Ki

I understand when people say they don't like his football style but I really can't accpet the comment like "he is a heartless player ". If he doesn't have a heart to be a successful Celt player, then why did he ever need to fly to Scotland in the first place? He just could have stayed in his mother country, without particularly difficult challenges. But he chose to move to Scotland. SPL is a rough league which is different from K league. Even though it's not just good enough for some people, he tried his hardest to adjust SPL and improve his performance. How many times do you think he would say to himself to try his best for his best performance, before the matches? Recently he also left another message that he is happy to stay Scotland, love the time he has spent there and learning really a lot of things.


I tried to step back from Ki's thread for several reasons, one of which was because I was just afraid if I ever make other fans upset who just noramly criticise him, but sometimes some of the harsh comments which I feel unfair just hurt me, then I feel the need to post.

Well, but In some repsect, I feel like it might be uselss to post this 'cos I'm afraid people who don't like him as a player woudn't try to open their mind to Ki. Very sparing with words of praise, blame/abuse him so easily, making sarcastic remarks sometimes even about the Korean football.

I just personally hope his family woudn't see this forum 'cos it would definitely hurt them.

 

He came here as a stepping stone to one of the major European leagues I would imagine.

 

I will defend Ki everytime he gets slagged without playing bad or even just sitting on the bench, BUT on sunday he was pure pish

 

All the midfielders were poor. For Joe Ledley the comments tend to be that he had a bad game but thats OK because he is Super Joe.

Even after some good performances there are many here who just want to criticise Ki.

Also many on here say that Ki would be a good player in Spain or Italy where he would get more time on the ball but does not suit us so we should sell. Many of the same people will be crying out for money to be spent on a quality player to play in the CL against teams from these countries. Where is the logic?

 

You could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of bad games Joe Ledley has had for Celtic. That's why a guy like Ledley gets cut more slack after a bad performance.

Ki's performance levels in a Celtic shirt are much more erratic than guys like Joe Ledley so, when Ki has a poor game, it is easier to be critical of him.

These 'rules' apply to all players, it's not a witch hunt against Ki.

I understand the point you're making in your final paragraph but what I would say is this............if Ki can't hold down a regular starting spot in the first team then it's going to be asking a * of a lot of him to come into the team in the Champions League matches and produce his best form. In fact, I just don't believe it will happen. First and foremost, Ki needs to get himself into the first team on a regular basis. On current form I just don't see it happening as Joe Ledley, Beram Kayal, Victor Wanyama and Scott Brown all bring more to the team than Ki does.

Ki is certainly a technically proficient footballer. I just have serious doubts that Scotland is the place for him to prosper. If he proves me wrong then great, I'll be happy. Samaras has done it this season so it can be done.

 

My problem is that this thread has jumped 7 pages on the back of yesterdays game in which Ki though he was not poor was hardly our worst player. Playing in a team a man down never mind two down would hardly lend to Ki's strengths and as he is not the manager he could not be blamed for not subbing himself.

Compare then his 7 pages with the other 10 players who started yesterday excluding posts on the validity of red cards and the all hail Samaras (the old scapegoat) and you could not fill seven pages.

Maybe for you it is not a witch hunt but for many it is.

 

I know people easily say this, but if you want to mean he came to Celtic without particular feelings for the club, then I'd say you're wrong. As he is quite young and promising footballer in his country, the media often mention about the possibility of his going to big league. Personally, I also don't think he would stay Celtic forever, but it just goes the same for other players too. Not all players stay the same team for whole of his career, and if the players rated by other bigger team, then they could move to another team. I think all the players are like that. However, He is quite loyal to his team and I saw and heard him saying he is really happy that Celtic chose him and also, adding that he has loved Celtic since he was a teenager, and he thinks Celtic is really a big Club to make him grow up into much better player. He is a professional and loves his team so much, like other players in the team of course.

 

Of course he is not the only one, most players have that in mind when they come here imo. Bangura is a prime example. There are however players who don't come under that category, like Ledley, who turned down offers in England and Roma to sign for us. He would have sacrificed a fair bit of cash for that too I would imagine. I would be very surprised if he did love celtic as a teenager, but if he did then fair play . I don't want to sound like I'm anti Ki or anything, just think it is probably the right time for him to go, as he will struggle to become a regular starter here imo. He will also go for a fair bit of money, which we can use to invest in other areas

 

Agree entirely, this thread has now become the no.1 thread to go to after a bad game since Sammy has really upped his game, Ki has become the whipping boy for some fans, Ledley/Wanyama and brown all had worse games, all were 'empty shirts' a phrase probably used quite a lot in this thread, yet i see no threads jumping 7 pages about them.

