Name: Manuel Neuer
D/O/B: 27/03/1986
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Schalke 04

Background
Widely regarded as Germany’s future between the sticks, 23-year-old Manuel Neuer has been the number 1 ‘keeper at Schalke 04 since the 2006/07 season. Since making his debut at the tender age of 20, Neuer has been praised for his consistently good performances, with many connecting Schalke’s relative success in the Bundesliga over the past few seasons directly to his emergence within the side. His performances have, rather predictably, attracted interest from several top European clubs, including Bayern Munich and Manchester United, but Neuer has remained loyal to his home-town club, ruling out moves elsewhere on several occasions. However, earlier this season Neuer came out and said that he needed to be playing Champions League football if he were to command the regular number 1 spot in the German national side, for whom he has so far received 2 caps, but that he would be willing to stay at Schalke if they managed to qualify for next season’s competition. Currently, things are looking good: they sit in 3rd place, 8 points ahead of 4th placed Hamburg. Here‘s another compilation video of some of Neuer’s saves from last season.

Attributes

Positions

Tactics
Neuer’s only attribute I’d be particularly worried about would be his Handling. At 12, it’s nowhere near disastrous, but it’s slightly disappointing for someone who is hoping to be a world-class goalkeeper. He’s tall though: 6’4″, with his height bringing with it good Strength, Command of Area and Balance. His distribution is also excellent: his throwing in particular has potential to set off several attacking moves.

Transfer
Neuer can be signed relatively cheaply, considering he’s meant to be one of the brightest goalkeeping prospects on FM2010. A bid of at least £5 million would usually be enough to acquire his services, but that figure is bound to increase as you get further into the game. I believe his desire to play at the highest level outweighs his love for his home-town club, so in terms of his allegiances to Schalke, you shouldn’t really come across a problem.

Overall
Neuer is one of the most promising young goalkeepers on FM2010, and added to the fact he’s comes with a fairly cheap pricetag, it’d be stupid not to consider him when looking for a new goalkeeper. If he isn’t ready at the beginning of FM2010 to play for a big European side, it won’t be long before he’s up there with the likes of Casillas, Buffon and Van Der Sar.
Recommended Rating: 9/10

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Name: Mesut Özil
D/O/B: 15/10/1988
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Winger
Club: Werder Bremen (Germany)

Background
Born in Germany to Turkish parents, Mesut Özil began his professional career at Schalke 04, his home-town club, and made his debut as a 17-year-old back in 2006. After a bright and promising start to life with Schalke, things soon changed when he declined to commit his long term future to the club. He was subsequently dropped and Schalke had little choice but cash-in on their highly-rated youngster. Werder Bremen came calling, and paid €4.3 million for him on deadline day of the 2008 January transfer window – the highest fee ever paid for a German teenager. Whilst at Bremen, Özil teamed up with Brazilian playmaker Diego and formed one of the most dangerous and creative midfields in the Bundesliga, and despite a relatively poor domestic 2008/09 season, the club reached the final of the UEFA Cup, only to lose out 2-1 to Shaktar Donetsk in extra-time. During the same season, Özil received his first caps for the German national team, making his debut in a friendly against Norway in February 2009, and scoring his first international goal on his third appearance in September of the same year. Özil also qualified for Turkey because of his parents, and could’ve followed in the footsteps of other German-born Turkish internationals such as Yildiray Basturk and the Hamit Altıntop twins, but instead chose the country of his birth. Despite having a contract with Bremen until 2011, Özil has attracted a significant amount of interest, specifically from Sevilla, Barcelona and Arsenal to name but a few. If you can stand seven-and-a-half minutes worth of cheesy Euro-pop, then there’s quite a good video here that shows just how good Özil really is.

