Today the builders of the new Wembley Stadium admitted it was only 70% likely to be ready in time for its first scheduled event, the FA Cup Final in May 2006.

It should be noted forthwith that safety for fans is Pkvmore important than anything so another delay is far from the end of the world but this is yet another chapter in the troubled tale that has been the replacing of the old national football ground. There were prolonged and bloody political squabbles over whether to include athletics or not, and anger at the exorbitant cost of purchasing the land, demolishing the old ground and constructing a new one and now there are regular concerns being voiced over cost overruns and put back completion times. Nothing strange there you might think, as this is often the case with the birth of grands projets, niggles that are soon forgotten once the Colossus is up there looking out over Rhodes’ harbour.

The English football world is already so jaded by the saga of Wembley’s rebuilding that no one really cares whether the Cup Final will be at Cardiff for another year. In fact, given the positive experiences of fans visiting the Millennium Stadium, an impressive arena located in the heart of a vibrant city a stone’s throw from a mainline railway station, there cannot seriously be many fans dying to return to the grimy industrial estates of the grubby and uninspiring outer suburb of London that is Wembley.

A Cup Final is about having a day out as well as watching the game itself and a trip to the area surrounding Wembley was nothing if not disappointing, particularly given the chronic lack of hostelries within walking distance Sattamatka of the stadium. I traveled to Wembley several times over the past quarter of a century for football matches and not once did I have an experience as magical as the self-styled ‘Venue of Legends’ would have had us believe. The complex itself sat amidst a sea of concrete and was home to overpriced and unpleasant food & merchandise, rude and ignorant stewarding and above all inadequate sightlines, courtesy of a 1920s athletic stadium stands having seats bolted on to them without thought for views of the football field.

My abiding memory of the Wembley experience was of sprinting to the stadium just in time for a delayed kick off for an England v Poland World Cup qualifier in 1988 after Wembley plc had forced everyone to collect their match tickets at Wembley Arena in a barmy and never-repeated experiment in ‘efficiency’. As I ran breathless up the multiple flights of stairs to a seat so high up that the roof only just fell short of covering the field in my sightline, England fans stood urinating against the walls of the stairwells as ‘God Save the Queen’ boomed out over the tannoy.

Even more frustrating than the views and underwhelming experience was the Football Association’s commitment to signing exclusive contracts for England matches with the private company who ran the creaking, smelling dinosaur that was Wembley. While countries like Italy and Germany played their national team games across the country, England, the birthplace of the sport, stayed marooned at what effectively was a neutral ground, which conspicuously failed to replicate the atmosphere English football is famous for.

When the obsolete old place blessedly closed at long last in October 2000 after 78 years of football and two Olympic Games, England took their home games around the country for the first time in living memory. The experience has been positive all round, especially for fans from the football hotbeds of the North for whom a midweek trip to London is out of the question. But it was a time-limited beano, a tantalizing glimpse of what could have been.

Now a new Wembley is almost a reality again, and although the projected sightlines on the official website do not appear that much better than those of the old ground, at least there will be plenty of tickets available, 90,000, for casual fans, (or 70,000 after the corporate parasites have had their fill) and the edifice itself looks more impressive than the old, twin towers and all.

Drive along London’s North Circular Road and the silhouette of a magnificent fortress appears on the horizon ahead, commanding awe from all around and distracting drivers’ attention away from Ikea at Brent Cross. I for one will try to feel hopeful that the 757 million pounds spent on this project will have been worth it and that world-renowned architect Norman Foster has not made another wobbly bridge out of this millennium dream.

It would be churlish not to feel some optimism about a new home for the England team but how telling it is that such an expensive and apparently magnificent creation has failed so singularly to inspire the nation’s fans, whatever the Wembley PR men might tell you.

Chunnam and Melbourne in action at Gwangyang Stadium

And so it came to pass that South Korean team Chunnam Dragons were playing Melbourne Victory of Australia to preserve their faint hopes of reaching the last eight of the Asian Champions League.

