Bahaha you have a point there Jitevra, but Saku completely shot you down with one sentence . Let this be a lesson in humility to all of us . The reason I ask is because I was recently playing Fifa '11 and for the first time I realized there was a World XI and a Classic XI, and I noticed Cha was one of the starting strikers for Classic XI. Then again, I don't remember seeing Messi, Iniesta, or Xavi in the World XI or Pele and Maradona in the Classic XI so it doesn't really mean anything. Edit: Not to mention from the way it sounds, Cha single-handedly turned crappy teams into amazing, competitive teams capable of winning league and UEFA championships. Correct me if I got that wrong, and if I'm not I don't think you could point to a single player in today's football world that can do that.
LOL shot down? come on man, i said im only speculating. Saku knew the answer and i didnt... i guess, i got owned pretty badly there.
MBC 다큐 - 독일의 코레아노 차붐 Note: this is quite an old documentary. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxn34VdL4v0"]YouTube - MBC ?? - ??? ???? ?? Part 1[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zvA7A7meQQ"]YouTube - MBC ?? - ??? ???? ?? Part 2[/ame] Part 3 coming.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfndAN66AdM"]YouTube - MBC ?? - ??? ???? ?? Part 3[/ame] ROFLMAO little Cha Du Ri with the mushroom hairstyle.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2HowXxMllc"]YouTube - Motoyama (?) 2011 J1#1 ?? 3-3 ???J?????[/ame] Sorry if this has been posted already. LCH with 2 nice goals. RUN CHUN SOO!
Article about C. Ronaldo getting his 100th appearance for his country. He is the 8th youngest player to do so. Who is the first? None other than CHA BUM-KUN!!! http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19952950 Football's youngest centurions Cha Bum-Kun (South Korea): 24 years, 139 days Mohamed Al-Deayea (Saudi Arabia): 25 years, 325 days Bader Ahmed Al-Mutawa (Kuwait): 25 years, 362 days Landon Donovan (USA): 26 years, 96 days Bashar Abdullah (Kuwait): 26 years, 280 days Sami Al-Jaber (Saudi Arabia): 26 years, 292 days Lukas Podolski (Germany): 27 years, 13 days
Question to those that knew the international soccer game and the Korean soccer team really well in the 90s because I am very curious and have followed the Korean soccer team casually since '94. How good were Hwang Sun Hong and Hong Myung Bo really? Could Hwang Sun Hong and Hong Myung Bo really compete against the best in the world? Korean legends but how well would these two have really done in the Premier League, La Liga, or Serie A? Also how good was Choi Yong Soo compared to Hwang Sun Hong and how were they like paired together up top?
They were what they were. The best in Korea, probably good enough to play in a top second division in Europe. The ones that did have a go in Europe, such as Seo Jeong Won proved Korean football in those times was not up to par. IMO Korean football was laughable pre 2006, always went to the WC to come back with a sore ass until 2002, where non-Koreans and Koreans-not-in-denial all know shady things happened. I do believe buying the 4th place in 2002 was a necessary evil, the way Park Chung Hee or Augusto Pinochet dealt with their detractors to make their countries better. I believe Korean football grew a lot after that. Some people view Hong Myung Bo as being akin to god himself. If he'd been good enough to play in Europe they would have come for him. People seem to need heroes, something to look up to, the only reason we know who HMB is because we have an association with Korea. Had all the Myung Bo lovers been born in India, you would say Baichung Butia was the greatest ever. BTW if Baichung Butia was given the chance to play in Europe but all your Korean heroes (Myung Bo, Hwang Son Hong, etc) were not. Then they simply weren't good enough. I'm saying this because some go around saying that in those times Koreans weren't given the chance to prove themselves in Europe. My point is, there's no need to be in denial and it's ok to call things by their name. Korean football used to be complete shit. Post 2002 we've seen MASSIVE improvements. I believe in 20 years we could be a footballing powerhouse. Things are looking good for the future.
Who the hell is Baitchung Butia? Well that's exactly the point. That's what most non-koreans will say about Hong Myung Bo. Anyone I know him to be a "pioneer" of Asian football in Europe and I think considered a hero in his country like HMB is with Koreans. BTW sorry for bringing my ramblings and rants from other discussions and venting it out here. Anyway, hope you see my point.