Attributes

Positions

Tactics
Özil has some really impressive attributes; perhaps most impressive are his speed, creativity, ball skills and his passing ability. FM says that his best, or at least natural position, is as a Central Attacking Midfielder, but he can operate equally as effectively on the Left Wing or as a regular Central Midfielder. Playing behind two strikers, Özil has the ability to carve open defences with almost inch-perfect through balls, and his speed means he will more-than-likely be first to the ball. Off the ball, his movement is second-to-none and in terms of actually having the ball at his feet, he could quite literally run rings round opposition defenders. Özil is a player who performs best when in possession; I know that sounds kind of obvious, but there are some players whose movement or passing alone can draw plaudits. To really get the best out of him, I’d advise you to set him as either a Playmaker or, preferably perhaps, as a Trequartista, and allow him a lot of creative freedom. Doing this might mean you’ll need a ball-winning midfielder behind Özil, as his free role could often lead to a loss of possession. A couple of good Wingers and at least one Striker with good heading ability and/or who can get in behind the Defences would also bring out the best in Özil, as his passing range will often lead to several crosses in the box.

Transfer
Özil is valued at just under £5 million on FM, but it’d probably cost you at least double that to acquire his services. However, it will almost definitely be worth it, as FM describe him as a ‘wonderkid’. Judging by the lack of loyalty Özil showed to his home-town club Schalke, I don’t think it’d be too difficult to sign him, especially if the money is right. At the start of the game, he’s not world-class, but easily has the potential to become one of the best players in the world. It’ll be easier to sign him if you are Barcelona or Fenerbahçe as both feature in his ‘favoured clubs’.

Overall
At just 20-years-old at the start of the game, Özil has some brilliant attributes for his age, which will only get better with time. Deployed with the right tactics and the right players around him, he could become a world-beater, just as long as you can keep his very ambitious feet firmly on the ground.
Recommended Rating: 9/10

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Name: Jérôme Boateng
D/O/B: 03/09/1988
Position: Defender
Club: HSV (Germany)

Background
A strong, quick and composed player, Boateng can operate comfortably anywhere across the back four. Before signing for his current club, HSV, he was a first-team regular at Hertha Berlin, even though he was only just 18-years-old at the time, provoking many pundits to state that we should expect big things from the youngster. Boateng, the brother of Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince, has firmly established himself as a constant and almost essential part of HSV’s back line since his move in 2007, leading to his first international call-up from the German national side in October 2009. However, things didn’t go entirely to plan for Boateng, who would also be eligible for Ghana due to his father being from the country, as he received his marching orders in the second half of the game against Russia, after picking up a second yellow card.

Attributes

Positions

Tactics
Literally, the only positions Boateng isn’t able to play (according to FM) are Central Attacking Midfielder, and Goalkeeper. He’s possibly one of the most versatile individuals I’ve seen on the game. Rather more realistically, he performs best in the centre of defence, or at full-back on either side. He has some impressive attributes; Strength, Jumping, Pace, Composure and Tackling are just some of the key ones. He’s tall as well – 6’4″ in fact – which makes him almost ideal for a place in the heart of the defence. However, good Anticipation, Crossing and Creativity, as well as the ability to use both feet, also make him an outstanding candidate for a position at either full-back. I personally, would play him in the middle, just so his height is utilised to its full potential. However, his Heading ability is slightly disappointing, but could be balanced with a central defensive partner who is good at it. His attributes do suggest that he possibly likes to go wandering up field a bit, so a defensive-minded central midfielder might be needed in order to fill his gap if this occurs. In terms of formations, I don’t think it’s a massive deal as to how you play, as being a defender he will more-than-likely fit into most styles.

Transfer
Signing Boateng would probably be a little easier than signing Toni Kroos or Aaron Hunt, mainly because Boateng’s only been at HSV for three seasons. On my AFC Telford game, he signed for Bayern Munich in 2009-10 for £8million and has performed increasingly and consistently well since then, achieving an average career rating of over 7. If you do wish to sign Boateng, it will be both easier and cheaper to do it sooner rather than later, also due to the fact that another big club, like Bayern, are likely to come in for him. He’s been a first team regular at Bayern in 2016 for a good five or six seasons, which suggests that he would be able to cope in most Premier League sides.

