Why Ji Dong-Won should have signed for PSV Eindhoven, not Sunderland

COMMENT
By Ben Somerford

He will become the eighth Korean to play in the Premier League and probably the youngest ever – depending on when he makes his debut – but Ji Dong-Won has made the wrong career choice in heading to England’s North East to join Sunderland.

It was announced on Wednesday that the Black Cats had won the race for Ji’s signature, beating off PSV Eindhoven’s approach, along with reported interest from Newcastle United and Schalke.

It is a big move for the 20-year-old international, who has been performing in the K-League with mid-table outfit Chunnam Dragons. Now he will be thrust into the Premier League, one of the best competitions in the world.

It will be quite the step up, but Ji will be encouraged by the efforts of Lee Chung-Yong, who moved from K-League club FC Seoul to Bolton in 2009 as a 21-year-old, before becoming the club’s Player of the Year in his debut season.

In many ways, Lee’s success has facilitated Ji’s move to Sunderland, restoring the faith of Premier League clubs in K-League players after the underwhelming stints of Lee Dong-Gook, Kim Do-Heon and Cho Won-Hee who all moved to England straight out of the Korean top-flight.

Prior to Bolton’s Lee, Manchester United’s Park Ji-Sung and Tottenham’s Lee Young-Pyo both arrived in the Premier League after a number of seasons, ironically, in the Netherlands at PSV Eindhoven.

Of course, PSV have a strong Korean connection due to Guus Hiddink’s influence, but the point to be made here is that the club were seen as a stepping stone. Rather than jumping in at the deep end of the Premier League, playing for PSV in the Eredivisie was a way to test the water.

Both did well and earned their move to the Premier League where they became regulars at

their respective clubs, with Park obviously having the more success.

The argument is Ji should follow in their footsteps at PSV and take his career one step at a time.

Nevertheless, you can’t begrudge him for having the ambition to leap into a Premier League club, particularly when there’s a healthy offer on the table.

He has completed a dream move, plus he has joined on a three-year contract, reportedly on a decent salary and with a transfer fee which appears to have satisfied Chunnam. Ji publicly stated that he felt Sunderland really wanted him, too.

They are all good reasons to accept the deal. However, the most important question is: what is best for Ji’s career in the long-term?

Of course, it’s good for the 20-year-old to show some ambition and take on the challenge of trying to make it in the Premier League, but that won’t be easy for a player who has been good, but not great, in Korea this season, scoring three goals in 15 appearances.

Suddenly he’ll come up against some of the best defenders in the world, which will be a significant increase in class.

You could argue that if Lee can do it at Bolton, so can Ji at Sunderland, but they play completely different positions. While Lee can roam around on the wing and drift into attack, Ji will directly be marked by imposing, physical stoppers and it will be hard for him to put his stamp on the game.

Lee Dong-Gook could never find his feet as a striker at Middlesbrough and actually left the club without ever scoring a goal.

These comments on Ji’s move aren’t pessimistic, rather realistic. It’s going to be a major challenge for him to make an impact at the Black Cats and the club may not have the patience to persist with a youngster adjusting to the standard, particularly in a crucial position such as striker.

On the other hand, when you consider the opportunities and patience he may have been afforded by PSV – who have a wealth of players in their early twenties – then the Eredivisie side must have been a tempting option.

JI, WRONG MOVE?

“I know there will be stiff competition for playing time but my goal is to become the player that the team wants me to be in six months.” – Ji Dong-Won

With all due respect, the standard of the Dutch top-flight would be easier for Ji to adjust to, again potentially as a stepping stone onto the Premier League.

Sunderland won’t be expecting immediate results but by the same token that means he may struggle for opportunities.

The Black Cats have plenty of cash to spend on replenishing their squad following the sales of Darren Bent and Jordan Henderson and any big-name arrivals will make it even more difficult for Ji to get a game.

He told reporters on Wednesday: “I know there will be stiff competition for playing time but my goal is to become the player that the team wants me to be in six months.”

Six months? That will be quite the challenge, particularly when he willl be scrutinised by the fans and opportunities will be hard to come by.

Given their investment (reportedly £2m), Sunderland will do everything they can to ensure he develops in the right way, but moving to PSV would have been a better pathway for building his career.

There, he would get the opportunities and patience he needs at this crucial stage of his career. Perhaps, ultimately, the lure of playing in the Premier League proved too strong.

The reality is his new Sunderland contract might be a dream deal for now, but his most important contract will come in three years time.

Taking the direct route from the K-League to the Premier League will make it harder for Ji to get the offer he wants when that time comes around.