Unless he/she is an ardent follower of football, the only defenders that come into a person's mind will be those playing in the top clubs of the world. Sure, most non-Koreans won't be aware of who Hong Myung Bo is. However, it really doesn't make sense to compare the only Asian player with a bronze ball award to some Indian player who stayed in his shell for his entire career. Plus, the transfer system wasn't the same as it is now. I remember how Choi Yong Soo was on the brink of signing for West Ham but failed cos of the huge transfer fee differences between his club and West Ham. South Korean clubs were not used to the European offers and shipped off most of their star players to J-League. Even the likes of Park Ji Sung transferred from a J-League club and Lee Young Pyo was able to transfer to PSV thanks to the request from Hiddink himself. Hong did receive interest from two German clubs following the 94' World Cup, so no, it's not like the European clubs didn't come for him. The fact of the matter is that Hong Myung Bo was the best Asian centre-back of his generation. Do I expect everyone else to know this? Hell no. However, a fact is a fact; Hong Myung Bo ≠ Baichung Bhutia.
V_Park: I don't claim I know it to be fact, I'm speaking of the general perception outside of Korean circles, everyone thinks that way, I promise you, I grew up in half the world, I know whats been said in the press in Spain, Latin America, Italy, etc. I've always said I believe the refs were bought, and I've always said, that while they were at it, they might as well have gone all the way and taken the cup. Shinuke: I agree with you that Hong was the best Asian centreback of his generation if not the best Asian centreback ever. I really don't know how much that means given how asian countries always went to the WC to be raped and ridiculed, Korea and Japan having got their first EVER wins in 2002 (I think Japan got their first POINT actually). Please don't get me wrong, I do love HMB, think he was a great player. But I don't see that need to paint him as a diety or as anything more than what he was. I don't know how accurate your statements are about Koreans having trouble but I must respectfully say I think you're wrong. The Koreans and Japanese that have played in Europe have alwasy done so at bargain price Park Ji Sung being a prime example. Digressing a bit, Korea keeps it's GDP at artificially low levels to boost exports and has always done so, that's why Koreans have no money but a lot of purchasing power. Any kind of foreign currency in Korea has great value, if Europeans wanted to pay a Korean Club (mind you Korean clubs are poor and they were VERY poor pre 2002) they would have paid them enough. And I need not mention that all humans falls apart in the face of cash. Adding to my point: Cha Bum Gun. if he played in Europe in his time, then any Korean player of true quality could have played in Europe thereafter. I'm sorry if I'm wrong and I don't dismiss the posibility that there were certain extenuating circumstances, but i do see it unlikely. Especially from a country that seemed to be trying very hard to improve it's game. I know us tossers, who spend half their time wanking and the other half ranting at forums about things noone of importance in football will ever hear, will have no impact on Korean football, but shouldn't we learn to see things for what they are. If one keeps saying a a mediocre player (no double meaning, not talking of Hong) is god, then you will be OK with producing more "gods", end up nowhere. Shait, thats alot of writing, gotta get a girlfriend. Cheers!
Hmmmm....please feel to correct me but my opinion is that Hong in his prime could have played anywhere as he seemed physically fit athough he never struck me as fast, positionally very aware, could pass extremely well, and had one mean screamer of a shot. I want to think the last three traits he was world class level but maybe someone can educate me and tell me he really wasn't. On the other hand, Hwang Sun Hong and Choi Yong Soo to me had all the physical talent to be succesful anywhere. I have seen both make some real class goals and both in their primes were physical beasts with a great work rate unlike the fellow Lee Dong Gook whom I cant stand. Then I remember Choi became like Lee outside of Asia and I can never forget Hwang's performance against Bolivia....
One of the what ifs: If Hwang was never injured and played in 1998 World Cup...could Korea at full strength (assuming Ha's dumb ass doesnt get kicked out) beaten Mexico and Belgium???
Hmmm....I dont think Korea caught all the breaks in 2002. For example, Korea clearly outplayed Poland and Poland was lucky the score wasn't worse than what it was. The USA was very very lucky they did not lose because Korea dominated them throughout open play. The Portuguese and Italians were not impressive and both suffered long stretches of the game where Korea actually seemed the better team. To me Korea should have bowed out to Spain as it was this game where I felt Korea was playing a truly better team but hey I wont complain.