Overall
Even if you buy Boateng and don’t play him week-in, week-out, he’s an almost ideal candidate for a back-up defender, at least at the start of the game, due to his immense versatility but as you get further into the game, he is likely to develop into a very solid part of your defence.
Recommended Rating: 9/10

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Name: Aaron Hunt
D/O/B: 04/09/1986
Position Attacking Midfielder/Forward
Club: Werder Bremen (Germany)

Background
Aaron Hunt may be a familiar name to a lot of people. This is because although he was born in Germany, his mother is English, leading to a significant amount of interest from the English FA regarding his international allegiance. However, he chose to represent his birth-nation instead, and made his debut for the national side in November of last year. A pacey, creative forward, Hunt has been on the books of Werder Bremen since the age of 15; to date making just shy of 100 appearances, and scoring 20 goals. He became Bremen’s youngest ever goalscorer when he netted on his start for the club, against Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2005, at the age of 18 years and 161 days. Despite interest from several big-name clubs across Europe, including Liverpool, Hunt today committed his future to the club by signing a new four-and-a-half year contract with the German side.

Attributes

Positions

Tactics
On FM, Hunt is described as a natural Left Winger, but for Bremen, he usually features somewhere in the forward line. His obvious strengths are his speed, his creativity and his fitness; all of which point towards him being very effective in midfield, either on the left or in the middle. Even though Bremen use him as a forward, I would be inclined to drop him back into midfield; his finishing, first touch and off the ball attributes are by no means bad – far from it – in fact they are excellent. However, because of his dribbling, crossing, and speed attributes, he might be more suited to the wing, or an attacking midfield role. Tactics-wise, I would suggest having a striker who can head the ball well if Hunt is on the wing, as he is capable of providing plenty of service to the frontmen. I would also advise you to give him a fair amount of creative freedom, as well as letting him drift inside occasionally, mainly because his ability to strike the ball from range could quite easily lead to some cracking goals throughout the season. If you decide to play Hunt on the wing, he might work quite well as either an Inside Forward or an Advanced Playmaker, whereas he’s probably more suited to an Advanced Forward role if playing up front.

Transfer
As he has been at Werder Bremen since the age of 15, you can imagine that he’s quite attached to the club. It would probably take a bid of at least £15 million, I would say, but this fee is bound to rise as you progress in the game. On my AFC Telford game, in which I’m in the year 2016, Hunt is playing for Hertha Berlin, whom he signed for in 2010, so judging by that, he would more-than-likely sign for most top-half Premier League sides, I would say.

Overall
Although Hunt isn’t the youngest of all the young-prospects on the game, he certainly does possess a vast amount of talent. It would be very interesting if it was possible for him to play for England, but he’s unfortunately declared to the German national side instead.
Recommended Rating: 8/10

Name: Toni Kroos
D/O/B: 04/01/1990
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Club: Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) – on loan from Bayern Munich (Germany)

Background
Toni Kroos is widely labelled as one of the hottest prospects in German football. After signing for Bayern Munich in 2006 as a 16-year-old, he make his debut for their first team a year later. Uli Hoeneß, Bayern’s President, promised Kroos the club’s number 10 shirt after he had more experience under his belt. This led to him being loaned out to fellow Bundesliga side, Bayer Leverkusen for the duration of the 2009-10 season. To date, Kroos hasn’t appeared for the full German national side, but has represented his country at U16, U17, U19 and U21 level. However, in January of this year, he was called up to a training camp with the senior squad for the first time.

