Our man in Korea: High hopes for ‘gentle and enthusiastic’ QPR

Thank you very much for the kind comments I had after my first column. I had heard that QPR fans were very good and this was confirmed to me.

It was suggested to me though, that while I was keen to point out how enthusiastic Korean fans have been about Ji-sung Park’s recent move to QPR, it is also the case that some saw it as an indication of how money-driven English football is.

After all, here is a club few had heard of compared to Manchester United, yet they were able to buy a high-profile player like Park because they have rich owners with business interests in Asia and are keen to reach people in this part of the world.

To some extent, that is also true. However, it is the case too that QPR have become popular here and there is a great deal of goodwill being shown towards the club.

And I think this will increase this season – especially if the team get good results.

London is of course the centre of attention because of the Olympics, but soon the spotlight will shift to the start of the new Premier League season.

There’s also the last weeks of the transfer window and all the speculation and big spending that comes with it.

Korean fans and the media are fascinated by it all and English football is generally big news here.

Looking at the media and the many fans’ forums, it seems the majority believe Manchester City will successfully defend their title.

Manchester United’s chances are not rated highly. In fact they have attracted some criticism for being dormant in the transfer market and not seeming able to attract the very top players these days.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle have all been tipped to put pressure on Chelsea as it will be interesting to see whether Roberto Di Matteo’s defensive tactics from last season change in light of the arrival of some attacking players.

And what of QPR – the club relatively few people here knew of before the recent signing Park?

The general consensus seems to be be that a top-10 finish is a very realistic target.

This is based largely on what seems to be some shrewd signings. It has been well documented that, as well as getting Park, QPR have been very active in the market.

The media here continues to give the club some favourable coverage following the signing of Park.

In fact, some of the country’s sports journalists have been to London to visit QPR and the surrounding area to find out more for themselves, or will be doing so in the near future.

These include Mun-sung Park. Many people like reading his blog and he recently visited Shepherd’s Bush.

On his return, he wrote: “If you want to make a trip to Loftus Road, I suggest you take an underground train. The roads there are all packed.

“It’s a very pleasing place to visit. The only thing that would bother you is the awful weather. The people there are very gentle and enthusiastic.”

So there you have it!

 

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