National striker Hwang Eui-jo, who returned to the K-League after signing a short-term lease contract for six months with FC Seoul, revealed the background of his decision to go to Seoul.
On the afternoon of the 13th, Hwang Eui-jo conducted an interview with reporters in Kagoshima, Japan, where the second battery training was underway. It was the first time he sat face-to-face with reporters after a short interview at Incheon Airport on the 6th, when he left for field training after returning to Korea.
Hwang Eui-jo, who moved to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League from Girondins Bordeaux in the French Ligue 1 last summer and immediately transferred to Olympiacos in Greece on loan, ended his contract after failing to achieve the expected results. He failed to fully improve his condition at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and he showed a bit of a disappointment. After leaving Olympiacos, he had to look for a club outside of Europe, bound by FIFA rules that prohibit playing for more than three clubs on one continent in a season.
In response, K-League revenge clubs and American Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs showed interest. In particular, MLS clubs스포츠토토, including Minnesota, were active in recruiting Hwang Ui-jo, offering huge annual salaries. However, this condition was not the first consideration for him, and in the end, the final choice was K-League Seoul.
Hwang Eui-jo said, “When I went to the United States, I could get a higher salary and play soccer in better conditions. But I had a more important goal than that. I had a strong desire to show a good figure again in Europe six months later.” Later, he said, “The United States wanted to extend the contract period. Seoul contacted me first when I was about to transfer. I also thought it was right to go to the team I wanted.” He added, “The most important and big goal is to do well here and return to Europe in six months to show a good appearance.”
However, there is likely to be some pressure on the six-month contract. Of course, there is a burden to show in a short time, but on the contrary, if you leave the team at the end of the first half after making a big success, the team also has the burden of playing the second half without a main gun. Because of this, Hwang Ui-jo feels responsible for various reasons.
He said, “Even when I played in the K-League in the past, I thought FC Seoul was a team with a sense of weight. I want to create an image of a good and solid team in the league while I am there. I want to help the team as much as possible, and Seoul will lead the league. I think it can become a team that can go. Of course, there are many good players with teams like Jeonbuk and Ulsan, but I think that such a club can be enough for Seoul to compete for the title and keep producing excellent new players. I will help as much as I can.”