Attributes

Positions

Tactics
Kroos’ attributes are put to best use when he is deployed in a central midfield position. He is a natural Attacking Midfielder, but works equally as well in a regular Centre Midfield role. He would be best suited to the Playmaker role, and should be allowed a lot of creative freedom if you wish to take advantage of his most impressive attributes. Due to his relatively poor defensive skills, I would advise that you assign him the minimum defensive duties as possible. This could be compensated by placing a defensively-minded player behind him in Central Midfield, in order to balance out the partnership. In terms of formation, it really depends how much of a free role you want Kroos to have, because he does have the ability to really run-the-show. A diamond 4-4-2 formation would work well; with Kroos operating in an Attacking Midfield position. Personally, I would possibly look at a 4-2-3-1 formation, with two Defensive Midfielders, two Wingers, Kroos in the middle as an Attacking Midfielder, and then a big Target Man up front who can get in behind the opposition Defenders.

Transfer
Due to his somewhat overwhelming potential within the game, Kroos’ signature is rather difficult to secure, as I’m sure you can imagine. Bayern are extremely reluctant to part company with the youngster, but if you’re a team with a big transfer fund, they will more-than-likely accept an offer within the region of £20-£30 million. In terms of the Premiership, Kroos would probably sign for any of the ‘Big Four’, as well as Manchester City I would assume, if the money was right of course.

Overall
Kroos has the ability to pull all the creative strings in a team, and at just 19, has the world at his feet, so to speak. Given the right tactics with the right players around him to complement his attributes, he could quite easily grow into one of the finest players in world football, leaving followers of German football to dub him the ‘new Michael Ballack’. The current German captain leaves big shoes to fill, but it’s a good job Kroos has, metaphorically speaking, big, big feet.
Recommended Rating: 10/10

]]> http://www.fm-view.com/2010/02/fmv-tours-presents-toni-kroos/feed/ 0 http://www.fm-view.com/2010/02/fmv-tours-presents-ki-sung-yong/ http://www.fm-view.com/2010/02/fmv-tours-presents-ki-sung-yong/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:16:04 +0000 AlexBRFC http://www.fm-view.com/?p=1112

Name: Ki Sung-Yong
D/O/B: 24/01/1989 (Age 21)
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Club: Celtic (Scotland)
International Caps: 18
International Goals: 4
Value: £725,000
Wages: £500 p/w

Background
Widely regarded as one of the hottest prospects in Asian football, the ‘Korean Gerrard’ is renowned for his vision and technique and the accuracy of his passing. During his time at FC Seoul, Ki received unanimous praise and became an integral part of the side. This led to him and fellow FC Seoul team-mate and rising star Lee Chung-Yong (now at Bolton) to recieve the collaborative nickname ‘Ssang Yong’ which, when translated, means ‘Double Dragon’. Ki’s move to Celtic was confirmed on the 1st of January this year, but it was a deal which had been arranged for some time. This means that on FM2010, he starts with FC Seoul but his impending transfer to Scotland is inevitable. Ki made his international debut in June 2008, and his ticket on the plane to South Africa seems pretty certain, having recently been told by the Korean Football Association not play in the 2009 U20 World Cup but instead to focus solely on the full international side.

Attributes

Strengths
Passing – 16
Flair – 16
Creativity – 16
Technique – 15
Bravery – 15

At just 20 years of age at the start of an FM2010 game, Ki’s stats are certainly impressive. Good passing, flair, creativity and technique mean he would be ideally suited to a playmaker role of some sort. Although he isn’t the best in the air, at 6’2 his presence would almost definitely be felt, even if he doesn’t get to the ball first.

Weaknesses
Long Throws – 2
Marking – 8
Tackling – 9
Off The Ball – 9

Ki’s stats are pretty strong all across the board, and apart from the four I’ve listed here, they’re all into double figures. The lack of ability in the Throwing department is not a surprise and for a Defensive Midfielder, the low tackling and marking is a slight worry. However, he is still very young and this could definitely be improved.

Positions
The options as to where to play Ki are pretty limited; it’s either Centre Midfield or Defensive Midfield really. I would probably play him in a ‘Deep Lying Playmaker’ role, but have someone alongside him who can win the ball, as he could be vulnerable when the opposition attack due to his low Tackling skills. But with more-than-acceptable creative attributes, Ki does have the ability to be a match-winner and to make things happen during the game.