 

I only write this just in case you really don't have the information. He went to Australia when he was a teenager, both to study football and English, and as he was able to see Celtic matches in Australia so very often, he said he naturally came to love the club. That's what he said to us when he arrived to Korea after signing with Celtic, I remember he brought some Celtic stuffs for his Korean fans at that time. He said many people mention about the major league like EPL and it would be also nice if he could reach that high level but for him, the most important thing is to be recognised and being essential part of his own team. He said he wanted to contribute to Celtics wins and make Celtic fans happy. He was not eager to go to so-called major league like EPL. He said he just wanted to play for the club who want him, no interest in moving just for the namevalue of the club. That was an honest comment from him and I think you really don't have to be so surprised. If you still say it's not enough love for the club, then I really have nothing more to say. But I just think it's really hard to play in foreign league, the players doubted so many things from so many views, but well, I have to admit it's a player's portion to overcome all the difficult situation, in the end, anyway.

 

skysports and ESPN game casta had his passing percentage at 78%, the second highest on our team after commons, I personally though ki in the second half was having trouble finding people to pass too since only sammy was forward most of the time, but he was still a better passer than ledley or brown

 

Being at the game I thought it was a big ask of the midfield, when Wanyama went off we were playing 4-3-1 and the huns had 6 against 3 in the middle as soon as one ran to shut down there was 3 huns in behind etc

Its a miracle how it ended up 3-2, not really though as the huns are just that * but if we had a 2 man advantage at home to them and were in the lead we'd have walked all over them unless they just camped in their own box with the full 9.

We were always like 1 pass away from being over run at the back at any minute and if they had better players it could have been something awful.

 

I agree, too. and this is what is hurting my feelings. Sometimes I just don't understand why Ki thread pop up so often.

I was sad to see that Celtic lost, and just sad again, when I had to see this thread.

 

people dont like the fact Ki isnt a grafter, thats the simple fact of it

 

Hes a lot better than Crosas though who some people want back and you get others who dont like Brown who is a grafter for example.

I think you just get players who become the scapegoats at times, it used to be Sammy and Brown, then it was Hooper and Commons, now its Ki and Cha, next it'll probably be Wanyama and Ledley.

 

Can I ask, if you know, how does Ki play for the South Korea national team? He must be something special for them because he won the Korean player of the year award this year, and that can't have been for his performances for Celtic surely because he hasn't played enough for us.

I agree with this.

Ki would be good, and is good, on a pitch with time and space to pick out a pass or go on a run and have a long shot.
He simply cannot and does not cope with a high tempo physical match such as an Old Firm derby, and so will get closed down and robbed of the ball far more often and easily than someone more strong like Ledley.

Ki has scored a few great goals for us but most of his best work is strolling around the centre circle just spraying balls forward to Forrest on the wing or Kayal further forward.
I think Ki's best position would be behind Ledley and Kayal in the middle, with Commons/Samaras and Forrest on the wing. From there he can dictate a game as he has done when been afforded that option.

I can see what people mean by "empty shirt" though - in the highest pressure games he has flattered to deceive and I am sceptical if he ever will improve in that department, it just doesn't seem his style. I would give him one more season to see if he steps up and lets his technical side flourish in Europe, if not then sell him as I believe many scouts across Europe have watched him and believe we could get more than 6 million pounds for him.

 

I'm assuming you mean the game at parkhead against udinese's reserve team? Aye I'm very impressed...

 

plus he was nothing special that game he scored a penalty and that's about it tbh.

 

he was playing brilliant last season before he went to the asia cup then came back and took a while to adapt to the game again but once he did he played really well and carried it on into the start of this season and then that virus hit so people saying they have never seen him have a good game should go back and watch last season and the beginning of this one. the problem for me is he needs a run of games to adapt again to the speed of our game which shouldn't really be happening anymore maybe thats down to the virus and traveling or lack of game time he has had who knows but if he wants to make it here or go on to the epl its something that needs to be addressed