Jesse Lingard has experienced a fall from grace after leaving Manchester United in 2022. He suffered a difficult time at newly promoted Nottingham Forest before moving to Korea and signing on a free for FC Seoul after being out of contract.
Lingard has five goals and two assists in his 23 appearances in the K League, leading manager Kim Gi-dong to sing his praises.
Isn’t Lingard a superstar? When he was at Manchester United, he used to ride a private plane. I remember the first thing he said as soon as he got off at Incheon Airport. Lingard asked: “Where is the FC Seoul gate?”. He played for the best club in the world so there must be many things he lacks now. The stadium, the training ground etc could be incredibly bad for Lingard. But Lingard quietly played his role faithfully and established himself as an indispensable player for the team. He is now a leader who leads the players. He has become a true Korean.
The feeling of respect is reciprocated from Lingard who was also keen to speak warmly of his new manager.
Coach Kim Ki-dong is someone who has a great understanding of football. He leads the team according to a clear plan. It is very difficult to successfully play the first season in a new team. Our coach has been implementing the football he pursues since the middle of the season. When I see the players’ movements, I feel that he understands the football he wants to implement.
There is also another thing. I think the coach’s greatest strength is his communication skills. He is very good at one-on-one communication. In terms of football, he always makes me feel like I am growing with new plans and tactics. The coach is a leader who allows players to enjoy football.
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