Overall
Ki’s relatively imminent move to Celtic on the game would probably mean that you wouldn’t be able to sign him for a while, but this might be for the better as his attributes could improve. As with Park Joo-Young, Ki isn’t near the standard of a top Premier League side, yet, but would work well in a team, once again, like Fulham for example.
Recommended Rating: 7/10

Name: Park Joo-Young
D/O/B: 10/07/1985 (Age 24)
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Striker
Club: AS Monaco (France)
International Caps: 39
International Goals: 13
Value: £4,400,000
Wages: £11,750 p/w

Background
After scoring 18 goals in 30 appearances in his first season for Korean side FC Seoul in 2005, the 19-year-old Park was expected to shine in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. As it turned out though, he only made one appearance in what was a disappointing tournament for the Koreans overall, as they finished 3rd in the Group Stages behind France and Switzerland. Park’s form in the K-League suffered and over the next 3 seasons, he managed only 17 goals in 61 games for FC Seoul, missing over half of the 2007 and 2008 seasons through injury. In September 2008, Park completed a move to French side AS Monaco, scoring on his debut and subsequently being named Monaco Player of the Season. To date, he has scored 11 times in 47 appearances during his time in France, and despite recent interest from both Fulham and Celtic, continues to perform well for both club and country, helping Korea to qualify for the 2010 World Cup with ease, contributing 4 goals to their qualification bid.

Attributes

Strengths
Flair – 15
Off The Ball – 15
Free Kick Taking – 14
Aggression – 14
Composure – 14
Concentration – 14
Decisions – 14
Determination – 14

Although his statistics may not be stunning, he does seem to be pretty consistent across the board. He is notorious for his Free Kick Taking abilities, and in his preferred role as the Second Striker, attributes such as Off The Ball, Decisions and Composure will make him difficult to mark for most Defenders. He’s also renowned as being one of the most skilful Asian players in the modern game, and his trickery could also pose a threat to oppositions’ Defences.

Weaknesses
Long Throws – 3
Marking – 5
Positioning – 5
Tackling – 6
Corners – 7

It’s fairly obvious as to why most of these attributes are Park’s weakest; he isn’t a Defender. However, the fact that he doesn’t seem to be that good at Corners does puzzle me slightly, since he is somewhat regarded as a Free Kick specialist. He does seem to lack a certain ‘edge’ to his game though; and for an international striker he does possess a relatively low Finishing attribute. However, if put in the right role with the right tactics, Park does have the potential to do well.

Positions
Park is a natural Striker and an accomplished Attacking Midfielder, but I believe that his best role would be as a ‘Trequartista’ positioned either as the second Striker or in Midfield. Relatively low Heading and Jumping abilities mean Defenders would more often than not have the edge over him in the air, meaning his roles are limited in that sense. Personally, I would maybe look into playing him behind the strikers in a free role and set him as the playmaker, as he does seem to be fairly creative.

Overall
Park is by no means the best player to have graced the footballing world, but with the right tactics and the right players around him, he does have the potential to do well. He’s nowhere near the standard of a European-challenging Premier League side, but for a team like Fulham, who as I mentioned were interested in him, he could easily do a good job.
Recommended Rating: 6/10

Name: Lee Woon-Jae
D/O/B: 26/04/1973 (Age 36)
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Suwon Samsung Bluewings (South Korea)
International Caps: 125
International Goals: 0
Value: £2,300,000
Wages: £3,600 p/w

Background
Lee is one of South Korea’s most capped players, and after representing them in the 1994, 2002 and 2006 World Cups, looks set to once again take the Number 1 jersey this time around. Despite his age (he’ll be 37 when the tournament starts), recent good form for his club, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, means that Lee is almost certain to be chosen as first choice keeper ahead of his nearest rivals, Kim Young-Kwang and Jung Sung-Ryong, both of whom are over 10 years his junior. Lee has become a permanent fixture in the Korean National Team, and even captained the side before the armband was passed on to Park Ji-Sung. In 2008, he was selected in the K-League’s Best XI and was also named ‘Most Valuable Player’ in the league, but he will perhaps be known most for his heroics in the 2002 World Cup Quarter-Final match against Spain, in which he saved Joaquin’s penalty to earn his country a place in the Semi-Final; their best effort in the tournament.

