Players from rival teams are also positively watching star player Jesse Lingard enter the F.C. Seoul and K-League. However, he is determined that he will not be able to concede a goal during their duel.
Seoul announced on Tuesday that it will recruit Lingard. After playing 32 A matches for the English national team, he has been with Manchester United for a long time, and Lingard’s trip to Seoul, where he played in the English Premier League (PL) until last season, is drawing keen attention from fans in Europe as well.
Since British media such as “Sky Sports” first reported Lingard’s transfer to Seoul last week, many soccer fans have asked, “What’s wrong with Lingard?” Although he has no team for half a year due to his recent career break, he was a player who scored nine goals and four assists in 16 PL games just three years ago. Recently, it has been reported that many teams including the European big leagues have shown interest in him.
The reaction of the players who will face Lingard on the ground is similar. Furthermore, he highly appreciates the spirit of challenge from the same player’s perspective. “Wouldn’t everyone have the same reaction?” said Kim Do-hyuk, who met with the “Footballist” during the Incheon United off-season training in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. “He was like, ‘Are you sure you’re coming?’ and then, ‘He really came.’ He could have been paid much higher than other countries, but he changed his perspective and came to Korea. I think he has a great spirit of challenge.”
He also expressed expectations that it would have a positive impact on the overall K-League. “I think the value of the K-League has increased a little bit due to Lingard’s choice. If he adapts well and shows good play, other players may try to come to the K-League. Then he will come to Incheon as well,” he said.
Having played in China and Japan and faced many star players, Yonichi said, “It is a positive thing for Korean soccer. It is especially positive in terms of marketing that a player of that name will play in the K-League. More fans and more sponsors can come in,” adding, “Another player will also have additional motivation.”
Attention is also focusing on when Lingard will be able to land in the K-League for the first time. He participated in various team drills and participated in practice games, but the key to this is to quickly enhance his sense of play as it has been a long time since he played in actual games. The player himself is determined to maintain good condition that he can play in the K-League opening match, which is about a month away. “I gained physical fitness by training with a personal trainer. I will be able to elevate my physical condition well enough until the opening of the season,” he told a news conference at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Tuesday.
Lingard will move to Kagoshima, Japan on Tuesday to join a training camp in Seoul. If he is allowed to play in the opening game, he will leave for away game at Gwangju FC in the first round on March 2. He will play in his first home game against Incheon in the second round on March 10. 마카오카지노주소
Incheon captain Lee Myung-joo, who also played in Seoul, expressed his determination not to concede a goal to Lingard, who is famous for his ceremonies such as the “Piri ceremony,” while expecting a showdown. “There are not many chances to play with such a player. It will be a good experience for the players who play in the K-League as well,” Lee said. “Ceremony? No way. You will never see us performing a ceremony in our game.”