Melbourne had been even worse than the Qq Online Dragons in the competition but the A-League outfit at least had the excuse that it was their first time. Chunnam’s centred on injuries to their best players.

Chunnam’s home stadium

As excuses go, it was reasonable. The club was without three or four of its best players for every match. It doesn’t however, explain why with all but one of those stars recovered, coach Park Hang-seo chose to leave out four first-team regulars. They watched the action from the stands accompanied by dried squid and ricecakes – snacks that keep mouths busy for hours.

Korean international Kim Chi-woo wrestles with squid

There was some football to keep eyes occupied but neither team seemed especially interested playing in front of a tiny crowd in the unusual setting of Gwangyang stadium.

In the crowded country that is South Korea,few places are really remote but Gwangyang, located around the middle of the south satta king coast, is a trek to get to -though a very pleasant one at that. The place itself is small. Basically Gwangyang is a huge steel works and container port with a small town attached.

looking behind the stadium

The stadium is on the edge of POSCO’s steelworks. With the huge complex to the right behind the stadium and lush mountains to the left, the compact arena makes for a great place to watch football.

It wasn’t so great last Wednesday but it was entertaining enough. Perhaps coach Park was right to field a weak team. Runaway leaders Gamba Osaka later won in Thailand to confirm their place as Group G’s representative in the quarter-finals.

Chunnam coach Park Hang-seo

J. League Results 11/05/08

Sunday, 11 May

Urawa Reds now lead the table after a hard fought 1-0 win away to Kawasaki Frontale at Todoroki Stadium as Antlers lost by the same score at Shimizu S-Pulse.

Kyoto Sanga, after a decent start are quickly falling in to the danger zone. Their latest defeat 1-0 at bottom club JEF

JEF United 1 Kyoto Sanga 0

Kawasaki Frontale 0 Urawa Reds 1

Niigata Albirex 1 Iwata Jubilo 0

Nagoya Grampus 0 Vissel Kobe 0

Omiya Ardija 1 Sapporo Consodole 2

Oita Trinita 2 Tokyo Verdy 0

Shimizu S-Pulse 1 Kashima Antlers 0

FC Tokyo 0 Kashiwa Reysol 1

Gamba Osaka 2 Yokohama F Marinos 2

Leading Positions

Urawa P12 Pts 26

Grampus P12 Pts 25

Frontale P12 Pts 20

FC Tokyo P12 Pts 20

Reysol P12 Pts 19

In J2, Sanfrecce still lead the league followed by Bellmare and Vegalta.

Thespa Kusatsu 1 Cerezo Osaka 3

Sagan Tosu 2 Tokushima Vortis 1

Montedio Yamagata 3 Mito Hollyhock 1

Avispa Fukuoka 0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3

Yokohama FC 1 Ehime FC 0

Vegalta Sendai 2 Ventforet Kofu 0

Roasso Kumamoto 0 FC Gifu 2

Shonan Bellmare 2 Sagan Tosu 1

Leading Positions

Sanfrecce P12 Pts 26

Bellmare P12 Pts 24

Vegalta P12 Pts 22

Cerezo P12 Pts 22

Sagan P12 Pts 21

Yokohama FC P12 Pts 20

Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-son

For as long as anyone can remember, Gangwon Province has been a great place to visit. Millions of cars head east from Seoul every summer for the beaches and the mountains; millions more do the same in the winter for the skiing. Autumn isn’t bad either when Seorak Mountain comes into its own in a kaleidoscope of color. Throw in Chuncheon’s famous chicken dish and a strong shout of hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics and you have a region with a good deal going for it.

The one thing that has been missing is satta king football. Since the K-League was established in 1983, the competition has spread to include all the regions and the major cities of South Korea; even Jeju Island has a team. Gangwon has been left behind but that is all set to change. From 2009, the northeastern province, the only one split into two at the end of the Korean War in 1953, will provide the home of the K-League’s 15th team.

