SEOUL: Park Chu-young is back in the frame to make the cut for South Korea’s World Cup squad after head coach Hong Myung-bo named the striker in his 24-man squad to face Greece in a friendly international next month.
The 28-year-old, who has scored 23 goals in 61 international matches, has not represented his country since last February after failing to play regularly during his stint at English Premier League side Arsenal.
He recently joined Championship (second tier) side Watford on loan until the end of the season, boosting his chances of more playing opportunities.
Hong had left the former South Korea captain, who played at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, out of his squad for previous warmup matches for this year’s finals and said this might be his “last chance” to see Park before naming his squad for Brazil.
“I agonised over this decision,” Hong told reporters yesterday. “I spoke to him on the phone a few times. Though he’s not playing at the moment, I figured he is still in decent form, and it wouldn’t be a problem to have him on our time.”
South Korea, who will be making their eighth consecutive appearance at the World Cup finals in Brazil, lost their recent friendly matches to Mexico and the United States and will play Greece in Athens on March 5.
The Koreans have been drawn in Group H in Brazil, alongside Belgium, Russia and Algeria at the June 12-July 13 event. AFP
