Korea, Japan players head home to help WCup hopes
The approach of the 2010 World Cup has temporarily reversed the exodus of star Korean and Japanese players to Europe, as they seek match time to boost their chances of appearing at the tournament.
The two East Asian nations have many players plying their trade in Europe, but many believe that regular appearances in their domestic league will do more for the World Cup selection hopes than sitting on the bench in England, France, Germany or Spain.
In the first two weeks of 2010, Junichi Inamoto and Shinji Ono returned to the J-League while Seol Ki-hyeon and Cho Won-hee said goodbye to England and are now preparing for the new K-League season.
Seol, a veteran of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, made just one start for English Premier League club Fulham this season, leading the 31 year-old sign for reigning Asian continental champions Pohang Steelers.
The former Reading and Anderlecht winger has never played in his domestic league.
Players need to be playing so Seols move is good news for us, Huh said. If you dont play for a while, you start to lose your match sharpness. I will have to take a look at him when the season starts.
Cho joined Wigan in March 2009 but injury and a coaching change limited his opportunities and after starting just two games this season, he has returned to former club Suwon Bluewings on loan.
I returned to Suwon because I want to play many games, said Cho as he arrived at Incheon International Airport. It is important to reach my peak fitness quickly and I want to display some good performances.
South Korea takes on Greece, Argentina and Nigeria in Group B in South Africa while Japan faces the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark.
Japans Junichi Inamoto left the J-League in 2001 to sign for Arsenal of the English Premier League. The midfielder, who has since played in Germany and Turkey, has struggled for playing time this season with French club Rennes and has signed for Kawasaki Frontale.
I just turned 30, and I wanted to come back to the J. League while I was still in my best condition, Inamoto said.
The World Cup is not the only reason I have come back. Of course I want to be involved and it helps to be playing in Japan in full view of the manager. I wanted to come back to Japan first and foremost, and if I can go to the World Cup then thats a bonus.
Fellow 2002 World Cup midfielder Shinji Ono has left German club Bochum to sign for Shimizu S-Pulse.
Shinji is a remarkable player and a good man, but during his time at Bochum he was badly hit by injuries and was unable to play as much as we would have wanted, said Bochum general manager Thomas Ernst.
Even Japans most accomplished football export Shunsuke Nakamura is not immune. The playmaker, with 94 appearances for Japan under his belt, has struggled since moving to Spain and Espanyol last summer, and there is talk of a loan back to the J-League.
Espanyol had big expectations of the player who starred in his spells at Reggina and Celtic but Nakamura has played just six games this season.
He hasnt adapted as we would have wished but we will do all we can for him to be at 100 per cent, said Espanyol sporting director German de la Cruz.
We are not planning to loan him out or sell him and we hope that he will return to his best form.
In Australia, the timing of the season means the situation is reversed, prompting players to seek an exit. The A-Leagues regular season will end on February 14, meaning those not involved in the playoffs or the Asian Champions League face four months without a competitive game ahead of the World Cup.
Australia coach Pim Verbeek, whose side faces a tough group of Germany, Ghana and Serbia at the World Cup, has made it clear that he will pick those playing regular competitive football. As a result, many fringe national team players are looking at short-term loans to Korea, Japan and China.
Not all involved in the domestic game are happy at this expected exodus.
We understand completely why Pim wants the players to be active, but at the same time this has the potential to undermine careers, and the competition, Professional Footballers Australia boss Brendan Schwab said.
The players are being forced to make a choice they dont necessarily want to make. They dont want to go, but theyre prepared to go. The worry for us is that theres always a great risk in a hasty move, a poorly planned move.
The outspoken owner of A-League club Gold Coast United, Clive Palmer, was scathing in his criticism of Verbeek encouraging players to move overseas.
Thats our national team, not his, Palmer said. The main criterion for any national coach should be to foster the game here in Australia. Football is not just about the World Cup, its also about making the A-League the best it can possibly be.
Hes setting the wrong example, and if he was working for me, Id sack him, believe me.
