[FOOTBALL]Park scores with best newcomer award

With little in the way of competition to face in his category, a neatly groomed and pleasant-faced Park Chu-young entered the Korea Football Association Building, central Seoul, to check the results of the K-League’s votes for the 2005 Best Players’ Awards yesterday.
Sure enough, in the “Best Newcomer” category, which by definition a player has only one shot at, Park received the prestigious award.
Park also achieved another milestone in becoming the first player ever to get a unanimous decision in the 23-year history of professional soccer in Korea ― he garnered all 73 votes available.
Park was modest about his chances for victory. “I thought there would be split votes between me and Park Byung-gyu or Cho Yong-hyung,” he said.
As for the upcoming World Cup, he noted, “There is no guarantee that I will play. I have to win Dick Advocaat’s recognition in overseas training next year.”
With regard to the Swiss national team, which he faced when playing for Korea in the FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands in June, Park said, “They had great teamwork. The 11 players moved in perfect order, like a curtain.
“But if out team moves fast on counterattacks, when the Swiss move forward, Korea can have the advantage,” he added.
The award for best manager went to Incheon United Football Club’s Chang Woe-ryong, with 35 votes. Kim Jeong-nam of Ulsan Hyundai, which won the league championship, recieved 34. Chang led the unfancied two-year-old football club to second place this season.
Awards for the best 11 players by position were given to forwards Park Chu-young (again) and Ma Cha-do; midfielders Lee Chun-soo, Kim Doo-hyun, Lee Ho and Cho Won-hee; defenders Cho Yong-hyung, Kim Young- chul, Yoo Kyoung-youl, and Lim Joong-yong; and goalkeeper Kim Byung-ji.
The ceremony for the awards will be held in the Grand Hilton Hotel on Dec. 28, along with the naming of the season’s most valuable player.

by E Choog-hyoung