Park Ji-sung

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Park Ji-sung
File:Park ji-sung.jpg
Footage of Park in action for Manchester United
Personal information
Full name Park Ji-sung
Position(s) Attacking Midfielder / Winger
Team information
Current team
 Manchester United
Number 13
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 8 2006

Template:Koreanname

Park Ji-sung (born February 25, 1981 in Seoul) is a football player from South Korea. He rose to fame after scoring the winning goal for South Korea against Portugal during the 2002 FIFA World Cup tournament group stages. On June 22, 2005 he signed for English Premiership side Manchester United for £4 million from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, subject to a medical and work permit. His work permit was initially denied, but was granted on July 5 following an appeal from United.

Career

International Career

Park rose to stardom in 2002, scoring goals against England and France during international friendlies in May, preceding the World Cup of 2002. During the World Cup, he scored the winner in South Korea's group match against Portugal.

Park began his international career as an 18 year old defensive midfielder. When Guus Hiddink became the head coach of South Korea, Park's position was shifted to that of a winger. Since then, Park has become a versatile player who can play in a variety of positions: wing-back,central midfield, right or left midfield, as well as a forward.

Park also scored the equalising goal in the 2nd Group G Match against France in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and was voted the Man of The Match.

Kyoto Purple Sanga

Park's first professional contract was at J-League's Kyoto Purple Sanga in 2000. He was the first Korean footballer ever to go straight to the J-League without going to the K-League. He also got into a university in Japan. He was arguably the most influential player of the team by 2002 and following the World Cup that year, he left for a European club.

PSV Eindhoven

After the World Cup, Guus Hiddink was appointed the manager of Dutch club, PSV Eindhoven. In 2003, Park moved to PSV Eindhoven, to play under his mentor and former national team coach. Unlike his compatriot Lee Young-pyo, who quickly became a fixture in PSV Eindhoven's starting lineup, Park struggled due to injuries and misadaptation to the Dutch league and a few poor performances saw him being boo-ed by certain sections of the PSV faithful.

However, by the end of 2003-04 season, Park had begun to adapt to the Netherlands, both on and off the pitch. In the 2004-05 season, the departure of Arjen Robben to Chelsea afforded Park more first team opportunities at PSV Eindhoven and he quickly proved his worth to the team. Along with Johann Vogel and Dutchmen Mark van Bommel and Philip Cocu, Park formed the backbone of PSV Eindhoven's midfield play. His energetic movement created havoc against all opponents at all areas of the field, both offensively and defensively. The highlight of Park's PSV career came when he scored the first goal against AC Milan at the Champions League semi-finals.

The PSV fans wrote a song for Park for his contributions during his time with the club. Titled "Song for Park", it was included in the PSV official album "PSV Kampieon", and repeats "Ji-Sung Park" in Dutch pronouncation the whole time.

Manchester United

In the closing months of the 2004-05 season, Park was scouted by Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United, who believed that Park's lively style of play and superb fitness could be the foundation that his flagging Manchester United side needed. In July 2005, Ji-Sung Park signed a four-year contract with Manchester United.

As expected, he impressed during Manchester United's pre-season tour of the Far East, as well as in the first game of the season against Everton with his tireless, pacy roaming of the pitch and pressuring of opponents, such that Ferguson picked him over Ryan Giggs and the popular Cristiano Ronaldo against Aston Villa on 20th August the following week. His lack of composure in front of goal is considered his main weakness.

Park has been renowned for his good attitude and strong work ethic which have helped him excel for both club and country. He is the first Korean player to play in the Premier League, and is considered the most popular player in Korea[1]. His fitness is known to rival that of a marathon runner, and his former teammates at PSV Eindhoven have jokingly suggested that Park plays with an oxygen tank strapped to his back. For the same reason, United fans have given Park the nickname "Three-Lung Park." His diverse experience, gained from stints in the J-League, the Dutch Eredivisie, the FA Premier League and the opportunity to take part in the UEFA Champions League as well as the World Cup semi-finals have made this youngster a formidable foe to opponents as well as an amiable contributor to his teammates.

His first goal for Manchester United came on December 20th 2005, during a 3-1 win over Birmingham in the League Cup Quarter Final. His first goal in the Premier League appeared to have been against Fulham on 5th February 2006, in Manchester United's 4-2 victory at Old Trafford.[2] However the Premier League's Dubious Goals Panel later ruled that this was an "own-goal" due to a deflection off a Fulham defender. Park's first official league goal came against Arsenal on April 9th 2006, in Manchester United's 2-0 victory at Old Trafford.

Trivia

  • Suwon, Park's home town in South Korea, unveiled a road named after him, Park Ji-Sung Road, on June 27,2005 to honour his contribution to the South Korean national team in the 2002 World Cup - the first instance of such an event for a living footballer in South Korea.
  • Park Ji Sung is commonly known in certain parts of North Lancashire as the "Worker".
  • Park Ji Sung is known to be good friends with fellow Manchester United player John O' Shea.

Clubs

International achievements

Park Ji Sung was confirmed in the South Korea squad for the 2006 World Cup.

Honours

With Kyoto Purple Sanga:

  • J. League Division 2: 2001
  • Emperor's Cup: 2002/03

With PSV Eindhoven:

With Manchester United:

Notes

  1. ^ "UNICEF-2006 FIFA World Cup". Ji-Sung Park, rising star from South Korea. Retrieved 2006-06-13.
  2. ^ "Manchester United 4-2 Fulham". Football.co.uk match reports. Retrieved 2006-04-10.

See also

External links


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