2014-03-04 16:36

Looking to make a case

Park Chu-young speaks to reporters after his first training session with Korea’s Brazil World Cup team at Panionios Stadium in Athens, Tuesday (KST). Korea will face Greece in a friendly, which will start on Thursday at 2 a.m. / Yonhap

Park vows to reassert himself in World Cup picture

By Jung Min-ho

Preparing for Thursday’s friendly against Greece in Athens, veteran Korean striker Park Chu-young is determined to prove himself in what he believes might be his last opportunity to make the World Cup team.

Talking to reporters after his first team training session Tuesday, the 28-year-old Watford forward, who was recently recalled to Hong Myung-bo’s senior national team, said “there will be no excuse for being out of form” despite his lack of playing time in recent years.

“After two days of training in Greece, I will play the game, which I believe is my last opportunity,” Park said. “I am not in my best form, but I will nonetheless try to show everything I’ve got.”

If Park can prove he is still anywhere near his prime, he will likely take the forward position over Kim Shin-wook and Lee Keun-ho, who have failed to win a commitment from Hong as his solution upfront.

But it is hard to make prediction about his performance since Park has struggled to get playing time since entering English football in 2011. After spending a lengthy period in Arsene Wenger’s doghouse at Arsenal, Park was moved to Watford, a middling team in the second-division Championship League, last month. However, he has been reduced to a benchwarmer there as well.

The Korean national football team players practice at Panionios Stadium in Athens, Tuesday (KST). / Yonhap

Yet, many fans and even the manager are pinning their hopes on Park, remembering that he led the nation’s first Olympic bronze medal effort in football after scoring the first goal in a 2-0 win over Japan.

The Greece match is planned as a full dress rehearsal for Korea with Hong summoning Europe-based players such as Lee Chung-yong (Bolton Wanderers), Son Heung-min (Bayer Leverkusen), Ki Sung-yeung (Sunderland), Koo Ja-cheol (FSV Mainz) and Hong Jeong-ho (Augusburg), who are expected to be his key players in Brazil.

Park said he “doesn’t feel awkward” since there are many players with whom he is familiar on the team.

“I will try my best to fit in. I will keep in mind, and do what the coaches want me to do,” Park said. “I really appreciate my fellow players’ support. I really want to make a great contribution to the team.”

It bears watching whether Park will be able to pull it off like he did in London. If he does, it will lead to another chance in the World Cup in Brazil where he might also be able to lift his beleaguered professional career back into the limelight.

If he fails, the aftermath will likely further trouble Hong. The team has scored 13 goals and conceded 17 in 13 matches, displaying a variety of problems highlighted by an alarming lack of firepower under his leadership for the past eight months.

“People always talk about the problem of a lack of finishing ability,” Park said. “It is up to the players to sweep aside those concerns.”

Park, who started for Korea’s World Cup teams in 2006 and 2010, will compete with towering Ulsan Hyundai striker Kim Shin-wook for the forward position in Hong’s final 23-player roster for Brazil, which will be announced in May.

Without any major friendlies planned before the end of May, the players’ performance in Athens will be critical for everyone.

At the upcoming World Cup finals, Korea has been grouped with Belgium, Algeria and Russia in Group H.

The friendly against Greece will be held at 2 a.m. (KST). It will be aired on MBC.

mj6c2@ktimes.co.kr,