The Shaggy Haired One

Welcome To the unofficial Ji-Sung-Park Futbol (Soccer) Website

Ji-Sung Park's Early Years - Before Manchester United

Born on 25th February, 1981 in Seoul, South Korea, Ji-Sung Park was brought up in Suwon, a small industrial town just south of the capital. Always small for his age, Park's ambition to become a professional football player started at a very young age. But he was keenly aware of his 'scrawny' physique and reportedly his father would even give him boiled frog extracts and other sports supplements to 'help him grow'! While obviously a talented boy, it was Park's utter dedication and determination that stays in the mind of those who knew him when growing up.

His parents would worry when he failed to come home after football practice at school, only to find him doing push-ups on the training ground when the other boys had long gone home! Ji-Sung Park only just made it into a Korean college football team and then in 2000, he signed his first official contract with a lowly, second division Japanese side- Kyoto Purple Sanga. But soon everything was to change for Ji-Sung Park....with his eventual moves to PSV Eindhoven and then on to Manchester United, where he eventually won the Champions League - the biggest and best trophy in European football - against all odds as the online betting markets didn't favour them!

Manchester United remain on course for an unprecedented number of trophies in the 2010/11 season, with the team topping the table and in the Quarter Finals of both the Champions League and the FA Cup. Though the football betting markets don't price them as favourites to win all three, with Ji Sung Park in the team, surely anything is possible...

Ji Sung Park News

Is Park on his Way Out?/h2>

Manchester United are reportedly looking at the possibility of selling South Korean midfielder Park Ji Sung in the summer. The South Korean midfielder was initially thought to be arriving at Old Trafford in order to sell merchandise back in Asia, but he has proved to be highly capable player alongside the likes of Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick. He has become so influential within the Manchester United midfielder over the last couple of seasons that manager Sir Alex Ferguson has always taken him for the big matches. It was once again the case in recent Manchester derby, which is the only difference being that Park Ji Sung has not been part of the starting line-up for more than three months.

It had an effect on the pitch, as the Korean was largely ineffective during the 60 minutes he was on the pitch. The 31-year-old only recently signed a one-year extension to his current contract, but it is thought that Manchester United will allow him to leave the club in the summer. They have already lined up a replacement in the form of a Borussia Dortmund midfielder from Japan. This will be his seventh season at Manchester United for Park Ji Sung. He has won every major trophy with the club during his seven-year stint apart from the FA Cup.

Park Ji Sung was a key influence in the Manchester United team that won the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea, despite the fact that he was not involved in the match. After the match, manager Sir Alex Ferguson said that it was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make as the manager of Manchester United. Manchester United are expected to bring in a number of players in the summer in order to start challenging in a major way in European football.

Park Happy with Captaincy

Manchester United midfielder Park Ji sung has said that he is overjoyed by the captaincy awarded to him in the match against Ajax recently. Manchester United faced Ajax in the second leg of the Europa league last 32 round at Old Trafford. Manchester United were coming into the match after having won the first leg comfortably 2-1, and thus, they were the favourites to progress into the next round as well. Park Ji sung was handed the captaincy for the first time in his Old Trafford career. Now, the South Korean has said that he is extremely delighted with the status awarded by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, the occasion was slightly tainted by the fact that Ajax managed a 2-1 win over Manchester United. Despite this defeat, United progress into the last 16 of the Europa league where they will be facing Spanish club Athletic Bilbao. Manchester United and Manchester City are the favourites to win the Europa league this season, as they are the two strong teams left in the competition. However, Manchester United very nearly crashed out of the competition as a result of this defeat, which was later criticised heavily by manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

“It was a great honour to be named Manchester United captain. It is not something I ever thought about doing, but I would have preferred the result to be better. From now on, every match in the Premier League is important. We have to keep pressing Manchester City. We have experienced this kind of pressure before. It is a big advantage for us that we have that kind of experience," Manchester United midfielder Park Ji sung said after the match. United are currently second in the Premier league table, but are yet to face Manchester City at the Etihad stadium.

Ji Sung Eager to Play

Manchester United are eager to face the next Champions League opponents Benfica according to midfielder Ji sung Park. Manchester United manager to drop two points against Benfica in the first fixture between the two sides, but it seems that United are well prepared for this match given that we have to win it in order to qualify for the next round. Even though Manchester United's group was extremely easy on paper, they have struggled to make any inroads into the prospect of qualification. Even with only one match remaining, it now seems extremely uncertain that Manchester United will finish as the group winners, failing to do so will make Sir Alex Ferguson's side play against the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

However, Ji sung Park thinks that Manchester United can easily win the match against Benfica provided they dominate the midfield, something that they have failed to do in the earlier Champions League matches. One of the theories being suggested for this lack of victories in the group, which is considered as easy by many, is thought to be the relaxed mood of the United players. However, Ji sung Park believes that his teammates now think Benfica as a more serious opponent than before.

Speaking ahead of the match, Ji sung Park said "I’m sure Benfica will play some good football but with a lot of care as well because they know they are playing away at our ground. We will do our best to get the positive result that we aim for. When I played against Benfica for Sporting Lisbon, the games were like United against Manchester City. They were always tough games."

The two wins against Otelul Galati have kept Manchester United going in the group stages. Without them, they would have been out of the group by now.

Park hopes for a good performance

Manchester United midfielder Ji-Sung Park has said that he is hoping that his side repeat the good performance that they showed against Otelul Galati in the Champions League. After suffering a poor start to the Champions League group stage campaign, Manchester United finally returned to form with a 2-0 win over the Romanian outfit. Ji-Sung Park has revealed that he is hoping for more or less the same result when the two sides meet at Old Trafford for the reverse fixture.

Incidentally, this fixture will also mark the first time Manchester United step onto the Old Trafford pitch after their 6-1 humiliation at the hands of archrivals Manchester City. United are usually extremely efficient in the Champions League group stage, as they conceded no goals at this stage of the competition last season. This time around, it has been very different, with United already conceding three goals at home at the hands off minnows FC Basel in the first group match.

In an interview prior to the match, Ji-Sung Park told reporters, "We were winning 2-0 at half-time, we lost our concentration and they were able to go 3-2 up. But we have that experience now, so we know what happens when we lose concentration, and if we are United we have to do a proper job against Galati."

United are currently second in the table, with surprising leaders Benfica just ahead of United. Sir Alex Ferguson has already reiterated the fact that they should not be taking the Champions League so easily. Further, the Manchester City humiliation will likely mean that Manchester United will be extremely pumped up to get a positive result, which will go a way into erasing the memories of the terrible defeat. Ji-Sung Park is expected to play a major role in the match, which is extremely crucial for United.