“Gangwon Province has traditionally been a province that loves football very much and we are establishing the club for the pride of Gangwon,” Kim Jin-son, the Governor of Gangwon Province told me at the Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul.

“We have produced many good national team players who were very famous at the 2002 World Cup, for example Seol Ki-hyeon, Lee Young-pyo and Lee Eul-young and we take great pride in them and our football. Football can energise and promote our province.”

The new Gangwon team will be the fifth civic-owned club in the league and, in the words, of Governor Kim, intends to follow the model set by Incheon United which formed in 2004. Presumably he wasn’t talking about the example set by Incheon when the club sank to bottom of the league with weeks and then saw coach and star player leave.

Kim was referring to the fact that Incheon is a well-run club. It is the only one in the league to make a profit, is preparing to build its own soccer-only stadium and even intends to float on the stock market sometime in the next couple of years.

That is a long way in the future for Gangwon. It hasn’t been the easiest of journeys to get this far.

“The most difficult part has, of course, been money,” nodded Kim. “The big question was how to finance and operate the team. Encouraging people to become stakeholders and sponsors was not easy but it is a challenge that we have overcome and now we are looking forward to the future.”

For potential fans there is much to get excited about – the matter of the name, the colors and, perhaps, most importantly, which players will they be cheering on next season. “There is money. We are considering the possibility of signing famous World Cup stars such as Lee Eul-yong. With the draft that we have in place, we will be able to get at least five players. Also if we have to, we will consider signing foreign players.”

There is one aspect that will differ from Incheon and all the other teams in the league. It is planned that the club will play its matches in the three main cities of the region –Chuncheon, Wonju and Gangneung and perhaps more besides. The most recent addition to the K-League Gyeongnam FC sometimes plays games outside its main base of Changwon but that usually is because the city-owned stadium is needed for other attractions. Gangwon’s plan is a unique one; an attempt to take the team to the people of the province.

“The cities are not big cities and it would be hard to have a citizen team in each city,” said Kim who also explained that he expects 10-20,000 people to attend each game. “Gangwon Province wants every city and every local government to participate. Home games will be held in the three cities because they are the biggest cities in the province and they have their own stadiums.”

Korea Frustrate Pkv PokerFrance

Meeting Kevin Gallacher wasn’t quite the highlight of the evening – especially for the amiable Scot after I told him that I had been present when he had broke his leg on two occasions – but it came close to matching a dull game between France and South Korea in Leipzig.

Lunchtime was spent with a group of L’Equipe journalists who were convinced that the team was on its last legs and was about to be put out of its misery. Their pessimistic mood was in marked contrast to that of a group of Swiss sports scribes I had dinner with five days previously, after the Korea-Togo match. Upon witnessing that Korea victory and the subsequent turgid 0-0 draw between their team and France, the writers upgraded their Pkv Poker team’s expected finishing position from second to an unequivocal first.

On the afternoon of the game, it was hard to navigate the narrow streets of Leipzig’s historic city centre, filled as they were with people packed taking advantage of the many outside bars and pubs.

The Koreans were louder –they almost always are – as they proved in the stadium. The communist built ZentralStadion Indiansatta looked to be mostly blue upon entrance but the sound that could be heard on a warm Saxony evening came from the red section – one that never stopped singing and dancing.

S.Korea v France

Desperate to avoid more barbs from the likes of L’Equipe, the French started brightly and it was little surprise when Thierry Henry put the team ahead in the ninth minute. On the half-hour it should have been two as Patrick Viera’s header certainly crossed the line before being beaten away by Lee Woon-jae in goal – the ‘keeper has answered his critics with two fine performances so far in Group G.

