Hard part for K-League (and increasingly for China I'd say going forward) is the market has gotten so competitive for all the types of players listed here. Not only is the Middle East throwing big money at them, for the South American players there is big money available back home or in Mexico. Now MLS is throwing big money as well. Just this season, David Villa, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo, Kaka and Didier Drogba have all made the move to MLS. Unfortunate, but true, that given equal money opportunities, most players will prefer to go the United States for the quality of life over going elsewhere. That does leave a target zone, though, of players who have well known names and have wanted to go to MLS but who MLS has no interest in. The likes of Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, etc.
those type of players were never a target for korean clubs. never in its history and never will be. big name players do not bring more fans to the stadium in korea so there is no value in signing them when there are players who can do 80% of the job at 20% of their pay.
I also assume that for professional athletes nearing retirement, playing in US offers them more market exposure for opportunities post-retirement as compared to Middle-East, China, or Japan
I want to keep this thread going. I would like to hire a manager/head coach because at this point I'm convinced that a single player will not have much lasting influence in Korean domestic football as much as a manager. 1) Eusebio Sacristán: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebio_Sacristán Current manager of Real Sociedad, has experience in FC Barcelona as assistant and Barcelona B for around 9 years. This background might help a K-league club improve its youth structure. Hopefully his time as an assistant has rubbed Pep's magic on him. 2) Juande Ramos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juande_Ramos His resume is pretty impressive. Managed lots of top European sides in the likes of Malaga, Sevilla, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and CSKA Moscow. 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