Seems like something is not right.. Korean forward Ji Dong-Won could be left out of his nation's World Cup qualifier against Lebanon on Tuesday after a below-par 45-minute performance in the 2-0 win over UAE on Friday. The Sunderland striker started the match but was well below his best, before being replaced at the break by Korea coach Cho Kwang-Rae with Son Heung-Min. After the game, Cho admitted he pondered not starting Ji who appears to be in ordinary physical condition. "Ji's condition was really bad. He was not good in training so I considered not to play him and he was worse in the match than I thought. So I had to replace him at half time," Cho told reporters. "His balance is off and his shooting timing is slow. I think he's physically really poor now. I don't know if he can be better until we play against Lebanon." Group strugglers UAE held out for 88 minutes in the clash, before late goals from substitute Lee Keun-Ho and Park Chu-Young earned Korea the points http://news.yahoo.com/ji-dong-won-doubt-south-koreas-world-cup-043000361.html
This is quite worrying, and if a player's fitness has notably deteriorated since his transfer to us, makes me wonder what the hell we are doing wrong..
We? Don't you mean Bruce and his 'coaching staff'? If a fan who is absolutely and fully supportive of the manager is unable to offer a justification for this then who is? Just incase your not already aware. Bruce has had injuries follow his squads throughout his management career. Bruce also took it upon himself to sack Pete Friar, the physio who 'dared' to advise Bruce as to the 'bemusing reaons' for why the players in the squad were experiencing so many injuries. Pete Friar, the professional who diagnosed John Mensahs true problem, the professional who diagnosed Craig Gordons problem after the Scottish medical staff were unable to diagnose the problem. The professional who advised Bruce not to offer Cana a 5 year contract as his knees were highly unlikely to last the contract and we all know what happened to Cana. The professional who told Bruce that it would be unwise to play Cattermole so early after his long-term injury last season, which Bruce chose to ignore and responded by saying that Cattermole needed to build up his muscles, which was subsequently followed by Cattermole pulling up in his first game back with a hamstring injury. Perhaps that may help clear up a little of your confusion/bemusement?
Erm.. where did I use the word 'them'? In addition to completely ignoring the issues I have highlighted I feel you have clearly missed the point. 'We' (as in all of the stakeholders of SAFC) are not the cause for whatever is occuring with Ji as noted by the manager of his national team. It isn't the fans that are the cause, its not the matchday stewards and I doubt its anything to do with the tea lady... The cause is clearly the training methods of the manager and his coaching staff. However, since I have replied to the thread you appear to have adjusted your position from being in a state of bemusement to now stating that we are 'we'. What will it take for you to admit that something isn't right at our club, if only admitting that this is a one-off isolated incident for which Bruce and his coaching staff are responsible and everything else is absolutely 100% hunky dory?
Whoa, whoa, lads! In fairness, MrRAW has acknowledged that we - Sunderland - must be doing something wrong. On the other hand, Pie Dodger isn't talking rubbish, is he? Friar was a medical professional who's job was to give us the best medical advice he could - and he was sacked for doing it. The BiBs last season said Bruce was unlucky to have so many injuries. The BoBs blamed Bruce for them, and for making matters worse by swapping fit people about in response to it. But what worried me was that it wasn't just a period of bad luck - it was two seasons running of the same 'bad luck'. And now, a lad who was rapidly becoming a legend among young people in his country isn't even fit enough to play for them? There is clearly something wrong with our training methods, and, ultimately, Bruce is responsible for that. Somebody somewhere owes us some answers, and I think we all know who. Whether that amounts to sacking him or not is another debate, but he cannot go on just blaming everything on "the Newcastle result". It won't wash.
Well perhaps its just me being my usual overly pedantic self... I must say that I would have a great deal more respect for the fans who are fully supportive of Bruce and his methods if they would only use his name when questioning why something that clearly isn't healthy is occuring. My mind isn't set in stone and if somebody can offer a genuinely and emphatic case for why Bruce is the man for the job then I'm open to changing my ways of thinking. However whenever 'this debate' reoccurs (and the catalyst for the debate today is Ji's international manager) the BoBs are merely accused of creating dejavu... God help us if we don't see a convincing win today!
Dodger - I'm a confirmed BoB myself, mate, and know what you mean. But nobody on this thread is really in opposition. If Ji isn't fit enough to cope with the U.A.E., we've all got a problem We've got four games coming up which might easily define our season, and then Tottenham and Man. C. - rather more fearsome opposition than the U.A.E. I think. Ji's a strong young fella who had an impressive pre-season here. So why is he out of condition now? Come on, Ellis - why?
Did I miss something here? I thought he was sold after a year into a 4 year contract, so I wouldn't have thought a new one would have offered at the time. Did he not go on to enjoy playing European football at the famous clubs of Galatasaray and Lazio?
I have never once stated that Bruce is infallible, and have often questioned some of the decisions he has made. However, I differ from certain posters in the fact that I also acknowledge that he has done some things right as well, and on the whole has made progress.
Its most likely Ji is ill, there are a lot of colds and flu going round at the moment and I would say he has probably tired to hide it because he wants to play for his country and get a chance in the SAFC first 11. As for the injuries thing again, we have not had too many bad ones this year. The Wickham one was obvious, he got his studs caught in the ground and twisted his knee. It could happen to anyone, there is not secret or conspiricy to it. As for the other injuries at our club and others especially hamstrings I have my theories but its not something I am going to post on a public forum.
