Jesseh Lingard.

When was Orford the “endz”?

"The Lingard Zone" where people are queuing to see him. He's a mega star ffs

https://theathletic.com/5330279/2024...shared-article

Kim Gi-dong (FC Seoul manager) has ripped into Jesse Lingard after coming on a sub

"He only played a few minutes, and yet he didn't work hard and avoided tussle."

"If you run less than a footballer who has played 90 minutes, you're not even a footballer.

"Fame doesn't win football games. If it did, I would have brought in a famous retired player."

Originally Posted by est.1878

Kim Gi-dong (FC Seoul manager) has ripped into Jesse Lingard after coming on a sub

"He only played a few minutes, and yet he didn't work hard and avoided tussle."

"If you run less than a footballer who has played 90 minutes, you're not even a footballer.

"Fame doesn't win football games. If it did, I would have brought in a famous retired player."

‘You know when you been sanchoed!’

Originally Posted by Finport Red

‘You know when you been sanchoed!’

He will be the poster boy for our post Fergie years. In 50 years there will just be a 10-15 year period summed up by a picture of Lingard. Probably doing that JL hand thing.

Originally Posted by est.1878

Kim Gi-dong (FC Seoul manager) has ripped into Jesse Lingard after coming on a sub

"He only played a few minutes, and yet he didn't work hard and avoided tussle."

"If you run less than a footballer who has played 90 minutes, you're not even a footballer.

"Fame doesn't win football games. If it did, I would have brought in a famous retired player."

He DID buy a famous retired player

Jesse Lingard was never going to raise the international profile of South Korea's K-League to match K-Pop or K-Drama levels, and the former England international is struggling to make a positive impact in The Land of Morning Calm.

With just 105 minutes played for FC Seoul in the first six games before undergoing knee surgery on Friday, Lingard has made more headlines for injuries and comments from his coach than for anything yet achieved on the pitch.

Of course, these are still very early days.

The former Manchester United player was a surprise signing for the six-time Korean champions in February, easily the biggest in the league's 41-year history.

Expectations followed suit. Almost 52,000 turned up - the highest attendance in Asia's oldest professional league since it started counting only purchased tickets in 2018 - to see Lingard's home debut against Incheon United on 10 March.

Every touch was cheered initially but there have, as yet, been no goals or assists.

Even without injuries, there was a recognition there would be some rustiness, with Lingard's last appearance before arriving in South Korea coming back in April 2023 for Nottingham Forest.

"While we all hoped that he would immediately make a big difference for Seoul, we also knew that it would probably take time as he has not played for so long," Seoul fan Kim Yong-myung told the BBC.

"Most fans still think that he will be a big help if he can stay fit."

There have been flashes of the ability that took the midfielder into the England team - the last of his 32 caps coming in 2021.

A smart through ball against Incheon almost resulted in a goal for the 31 year-old on his debut and there was a lob and turn that delighted fans.

Against Jeju United the following week, despite a heavy first touch ending a potential one-on-one situation, some smart passing resulted in an own goal, only for that to be ruled out for an offside.

Injuries mean he has not featured since for Seoul, who are in a similar mid-table position to that in which they finished last season.

Lingard has missed Seoul's past four K-League games with a knee injury
Rather than performances on the pitch, the biggest talking points so far surrounding Lingard have stemmed from comments by FC Seoul head coach Kim Ki-dong.

"He only played a few minutes, and yet he didn't work hard and avoided tussle," Kim said, according to national newspaper Joongang Daily after the Jeju game, Lingard's third, in which he came off the bench after 58 minutes.

"Fame doesn't win football games. If it did, I would have brought in a famous retired player."

This reaction made headlines around the world.

In Asia, Korean coaches are well known for demanding maximum physical effort from players at all times, but journalist Lee Sung-mo believes that a little has been lost in translation.

"It happens quite often when you translate English to Korean or Korean to English without context," Lee said.

"In Korean culture, Kim's comments were closer to motivation for Lingard as he wanted him to show more passion on the pitch because he had belief in the player.

"But when you just translate it in English without context, it could be understood as aggressive criticism. It's very unlikely Kim intended that way."

That is the way it seemed when Kim sought to cool the situation.

"Some parts about that are a little exaggerated," said Kim, who took the Seoul job in December. "I told him that I said that in the interview because he is a special player who should take a leading role."

Lingard also said that he had talked with the coach and there was no issue.

Regardless of the intention, the international image was that Lingard's Korea move was turning into a nightmare.

....

"It seems to be tough for European players to adapt," said Lee. "The language is totally different, the weather is different and the culture is different. So it is not easy unless the player is ready to open up himself into a new situation and environment."

Lingard seems willing to do that.

"He may not be playing, but he is coming to watch our games," said Kim.

"He is also active on social media and posting positively. It seems like he has the right attitude and wants to succeed. We have to wait for him to get fit, settle, and then he will be able to show us what he can do."

..





https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68812570