The Taeguk Warriors offered little as an attacking force but improved in the second half as Park Ji-sung was moved into the midfield from the wing. His energy in the middle redressed the balance somewhat, especially as France seemed satisfied with the scoreline as it was. Korea’s attempts to break through the excellent defensive pairing of William Gallas and Lilian Thuram were helped by the introduction of Ahn Jung-hwan with 20 minutes remaining. For the second time in a week, the Lord of the Ring changed the pace of the game and Korea came more and more into it.

The equaliser was a fairly shambolic one from a French point of view though the sight of the ball looping over a hitherto unemployed Fabian Barthez was a delicious one from the Korean point of view – one not shared by the obviously furious Gallas who booted the ball to Dresden.

There was no doubt which set of fans and players were happier after the game. The Koreans stayed on the pitch to salute their wonderful fans while the French players showed more urgency in leaving the field than they did for most of the second half – a speedy exit matched by their fans. The Koreans stayed to sing and judging by the sounds coming out of Leipzig city centre in the early hours, their numbers were swelled by a number of new Red Devils.

The French were disappointed but not overly so, in the mixed zone their players pointed out that they only had to defeat Togo to reach the second round while the Switzerland defeat of the Africans by two goals mean that South Korea also have to win in Hanover on Friday night to be sure of progressing.

It should be some night.

Madhur matka

Germany have excelled on and off the field. While almost no one dared tip the hosts as potential champions in the run up to the tournament, Jurgen Klinsmann’s men have defied the doubters to run in four straight wins and claim a place in the last eight.

Now the test really begins with South American giants Argentina between the Germans and a place in the semi finals.

Should the hosts lose then people will forget their impressive form to date and return to calling them not good enough and an unworthy heir to the champions of 1954, 1974 and 1990.

What might make the difference is the national fervour the satta king team has engendered. Anyone present in Germany has witnessed the extraordinary celebrations up and down the land following each German victory.

The home crowd has effectively become worth a goal start for the National Mannschaft and rode the tide of emotion Klinsmann’s team has brought to the nation.

Should they win again today it is hard to see them losing at all in the competition but if the South Americans emerge triumphant, the remarkable wave of German patriotism, one of the greatest one could hope to see in a lifetime, will be a mere memory in a few days.

Long Road Ahead For Asia

Asia should be thankful for Australia – though Japan may find it difficult to find any gratitude – and the fact that the newest member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was the only one of the five representatives to progress past the knockout stage.

Suspicions in Europe and elsewhere that Japan and South Korea’s 2002 success was helped hugely by home advantage will not have been allayed by the fact that the traditional big four Asian nations, were, as the saying goes, “home before the postcards”.

More serious is the fact that even with Australia’s presence in the last sixteen, there is sure to be at least some pressure from other confederations to reduce Asia’s current World Cup allocation of 4.5 spots. Any decision to do so would be have a profound effect on the continent’s football scene and with Australia looking strong, one or more of the traditional powers will miss out in 2010.

It is natural that there will be postmortems as to why Asia’s traditional ‘big four’ didn’t make it to the second round and earlier this week, the AFC’s President, Mohamed bin Hamman, pointed the finger at the standard of the continent’s domestic leagues.

It doesn’t take a genius to recognize that Asian domestic leagues have to improve and not just for the sake of future World Cups. However, nobody should forget that European nations have long and rich football traditions and it is only relatively recently that leagues such as Korea’s and Japan’s became professional – Korea was the first in 1983.

Asian fans shouldn’t then beat themselves up about the standard of their domestic set-ups, it would be truly miraculous if their leagues could even be compared to those of even average European nations and it is a credit to Japan that, in terms of professionalism and organization at least, the J-League can.

The problem is that during the World Cup, they are compared with the best by people watching all over the world simply because that is the nature of the tournament. Sat in Leipzig’s Stadium before the Korea – France clash, a quick glance at FIFA’s team sheets revealed the size of the challenge facing the 2002 semi-finalists. Players from Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Suwon Samsung Bluewings were facing those from Real Madrid, Chelsea, Juventus and Bayern Munich -it is to Korea’s credit that they came away with a 1-1 draw.

