Opinion

A Ki return for free is as good as A-League signings get

He could almost be called the forgotten man of Asian football but former Korea Republic and Premier League star Ki Sung-Yueng could be the perfect addition to the A-League.

Ki Sung-yueng

Source: Getty Images

As A-League signings go, the 30 year old South Korean ticks as many boxes as it is possible to tick.

First is that he is a little bit Australian after spending some of his formative years in Brisbane. The move out of his comfort zone did not only toughen him up but, it has been said, helped make him more outspoken than the average Korean footballer (he is one of the few people who has ever asked me to write something --a critique of the crazy Korean football schedule that once had him play two games in the space of 24 hours) and speaking his mind got him into trouble in the past.

That was a long time ago and there is no criticism these days. Ki, despite his relative youth, played over 100 times for his country, captaining the Taeguk Warriors in at the tournament in Russia, his third appearance on the global stage. I met him after the second game, a 2 -1 defeat to Mexico in Rostov where he picked up an injury that ended his tournament. He was so upset that he struggled to talk.

His plan was to retire from the national team and focus on club football having already agreed to sign for  Newcastle United. Ki was looking forward to playing under Rafa Benitez, an intelligent coach for an intelligent player.

It took time for the Gwangju-born star to break into the first team on Tyneside but he impressed once he did. He quickly became a regular with the football-loving public of Newcastle taking to their Korean maestro quickly. 

Ki's talents make him an easy player to like with a brilliant range of passing and strength in possession. 

Perhaps one criticism is a lack of goals but that is partly down to the fact that his passing is so good, coaches like him to sit deep and dictate play and tempo from there.

When he was moved forward, as he was in Swansea City’s 2014-15 season in the Premier League, he scored eight goals. 

It was looking good at Newcastle but then South Korea coach Paulo Bento came calling. The Portuguese tactician took over in August 2018 and was soon asking Ki to reconsider his international retirement. Bento wanted the player, who started out at FC Seoul and then joined Celtic in 2009 for around A$4 million, to help with the Asian Cup. 

In Korea, more than most places, playing for the national team is seen as very much a duty and it is hard to say no when such requests are made. Ki must regret going to the United Arab Emirates however as he picked up an injury and subsequently lost his place in the Newcastle starting eleven. 

He has stayed on the sidelines under Steve Bruce and while there is still some way to go before the end of the season and end of contract, Ki looks likely to leave. There have already been rumours of interest from the United States and elsewhere in Europe and he would be welcomed with open arms back in Seoul.

That was where he left a decade ago.. For a 20 year-old, going to Glasgow was a huge move both on and off the pitch.It went well and he won the Scottish Premier League in 2012.

Later that year he was off to the English Premier League and Swansea City for a fee of more than $10 million. The years in South Wales were up --the eight goals and a League Cup win-- and down with injuries and coaching changes not helping.

Ki would be a sure-fire success in Australia and has almost unrivalled international experience fora 30 year-old Asian player.

There are plenty of years ahead as pace was never in the Ki locker. His name not only lends itself to easy headline writing but it is still one of the biggest in Korean sport and his exploits would be closely monitored with the possibility of a sponsorship deal or two.

There’s nothing not to like. There is a genuine Asian great with a lot still to give available for free very soon. He should be brought back to Australia.


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4 min read
Published 11 November 2019 4:09pm
By John Duerden

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