Saying goodbye to K-league stalwarts
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By John Duerden
Korean football is saying goodbye to a few more stalwarts this week. Koh Myung-jin, a talented midfielder is leaving Seoul for Qatar. Suwon star striker Jong Tae-se left Suwon for Japan last week but much more worrying was the recent departure of Jeonbuk Motors' Brazilian star Eduardo to China's Hebei China Fortune FC.
It wasn't the fact that the striker left for China, this has become an increasingly well-worn path in recent years as clubs in the Middle Kingdom have started to flaunt their new-found wealth. It was the fact that Hebei is in the second division. Here there is a second tier team in a country that Korea has always considered itself superior in football terms ― and with good reason ― taking an important player from a K-League club. And not just any K-League club but the defending champions, the current league leader and the best club in the country over the past few years.
According to reports, Hebei ― hoping to win promotion to China's top tier this season ― made an offer that was too good to refuse for both club and forward. Edu almost triples his salary and the Motors receive a sizable transfer fee for a player who cost nothing. It is one thing for Korea's biggest clubs to be forced to sell to China's biggest clubs but when you have a team few this side of the Yellow Sea have even heard of, taking talent from Korea's best team, this is something to worry about.
It has been argued that the exodus of talent is a result of the publishing of player salaries that started in the K-League in 2013. This has been overstated. For agents, it is not hard to find out, approximately at least, what a player makes and what would tempt him to move. Agents are always keen for their stars to maximize earning potential.
Korean football needs to think about how to react to the rise of China. At the moment, there seems to be little more than taking the money while complaining how it can't compete. That may be so but a growing number of Korean teams have received considerable sums for their players from China, as well as leagues in the Middle East. Not many have used to funds to strengthen the team and/or roster in general.
There's nothing wrong with being a selling league. There are hardly any leagues in the world that are not. There are few clubs that can keep hold of their best players when more money is offered from elsewhere. Five-time European champion Liverpool has just lost its biggest star in Raheem Sterling, tempted by Manchester City's riches. Even Manchester United could do little when Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to leave. This is a problem that in the world of football only Spanish giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid do not have to deal with.
It is no shame to be a selling league. Like anything, the K-League must adjust to the new way of things and adapt a policy of developing young players that are sold overseas with the money continually reinvested in the production of more players. This is the way forward for Korea. Sure, it may hurt to see the stars leave for unremarkable Chinese teams but in football, you have to move forward.