Bin Hamman said that Australia succeeded because their players play in big leagues but what he is forgetting is that those leagues are not Australian. He can’t have it both ways – praising a nation who fielded just one or two A-League stars in the World Cup while telling others to improve their domestic set-ups. International experience is good for players and national teams but a strong league provides a much stronger foundation for continued success.

It is tough to find a balance. Immediately after Korea’s loss against Switzerland, Dick Advocaat told his soon-to-be-ex employers that the K-League has to improve. At the same time in a different part of Hanover’s World Cup Stadium, Lee Chun-soo, perhaps Korea’s best player in Germany and the 2005 K-League MVP, was telling reporters that he wanted another try in Europe.

Just days after giving his advice, Advocaat is getting ready to take two of the K-League’s best players, Kim Dong-jin and Lee Ho, with him to his new club Zenit St. Petersburg. It is a little like going to a friend’s party, telling them it’s boring before taking some of the best music and drinks to another party. The experience in Russia may improve the players and therefore the national team but what about the K-League?

It is hard to blame the players especially as they are usually encouraged to head overseas by media and supporters who are proud to see their home-grown stars strutting their stuff on a weekly basis in such strong leagues England, Spain or Germany.

France’s second division couldn’t be classed as such though that is where one of Asia’s brightest stars Masashi Oguro chose to play – a decision that shows there is still much work to be done.

The striker was one of the successes of the 2005 J-League season and his goals helped Gamba Osaka lift a first-ever league title. He broke into the national team and helped Team Nippon qualify for the World Cup. Instead of staying with Gamba, one of the biggest and best teams in Asia, to defend their title as well as participate in the Asian Champions League, he instead chose to join mid-table French second division team Grenoble Foot38 with an average attendance of only 5,000 ..

While it is welcomed that there seems to be a renewed realization that matters need to improve, it will take time, patience and a good deal of administrative will. Attention shouldn’t be overly fixed on the World Cup, a target of competitive domestic leagues is not a means to an end but an end in itself and the AFC, the respective domestic organizations, the media and the fans must be in it for the long haul.

If that happens then, despite the disappointment of the past month, there is a glimmer of hope that the 2006 World Cup may eventually seen as a watershed in Asian football.

Sure enough after 10 minutes I came accross a clearing, and found my accomodation. Sellotaped to the door was a note saying that reception was closed and that I should call a number for help. Having chosen, still, to avoid mobile phones I now looked rather silly as I had no way, stuck in the forest of making the call.Madhur matka

I walked round the building and found a door open. Entering the building I found a pay phone and dialled the number. No answer!! I knew it would make no difference not having a mobile!

Five minutes later as I waited innocently outside, a car drew up and my lodgings for the night were secured.

Now It was back to the city centre to watch the afternoon’s game. I headed for the Fan Fest which was on the banks of the river Main which runs through the city, with two large screens floating on the river.

As I got there the signs were just being put in place to say that the area was full. So I decided to move round watching the game from various vantage points during the afternoon. As the game ebbed and flowed it was clear that the whole city was breathing football. The streets were quiet, even the police in their green and white party van (as the germans sing) were watching on portable TV’s. The only noise to be heard coincided with the action in the game.Madhur matka

During the evening game France got their rewards for a positive display of football, it is this type of display that Sepp Blatter has been encouraging and it has been a feature of this tournament that apart from the Ivory Coast, teams that have played positively have done well.

FIFA have talked about changing the ticketing, but how can I complain, when I got to see the games I wanted. Ok so, I became addicted to my computer in search of tickets and I had to pay a little bit more sometimes but I accept this. The lesson FIFA can learn is that too many tickets have this time gone to sponsors whose guests are impressed by lavish hospitality. I think I have the solution.

