could be third-time lucky. Park may have been the only Asian to appear in the biggest club game in the world but he has never played in a final that his team has won. If Park ends up downing some bubbly then millions of fans on the world's largest continent will be downloading the images for the wallpaper and avatars that they have been waiting for. A picture of a sweaty Park holding aloft the European Cup would flicker on computer screens in headquarters of Samsung, LG, Hyundai and any other Korean conglomerate you care to mention for quite some time. Around dawn on Sunday in his corner of East Asia, the Land of the Morning Calm could be anything but.However, unlike the player's nickname, the nation's moniker is a misnomer. There is little serenity in the high-tech, high-wired and high-speed, crowded peninsula. An Australian player in the K-League recently commented that the traffic around the capital at midnight is comparable to Sydney's at midday. The legions of fans had a rude awakening three years ago as it became clear that not only was Park, who had played all 360 minutes in the quarter and semi-finals, not starting against Chelsea, he wasn't even on the bench. Pictures of the midfielder celebrating in a rain-splattered beige suit didn't quite cut it.Paul Scholes took time out of his celebrations to sympathise. Prior to the game, Ferguson had let it be known that the Englishman, who missed the 1999 triumph through suspension, could count on a place in Moscow. So the Scot, who said that leaving out Park was the hardest decision he ever had to make, was not about to do the same to his Asian star in Rome a year later. That really could have seen a fair amount of those reported 1.2 million Manchester United credit cards in Korea ending up more mangled than the United defence after Barcelona had finished. Park played but there was still no pose with Old Big Ears.It could all come to pass at Wembley. Anything seems possible for the player at the moment. Perhaps there is something to be said for mid-winter Mid-Eastern sunshine and then a couple of months on the sidelines with a niggly knee knock. Park returned to action at the start of April after recovering from his Asian Cup injury to become the proverbial new signing in a title run-in. He hasn't looked back since with a series of big game performances that mean he is in danger of becoming one of United's big names. He is in the form of his life. The two Old Trafford clashes with Chelsea spring to mind. In the Champions League quarter-final second leg, Park scored sixty seconds after Didier Drogba to nip any comeback in the bud and to send his team into the last four. That grabbed the headlines but it was his performance in the centre of midfield against the Londoners in the league a few weeks later that captured the imagination. Park was everywhere - breaking up attacks, winning the ball, getting forward and creating chances. It was as good a midfield display that you will see this season.. ''I'll have to perform as well as I did in that game and improve in the final as well,'' Park said this week. ''I guess that was as good as I have played, especially in the first half that was a good moment for me. Hopefully I can play like that on Saturday, not for me. but for the team.''It would be big news, and not just in Korea, if his name is not on the teamsheet on Saturday though there is little chance of that. Park is expected to play and expected to do so on the left to nullify the forward runs of Dani Alves, help out wherever necessary and get forward quickly. He is in good goalscoring form with eight goals this season - a best ever haul in England and an impressive one considering the months he missed. ''My position is that I have to attack as well, not only run a lot but when I get chances I should finish,'' said Park, who lifted a fourth Premier League title on Sunday after opening the scoring against Blackpool. ''I try to do my best at that as well. My first priority is to win the game and that means I have to score, assist and do everything I can for us to win the game. ''It would be an historic moment in Asian football history, admittedly too much so. Asian fans and media get incredibly excited when one of their own shines on the big stage. Iranian fans dared to dream in 1999 in Barcelona but Ali Daei stayed on the Bayern bench. What has happened in Korea for the past few years with Park was repeated in Japan last month as Atsuto Uchida reached the semi-final with Schalke. It won't always be this way. Over the next few years, it is going to become so commonplace to an extent that it will barely warrant a mention. And that is the way it should be, although breaking that barrier is going to be a big deal. Ultimately, it deserves to smashed by Park and not just because of past finals. He has been Asia's ace ambassador on the world stage for almost a decade now. It is something of a scandal that he has still to be officially honoured by the Asian Football Confederation for his services to the continent. But that doesn't matter now. The biggest prize in club football is waiting, as is the biggest continent to see if one of its favourite sons can earn a permanent place in song and screensavers. By John Duerden(Archive) |
Comment 7
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황규정*65
2011.05.28 02:15
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이한중*65
2011.05.28 04:39
Thank you for the exciting news and the information, Dr. Hwang.
I certainly want to watch the game
although Sukjoo got a tee time at Pine Trace in our neighborhood
because our club doesn't allow the carts today because of so much rain we've had.
We are heading for Boyne Highlands for 5 days of golfing on Tuesday.
Have a good Memorial Day weekend. -
황규정*65
2011.05.28 06:17
Memorial weekend tournament에 참석치 않는 member들은
아침 8시반 shot gun이었는데 course가 너무 wet해서 그만
두었습니다. 석주님이 골프에 열중하신다니 반갑네요.
Upper Michigan에 가셔서 좋은 시간되세요. 규정 -
황규정*65
2011.05.28 10:12
비록 박지성선수의 종횡무진한 활약이 돗보였으나
中原(midfield)의 싸움에서 맨유가 밀려 superstar
Messi의 결승골로 1-3으로 패배. 규정 -
운영자
2011.05.28 10:52
"Man U" was 2:1 favorite before the game,
but it seemed that Barcelona was much better team.
I wasn't able to identify Park in my old TV screen. -
황규정*65
2011.05.28 12:01
박지성선수 등번호는 국가대표선수때와같이 23번으로
midfielder로 활약 자기역활을 무난히 해냈다고 생각됩니다.다만 바셀로나는 이번씨즌 최강팀으로 손색이 없이 중원에서
이겨 정교한 short pass로 맨유를 공략한 결과라생각되며
맨유에 Rooney가 있듯이 바셀로나 Messi 의 속공 돌파력은
가히 가공할만 하다고 생각됩니다.유롭축구의 큰무대에서 세계 강국선수들에 손색없는 경기를
편 박지성선수가 승패를 떠나 자랑스럽습니다. 규정 -
방준재*70
2011.05.28 13:35
I was in Manhattan, meeting with my friend from Korea.
I could not watch the game, but I heard Park's team lost.
Many young Koreans were passing by in group and they
were talking about the game. Probably, they watched the
game at sports bar over a glass of beer. I could see their
faces flushed. I hope he win someday.
오늘 영국에서 영국의 맨유와 스페인의 바셀로나팀이 펼치는 2010-2011 UEFA Champions
league final은 많은 사람들이 유롭 푸로축구의 'The game of the year'로 생각하고있다.
우리의 박지성 선수가 예상대로 선발 출전할수있다면 이대회에(final)참가하는 최초의 아시아선수가
되는셈이다.
막강한 바셀로나팀의 자타가 공인하는 세계 최고선수인 Messi의 발목을 잡을수있는 선수로 박지성선수를
지목하고 언론들은 그길만이 맨유가 이길수있는 작전이라고 말들하고있다. 그만큼 박지성선수의 맨유에서의
입지가 들어나는 말들이다.
우리의 박지성선수가 메시와의 대전에서 선방을 하여 대망의 승리를 이끄는데 주역이 되기를 기원한다.
오늘게임은 Fox TV에서 오후 2시(EST)에 생방송되니 흥미있으신분들은 관전하시기 바랍니다. 규정