In-demand Kim makes history in Italy

Napoli's Kim Min-Jae cheers with fans and teammates in celebration of the team's third-ever league title victory, the Scudetto, after winning the Serie A match against ACF Fiorentina in Naples, Sunday. / EPA-Yonhap

By John Duerden

It has been a busy week in Korean soccer with Kim Sang-sik resigning as coach of Jeonbuk Motors after the club's sluggish start to the season. As things stand, the team that has dominated Korean soccer for the past decade is struggling down in 10th place with 11 points from 11 games. It is an unfamiliar position for the Jeonju giant. Elsewhere, Suwon Bluewings, who used to be a fierce rival at the top of the table, hired Kim Byung-soo to replace Lee Byung-geun who was fired last month. Kim has a big job with Suwon currently languishing in last.

There has been some news that may cheer up Jeonbuk fans, as one of their former players has made history. Just over 20 years ago, Ahn Jung-hwan was famously, or infamously, released from Italian club Perugia after scoring the goal that eliminated Italy at the 2002 World Cup. Now, Kim Min-jae is celebrating winning the country's championship with Napoli and is the first South Korean to do so. Only Park Ji-sung with Manchester United and Jeong Woo-young with Bayern Munich have won championships in the major five European leagues.

Kim's achievements are more impressive in many ways. In 2005, Park joined United, a club that was already winning trophies at a regular rate, and Jeong barely played for Bayern. This is not just the first title for a Korean in Italy but Napoli's first since 1990. The celebrations in the soccer-mad Italian city have been intense. Fans are proud as the team has dominated the season from the beginning and was sitting 15 points clear of Lazio in second as it drew 1-1 with Udinese to seal the title.

The defender was given the tough job of replacing Kalidou Koulibaly in the heart of the backline as the club legend left for Chelsea. He has done so in style, playing 32 out of the 33 games so far in Serie A, a fantastic record, and was also named player of the month in the entire league in September. In short, he has been one of the best center-backs in Europe this season.

Some have gone even further with their praise such as Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti who knows the player better than most. “He does 20 incredible things in the match,” Spalletti said in March. “For me he is the strongest central defender in the world. He takes in what you tell him then goes out to fight. As soon as he becomes familiar with a new way of playing football and he understands that he is the strongest of all, I don't know what he can become.”

It is possible that his future lies elsewhere. There have been rumors and speculation about a big move to the English Premier League. Clubs such as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have been linked to Kim as has Manchester City. There is also talk that there may be a $55 million release clause in his contract for foreign clubs. Kim would be a bargain at that price.

That is for the future ― for now, it is time to enjoy a historic triumph.