Following on from the massive gatherings of people in Korea to watch their teams games, the Fan Fests have been a resounding success and over 10 million people watched the opening round of games at these events. Some of which have…V.I.P. areas. Why not let the sponsors have their own screening where they can show their own products at half time or every time the action stops and leave the match tickets to the actual supporters.

I can foresee that in future FIFA may introduce these events worldwide as they could then attract even more sponsorship!!! Also official merchandise is available at these sites and there must have been a huge increase in the revenue received from merchandising.

Mein hosts have been excellent , and a big thank you to all. I have thoroughly enjoyed travelling all over the country, and although at times it has been hectic I wouldn’t change things too much.

Vierundfunfzig, vierundsiebzig, neunzig…………..zwei tausend zehn?

Fast forward twenty years and the designs have stagnated and fallen below the quality of those in England, Germany and Spain.

Now with a slew of new grounds in France on the way in the build-up to Euro 2016, Italy is having to question its model of municipally-owned arena (also the norm in the USA), while other nations let their clubs own theirs.

“It’s like theatres and restaurants,” said AC Milan’s vice-president Adriano Galliani told Gazzetta dello Sport. “There are beautiful theatres and ugly ones, there are luxury restaurants and pizzerias. But without stadiums Indian satta we can’t do anything and without a new law we can’t construct new stadiums.”

* Brazilian legend Zico, who has coached Japan and Kashima Antlers amongst others, is set to ink a deal to coach Iraq.

*Former US coach Bob Bradley is in talks to become the national team coach of Egypt.

*Carlos Tevez is back in Manchester having failed to tie-up a transfer elsewhere and will be training with his supposed replacement and compatriot Sergio Aguero.

*Barcelona B starlet Thiago Alcantara, who shone in this summer’s Euro U21 Championship in Denmark, is in Spain’s senior squad for their friendly with Italy in Bari on Wednesday.

*”We are not touching now the Qatar World Cup” was Sepp Blatter’s enigmatic response to a question about the timing of the 2022 competition. As it stands, it will take place in June in arenas air-conditioned to avoid the 40C heat.

*Tottenham Hotspur’s ticket office was trashed in the violence which has engulfed parts of London for the past two nights. The trouble began with a police shooting of an armed man in Tottenham. The club is asking fans to use the internet instead.

The London 2012 Olympic football will be called ‘The Albert’ after the Cockney rhyming slang for ball – ‘Albert Hall’.

*The UEFA Champions League playoff draw has been made: Arsenal v Udinese, Bayern Munich v Zurich, Lyon v Rubin Kazan, Villareal v Odense.

One to watch: Camilo Vargas (Independiente Santa Fe)

Chile

Expectation is high in Chile after the country finished third in the under-20 FIFA World Cup in Canada three years ago. The trouble is that coach José Sulantay and most of the team have since moved on. Replacement coach Ivo Basay must work with the players he has at his disposal to manage expectations as best as he can. Chile have already been robbed of the influential Eduardo Vargas who was forced to withdraw with an injury.

One to watch: Marcos Medel (Audax Italiano)

Ecuador

Many of Ecuador’s squad have already tasted success when their Indian satta country scooped the gold medal at the Pan-American Games two years ago in Rio de Janeiro. Coached by Julio Caesar Rosero, known simply as The Emperor, Ecuador will be going all out to bag one of the four under-20 FIFA World Cup spots up for grabs. Anything less than qualification for the tournament in Egypt later this year would be viewed as a disappointment for this talented bunch.

One to watch: Joao Rojas (Tecnico Universitario)

Paraguay

With the senior team riding high in the qualifying group for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa it is hoped that success can trickle down to the under-20 squad. Paraguay have not won this competition since 1971 and have failed to reach the last two under-20 World Cups. Argentinean Adrián Coria coaches a team with players who have already left Latin America to play in Europe.

