Man U`s Park Returns Home for Rehab
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung made a quiet return to Korea, Friday, revealing plans to continue the rehabilitation of his surgically repaired knee at his home in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.
According to Park’s agency, JS Limited, the 26-year-old footballer arrived at Incheon International Airport at 3:10 p.m. and headed straight to his Suwon home by car. The agency did not inform media members of Park’s return at his request.
``Park has no specific plans. He will take his time in Suwon to rest and rehabilitate his injured knee,’’ said JS Limited spokesman Park Hyun-joon.
The 26-year-old South Korean international is currently nursing his right knee on which surgery was performed last month to repair a torn ligament. Park, who could be on crutches through August, is currently undergoing a light rehab program that focuses more on building upper-body strength, the agency said.
Last month, Park underwent surgery to repair cartilage in his right knee that was damaged in a March match against Blackburn, keeping him sidelined from the United until August at the earliest, and also ruling him out of Korea's Asia Cup campaign in July.
Park, who also missed some matches earlier in the season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, played in 14 of 38 games, netting five goals and setting up another two, while usually coming off the bench.
Park, who began his professional career with Japan's Kyoto Purple Sanga in 2001, is only 26 years old but with a lot of mileage, doubling as a regular on Korea's national football team over the past six years. However, his body seems to be taking the toll and his endurance is becoming an increasing problem, according to some analysts here.