By Cho Mu-hyun
English Premier League side Arsenal are known to Koreans, even those who are not football fanatics, owing to Korean international Park Chu-young currently playing there.
British daily the Guardian recently reported that the club’s majority shareholder Stan Kroenke is planning a tour through Hong Kong and Beijing this summer and was just a step away from finalizing negotiations to come to Seoul. Manager Arsene Wenger was initially known to be against the idea but is reportedly now in agreement with Kroenke.
But will the Gunners’ aim hit the mark?
“They should use Park Chu-young more. He is definitely not being treated fairly, and I don’t think he is behind in capability to his teammates,” said Yoon Dae-woong, a 21-year-old college student who is a big fan of Park and his teammate Robin van Persie. According to Yoon, he watches any football he can, from the K-League to the African Cup of Nations.
Yoon’s comments refer to Park's so far unsuccessful career in London. Though he moved to the Emirates in August last year, he has only made five appearances to date, most of them as a late substitute.
His current status within the team has caused outrage amongst some hardcore Korean fans against Arsenal. While the 26-year-old is being blamed as well as Wenger, it is mostly the French manager who is the target of their attacks.
But recent news of the tour has further angered fans. Multiple blogs have opened after the Guardian’s story spread online. Most were filled with vitriolic attacks on the decision, calling it a scam to milk Park.
“Of course there are commercial motives behind acquiring a foreigner for any football club. That is something that is given. But Park’s absence in games is too much even considering that. It is blatantly for money to not use Park and then decide on an Asian tour,” said Yoon.
Another Premier League team, Manchester United, has made two successful tours to Korea. The tickets sold out quickly in both 2007 and 2009, which saw the Seoul World Cup Stadium’s 60,000-plus seats fully occupied by fans who shouted the names of their favorite players.
And among the names was, of course, Park Ji-sung.
The 30-year-old midfielder reached 200 games for the Red Devils on Monday (KST). Though he has had his ups and downs in the team, manager Sir Alex Ferguson has regularly deployed him. The Red Devils and Ferguson enjoy great popularity among fans here, owing much to their appreciation of Park Ji-sung.
“If Arsenal expects to succeed in their Seoul tour, they will have to use Park Chu-young more in coming games,” said Lee Soo-kwang.
Lee, who works for an energy company and is a casual viewer of football, said without hesitation that he will not go to see Arsenal if they visit Seoul.
“I haven’t watched football in a while, but I know Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester (United) and all the major teams. They are pretty famous, and no doubt football lovers will go to the stadiums just for the teams’ name’s sake (if they come).”
But for casual viewers of the sports like him, the only motivation to buy a ticket for tour fixtures is for their compatriot’s appearance.
“I think the tour, if it happens, will have mediocre success if the current situation continues.”
Lee’s comments evoke memories of Fulham’s disastrous tour in 2008. The team, though well known in their homeland, is comparatively lesser known than United or Arsenal but enjoyed brief popularity thanks to Seol Ki-hyeon who played there from 2007 to 2010.
Seol played numerous times in his debut season under manager Lawrie Sanchez. But after Roy Hodgson replaced him in 2008, the Korean forward saw less action due a different approach to his predecessor. But fans of Seol would not accept tactical reasons as an excuse for his lack of action, and the Seoul World Cup Stadium and Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium were visibly empty when Fulham came.
But not every Korean shares the animosity towards Arsenal.
Park Ki-soo, a personnel trainer at a health club in Donam-dong, northern Seoul, played in a college football team and plays every week with friends.
“As a football player myself, I know that the manager’s decision is the most precise concerning the state of a team. If Wenger believes that Park Chu-young should stay in bench, it is probably the right decision,” he said. “Football is a team sport, and any approach made by the club should see the big picture instead of any individual’s interest. The individual supports the team, not the other way around.”
It remains to be seen, whether Arsenal’s Seoul trip will be more reminiscent of United’s or Fulham’s.