Park Ji-Sung shows Fergie’s right and the critics are wrong

Many people wonder why Sir Alex Ferguson shows so much faith in Park Ji-Sung. It always seems to be the case that when United have a big game, Park’s name is on the team-sheet. He certainly isn’t one of the big name, big time superstars at Old Trafford but Sir Alex thinks the world of him.

Repaid

Yesterday the Korea republic international repaid all that faith and showed the rest of us what Fergie has clearly seen for years. United were well below par and a battling Wolves side looked to be heading towards getting a well deserved result. Then up stepped the midfielder to bag a brace, the second one in injury-time, to give his side a slightly fortuitous three points.

Park’s career began in humble surroundings when he signed for Japanese team Kyoto Purple Sanga who had just been relegated to J2. He played his part in helping the side get promoted back to the top league and also to an Emperors Cup win, but left the team after they dropped back to the second division.

Important

Former Korea republic coach Guus Hiddink had taken over at Dutch club PSV Eindhoven and he took Park with him in 2003. He played over sixty games for the club and scored a number of important goals including some that took PSV to the Champions League semi-final.

In the Summer of 2005 Sir Alex Ferguson parted with £4 million to take Park to Old Trafford. In his five and a half seasons with United he has played one hundred and sixty games and found the net twenty times. He has helped the team to three Premier League titles, three League Cups and a Champions League. That is some record for the man who has represented his country on ninety-four occasions.

Action

The one thing you know you will always get from Park is an all action performance. He never stops running and he will continue battling and trying whatever happens in a game. However, it is not just his desire and his engine that makes Fergie and the United fan love him, it is also the fact that he possesses a good deal of quality.

It was great to see Park taking the headlines yesterday because it hasn’t happened very often even though he has usually been there when good things have happened to United over the past five years.

Judge

I reckon Sir Alex has proved himself to be a pretty good judge over the years and if he felt that securing Park on a new four year deal last year was a crucial piece of business then who is anyone else to question him.

Nobody knows how important those two goals will be come the end of the season, but it could be that Park Ji-Sung has once again played a significant role in United’s season.