Attributes

Strengths
Decisions – 18
Determination – 18
Composure – 18
Concentration – 16
Anticipation – 16
Handling – 15

Due to Lee’s advancing years, his best attributes on FM2010 are mostly all mental. But in terms of Goalkeeping ability, he’s pretty solid. By no means is he the best ‘keeper in the world, but his stats are fairly consistent, with good Handling skills and good throwing, and he’s also quite decent in the air as well, considering at 6’0, he isn’t the tallest of goalkeepers.

Weaknesses
Acceleration – 4
Pace – 6
First Touch – 8
Communication – 10

He certainly isn’t the quickest, and also lacks a good First Touch, which does have the potential to trouble him in high-tempo games. I would’ve thought that due to his experience, his Communication would be a lot better than what it is, and once again this is something that could catch teams out. However, with alert, vocal Defenders, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Positions
It’s fairly obvious as to what positions Lee can play; just the one; in goal.

Overall
I believe Lee’s experience and decent attributes could make him an excellent understudy for most teams, but his age is certainly against him.
Recommended Rating: 5/10

Name: Kim Doo-Hyun
D/O/B: 14/07/1982 (Age 27)
Position: Midfielder
Club: Suwon Samsung Bluewings (South Korea)
International Caps: 57
International Goals: 11
Value: £1,100,000
Wages: £1,300 p/w

Background
Kim is perhaps most commonly remembered for his 18-month spell at West Brom, who he joined in January 2007, initially on a short-term loan deal. He made four appearances in the Baggies’ promotion-clinching season, scoring one goal, and was soon brought to the Hawthorns on a permanent basis, signing from Korean side Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma for £550,000 in May of the same year. After finding it difficult to pin down a regular place in the first team, Kim was limited to just 15 appearances in what was yet another short-lived stint in the top league for West Brom. In July 2009, Kim returned to his homeland to play for Suwon Bluewings, with whom he began his career. Prior to his move to England, Kim had established himself as a key figure in the South Korean U23 side, and was therefore rewarded with a place in Dick Advocaat’s squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. However due to the presence of Park Ji-Sung, who plays in a similar position to Kim, he unfortunately had to watch Korea’s progress in the tournament from the substitute’s bench. Since then though, he has performed consistently for the national side, and to date has 57 caps to his name, scoring 11 goals in the process; 3 of which came in a 3-1 win over Turkmenistan in the 2010 World Cup Qualifiers in 2008.

Attributes

Strengths
Balance – 15
Technique – 14
Stamina – 14
Passing – 13
First Touch – 13
Determination – 13
Creativity – 13
Agility – 13
Natural Fitness – 13

Kim possesses some good technical skills, and his attributes suggest that he is talented, and perhaps more importantly, clever with the ball, and most probably quite hard to dispossess. He has the ability to use both feet as well, which as a predominantly Central Midfielder, is a great asset to have.

Weaknesses
Influence – 5
Penalty Taking – 6
Heading – 6
Corners – 7

Kim’s low Influence attribute means that South Korea do lack a strong, influential player in the centre of the park (I realise Park Ji-Sung is their captain, but on FM2010, his influence is strangely low as well). This could cause a few problems when the team are trailing or in a pressure situation. At 5’10, Kim isn’t exactly the tallest of players, but he certainly isn’t the smallest either. However, his Heading ability is low, meaning he does have the potential to lose some key aerial battles.

Positions
Kim is extremely versatile, but works most naturally in the centre of the Midfield. However, he can operate equally well on either wing or in a Defensive Midfield role. Although he is predominantly a defensive-minded player, he also has the ability to play as an Attacking Midfielder; on the left, right or in the middle.

