by Apart from rumors of Ronaldo’s original agent offering his client to South Korean clubs towards the end of the Brazilian’s career, the K-League has not had a sniff of the high-profile players heading to China and Japan. Now, however, Jesse Lingard has joined FC Seoul to become the biggest name to head to the Land of the Morning Calm. No new Asian market is burgeoning, like Saudi Arabia, onto the world stage but the move may be the most interesting this year.
The former Manchester United forward was spotted playing for Nottingham Forest in April and arrived at Incheon International Airport this month, where he was given a traditional wind instrument and a chance to breathe new life into a stalled club career. falling. Nor would adding a new tune to Asia’s oldest professional league.
The Lingard is the largest fish in a relatively large pond. There was rarely a report of a foreigner playing Yutnori, a traditional game played with sticks usually around the lunar new year. He has taken the obligatory photo at a Korean barbecue, one of the world’s greatest culinary experiences, and is sure to be asked about kimchi more than once as he settles into life in one of the city’s most vibrant and vibrant cities. exciting in Asia. On the pitch, however, he has a job to do and not just to help Seoul regain former glory when the season starts at the start of next month.
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The K-League is not a glamorous competition but attendances are slowly rising, with last season averaging over 10,000. The quality is good. In continental terms, it is arguably one of the top three along with Japan and Saudi Arabia. Asian club champions have come from Korea more often than any other country. Many players came from abroad and struggled with the physical nature of the 12-team league as well as the speed and technical ability of the players in each position.
Some imports welcome that but coaching can be a little on the monotonous side and most managers prefer counter-attacking. The professional lifestyle of a player can be quite demanding compared to England, with teams spending more time together, especially in the days leading up to matches.
The sight of the English is rare over the years. Former Burnley and Stoke striker Andy Cooke’s solid 18-month spell at Busan from 2003 to 2005 alongside Jamie Cureton, under coach Ian Porterfield, was probably the best of the bunch. Jordon Mutch was the latest import but the former Crystal Palace and Cardiff midfielder’s contract was terminated by Gyeongnam FC after a few months in 2019.
Some Asian clubs prefer to help foreign players get used to each other but everyone will tell you that while there are foreign players who come and go without making an impact, they will love those who stay and who want to make a difference. Seoul and K-League legend Dejan Damjanovic, who scored against England for Montenegro at home and away in 2014, is testament to that. Working as hard as possible on and off the pitch goes a long way. , try to speak a bit of the language, get to know teammates and be interested in the country and culture.
If Lingard can widen the appeal of domestic football then fans across the country will be delighted. The league has a strong support base but perhaps a former United and England player could help bridge the gap between that K-League hardcore and those who prefer to watch Son Heung-min and others in European action to fill. Lingard is not a household name in Korea but his arrival was a big deal – although he has been somewhat overwhelmed by the fallout from the national team’s failure in the Asian Cup.
First, though, it’s about Seoul, which has been struggling in recent years. A new coach, Kim Gi-dong, who arrived in the off-season has led Pohang Steelers to second place. Club captain Ki Sung-yueng, who has played for Celtic, Swansea, Sunderland and Newcastle as well as more than 100 times for Korea, should be of great help to Lingard.
Lingard’s free agent status was part of the attraction for Seoul and the 31-year-old’s reported annual salary of around £900,000 is almost equivalent to two days’ work for his former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. Big salaries are not part of the K-League model. Traditional Korean ownership of conglomerates such as Hyundai and Samsung support clubs and provide stability but little in the way of transfer budgets; other less traditionally successful teams have received support from city governments. As some big boys have tended to wear smaller in recent years, the gap between the two types is narrowing.
Seoul, owned by a subsidiary of the GS Group, one of the country’s biggest conglomerates, won the last of their five titles in 2016 and have only finished one in the four since, over the past four seasons finishing in the ninth, seventh, ninth, seventh – worse than it sounds in a 12-team league. The glory days are slipping into the past.
Lingard might sympathize with that but there is still time for both player and club to help each other get back to the top.
