Sports Today in Korea is reporting that Hong to LA is a done deal. He'll have his farewell game with Pohang on November 17th. Congratulations to Galaxy. Not only you won the elusive MLS Cup, you'll have a classy player who'll strengthen your defense next year and also draw a lot of Korean fans to you games. I hope we sign Hwang Sun Hong. It'll be great to see these two go at it next year.
Scumball G. Jones has already expressed his considered opinion that Hong is too old, washed up, and will not help the LAG. Love the way the guy wants to throw cold water on this team even before the deal comes down. I hope he is as far off base on this as he is with most of his opinions.
Hopefully he isn't paid to much that we'll have to dump cap space, and if he can put in 2 good years like Lalas has, then I'll be more then happy. We will have a great backline next year with any 3 of the 4, Califf (he really has impressed me this year with how much he's grown), Marshall (great at the end of the year, my MLS Cup MVP), Lalas of course (next year with a solid partner in Hong, they can platoon/get some reset), and Hong assuming he pans out.
I just don't understand how you can call a player "washed-up" when he just won the World Cup Bronze Ball as the third most valuable player of the tournament four months ago. Granted he's 33 years old but did Mr. Jones see what kind of shape these Korean players were in? Hong is probably in better shape than MLS players who are 10 years younger than him. Hong is going to be a great leader for Galaxy. I just wish he went to FC Barcelona (who tried hard to sign him and Yoo Sang Chul) few years ago instead of opting to go to the J-League.
If this deal is true, this means we could play 4-man backline instead of 3, but the 3-man line has worked well for us. Hopefully Hong will mix into the chemistry and do well.
Has Lalas said he wants to come back? Maybe not, and Hong fits the sweeper mold. Or... Who saw the Vanney sale coming? Maybe the league plans to move someone else off our roster. I bet Bob Bradley is petitioning to get Pete Vagenas or Danny Calif right now for Metros.
I'm not laughing and I'm not joking. Bradley has had his eye on Pete for two years. Metros need help. We'll see.
Hong would fit in well because he can play any defensive role quite effectively in a 3-back or 4-back system, except possibly left back in a 4-back set. He's been a sweeper for most of his career, but he's also strong in the air (signing him would add yet another 6-footer to our back line) and still quick enough to play as a marking back. He'll even play right back in a pinch - I've seen him playing that position for Korea once, though it was some time in 1995. His versatility is a good thing, given that the only backup we currently have for Ezra on the right side of a 4-back set is Tyrone Marshall. We could do worse than to have players we can shuffle around the back line to replace whoever's injured or suspended or otherwise can't play.