Overall
Kim isn’t going to set the world alight anytime soon, that’s for sure, but he could certainly perform well in the Championship, or at a push, for a lower-end Premier League side. I think he has a good balance of attributes, and has quite a lot to offer in terms of creativeness and technique.
Recommended Rating: 7/10

Name: Park Ji-Sung
D/O/B: 25/02/1981 (Age 28)
Position: Winger/Attacking Midfielder
Club: Manchester United (England)
International Caps: 84
International Goals: 11
Value: £7,500,000
Wages: £60,000 p/w

Background
Known by the United faithful as ‘Three-Lung Park’ for his impeccable stamina and tireless work ethic, the South Korean captain is undoubtedly his country’s most famous player. He started his career as a Defensive Midfielder, making his first appearance for Korea in the 2000 Sydney Olympics qualifiers, but initially failed to make any impact to the side, and his international future was put in doubt. However, when Guus Hiddink took charge of the team shortly after the Olympics, Park was converted into a Winger, a change which rejuvenated Park, and made him into the player that he is now. With 84 international caps to his name, and a vast array of Champions League experience with both Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven, Park has established himself as one of the most experienced and most successful Asian footballers in the world today, and although he isn’t considered a regular at Old Trafford, his skills and leadership are integral to the success of the Korean national side.

Attributes

Strengths
Work Rate – 20
Stamina – 20
Teamwork – 19
Natural Fitness – 18
Agility – 18
Off The Ball – 18
Determination – 17

Park’s strengths are rather predictable considering what he is known for in the footballing world; a whole-hearted, committed performance. He’ll chase every ball, go for every 50/50 challenge (and most of the time win them) and he’ll track back on every single occasion without fail. He really is one of the most honest players in the modern game, I think.

Weaknesses
Long Throws – 5
Free Kick Taking – 6
Influence – 7

Being weak at taking Long Throws or Free Kicks is certainly not the end of the world for Park; for example, in the Manchester United team there are several players who would be higher in the Free Kick taking pecking order anyway. The 7 for Influence confuses me slightly though, considering he’s the captain of his country. However, I think that he probably only wears the armband due to his fame and the fact that he’s South Korea’s best player. As well as the three weaknesses I’ve listed, Park is also quite weak at Jumping and Heading, mainly due to the fact that at 5’11, he isn’t the tallest of players. Despite boasting some impressive Physical Attributes, Park’s creative side does often let him down. Although his crossing, creativity and dribbling are by no means bad, for a winger, they could do with being slightly more attractive.

Positions
Along with ‘tireless’, ‘committed’ and ‘determined’, Park can add ‘versatile’ to the list of adjectives that describe him. As mentioned before, he began his career as a Defensive Midfielder, a position in which nowadays he is, according to FM2010, ‘Awkward’. This is probably because; he never plays there for either his club or country. Park is very much a utility player for Manchester United, but tends to feature mostly on the wings, but occasionally in the centre of midfield (and even more occasionally at Right-Back, when United had their Defensive injury crisis). He is also widely regarded as a ‘big game player’ and tends to feature heavily in Manchester United’s Champions League campaigns. This is wholly down to the fact that he can run forever, or so it seems, and really gets in the opposition players’ faces; something which can be key to winning a European tie. For the National Team however, Park’s experience and knowledge of the game means he plays as an Attacking Central Midfielder, allowing him to be in the middle of everything that’s happening and meaning he can put his skills to best use.

Overall
Park is a quality player, and has arguably some of the best Physical Attributes on the game. Having him even on the bench would add extra options all around the field, and like I said before, 99% of the time, you will get a whole-hearted, committed performance from him. Personally, Park is one of my favourite players in World Football, and I admire everything that he stands for. He rarely goes down on his own will, and once again, is one of the most honest players in the game. And hey, a player with three lungs is a must-buy, surely?
Recommended Rating: 8/10