One to watch: Fernando Duarte (Vasco da Gama)

Peru

The Incas have the son of one of their favourite sons in charge of their team at these championships. Although Héctor Eleazar ‘Tito’ Chumpitaz has never coached at the top level it is hoped he will provide the magic to steer Peru to some level of success. The players will also have extra motivation to succeed after their country was robbed of its right to host the tournament after a dispute with FIFA. Further bad news came for Peru when striker Jairsinho Baylón was ruled out for four months and so misses the championships.

One to watch: Carlos Zambrano (Schalke 04)

Uruguay

Legendary Uruguayan striker Diego Aguirre leads the Celeste in their quest for glory in the 2009 under-20 South American championships. The trophy has eluded Uruguay for the past 27 years but now the country can boast a side with genuine aspirations of bringing the silverware back to Montevideo. Certainly coach Aguirre is not thinking just of World Cup qualification but “to win the Sudamericano” trophy which has escaped his country’s grasp since 1981.

Kaka – you belong to TogelMilan

Barnet, of England’s League Two, have a playing field which is notoriously not level. Games at Underhill, where Arsenal’s reserves also play, can make for entertaining goal-fests but the slope means it sometimes ‘just isn’t cricket’, let alone football.

There is also something clearly surreal about the Kaka saga, whose intricacies have dominated soccer talk this week like a high-profile trial. Because money talks, the deal is more likely to happen than not as long as Sheikh Mansour Togelplonks his loose change on the table, drunk on the dream.

The latest news appears to imply Kaka will be staying at the San Siro, after unsuccessful negotiations in Milan, but City will not give up until their self-imposed deadline of the 28th of January passes. They have too much Delhi Bazaar Satta King money not to throw around.

It may be hard for us recessive Europeans to grasp, but Arabs really do have money to burn. In my other job, I meet many a sheikh and an oligarch so Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour’s playboy approaches to football do not shock me. As sweet as it is to see Silvio Berlusconi and Roman Abramovich eating humble pie, this transfer is still the wrong move.

In favour of the move are feelings that AC Milan deserve some of their own medicine after plundering other clubs for years and that Manchester City’s defeat-hardened fans deserve a chance of success for once.

But another crazy-money capture only adds to the too-easily dismissed arguments for a salary cap across UEFA.

Kaka himself may have been in tears this weekend, but his paymasters, AC Milan chief Adriano Galliani and de facto boss Silvio Berlusconi, appear to be ushering him out the door with Euro signs in their eyes. There is nothing illegal about Milan selling their ace, but it breaks unwritten laws of football.

New Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson, who hardly selected Seol Ki-hyeon in his time at Fulham, has asked the club’s loyal fans that if they have to read transfer reports, not to read too much into them.”We are looking to add to and improve the squad, but I prefer not to talk or say what we are doing until we have something concrete to announce,” he told the club’s website. “We are being linked with players left, right and centre and it amuses me that we are sometimes linked with players we haven’t even heard of.”

The well-travelled Hodgson has certainly heard of Park as it has been claimed in England and Korea that he tried to buy the star for former club Fulham in April 2009 only for the player to choose to stay by the Mediterranean rather than move to the London club with a stadium on the banks of the River Thames. Liverpool, as one of the biggest clubs in Europe, would be a different proposition despite play bazaar the fact the club is in debt and seeking new owners.

Before the World Cup not many had heard of Cho Yong-hyung but the Jeju United defender played in all four games in South Africa and could be about to move direct from the K-League to the Premier League, something just two players, Lee’s Chung-young and Dong-gook, have done before.

The agent of the softly-spoken star has been happy to publicly declare interest. “Aston Villa and a few other European clubs have shown interest,” said Yoon Ki-yeon. “I can confirm that he is on their transfer list and I expect the official deal will be made after the World Cup.”

Some moves had been completed already. Cha Du-ri lined up in South Africa along with Ki Sung-yong and now the son of Korean legend Cha Bum-keun will be joining Ki in Glasgow at the home of Celtic.

The fun is only just beginning and will only intensify as mid-August and the start of the European season approaches.