Following Saturday's victory over Celtic the First Team squad flew off to Korea on Sunday for a short two match tour. First up on Wednesday is Busan l'Park, a club originally formed in 1983 as Daewoo Royals and named after their founding corporation. They have been known under their present name since 2005. The Korean K-League is a 14 club competition which runs from March until November. After winning their opening match of the season Busan have failed to win another League game and are currently at the foot of the table.
In 2004 they won the Korean Cup under the management of the late Ian Porterfield, the hero of the Sunderland FA Cup winning side in 1973. That era saw some English representation in the team in the form of much travelled striker Jamie Cureton, more recently at Colchester and Norwich. These days Busan are coached by Hwang Sung-Hong who was appointed prior to the start of the season. A member of the 2002 World Cup squad he won 103 caps, scoring 50 goals.
Busan have another of the 2002 South Korea line-up in their playing ranks in striker Ahn Jung-Hwan who scored the decisive goal to help South Korea knock Italy out of the 2002 World Cup. Sadly for him it was not an act easily forgiven by his then Italian club Perugia who promptly cancelled his contract. Busan are captained by their longest serving player Jung Sung-Hun who has been with the club for nine years.
Busan won the title in 1997 for the fourth and so far last time but our second Korean opponents Ulsan Hyundai have won it more recently winning their second K-League title in 2005. Currently fourth in the table, unbeaten at home though yet to gain a victory on the road. Both clubs squads are dominated by home based players though both have a handful of Brazilian talent. Best known Hyundai star is another of the 2006 World Cup squad in goalkeeper Kim Young-Kwang and striker Woo Sung-Yung who ranks as the joint second highest scorer in K-League history with 110 goals.
Last season Ulsan finished fourth, which in the K-League means qualification for the end of season Championship play-offs, though they failed to make the final. The club coach is Kim Jung-Nam and he has been at the helm since 2000.
Busan l'Park v Fulham
Wednesday July 23
Busan l'Park
Formed: 1983
Ground: Asiad Main Stadium
Capacity: 53,864
KO 8pm (local time)
Ulsan Hyundai v Fulham
Saturday July 26
Ulsan Hyundai Horang-I
Formed: 1983
Ground: Big Crown
Capacity: 44,466
KO 8pm (local time)
Five things you may not know about South Korea:
- Busan is the largest port city in South Korea with a population of some 3.65 million people.
- Busan hosted the 2002 Asian Games as well as staging World Cup matches in 2002.
- Amongst the more famous sights in Busan are the Gwangan Bridge and the Busan Tower from which panoramic views of the city can be seen.
- Ulsan is the seventh biggest city in South Korea with a population of just over a million. The city is largely industrial and includes an Oil Refinery.
- South Korea has a fairly temperate climate though it does reach an average of 30 degrees in August. Much of the annual rainfall occurs in June or July.