The scene that became the biggest issue in the recent English Premier League (EPL) was the debut match of Moises Caicedo (Chelsea).스포츠토토
Caicedo wore a Chelsea uniform, setting a record of 115 million pounds (196.6 billion won), the highest ever transfer fee in the EPL. Attention was focused on Chelsea’s debut with the highest ransom ever.
But expectations turned to disappointment. Chelsea lost 1-3 to West Ham in the second round of the EPL on the 21st. Caicedo, who was substituted in the 16th minute of the second half, made a series of mistakes, especially in the second half of extra time, when he tackled the opponent and awarded a penalty kick. In the end, Chelsea, who conceded one more goal in the end, lost 1-3. It was his debut match like a nightmare.
And in another game, a player who made his debut received a quiet issue. This is the Liverpool debut match for Japanese national team captain Wataru Endo. Endo’s transfer fee was 16.2 million pounds (27.6 billion won), which was more than 7 times higher than that of Caicedo. However, the debut match was a complete victory for Endo.
Liverpool won 3-1 in the second round against Bournemouth on the 19th. Endo was substituted in the 18th minute of the second half. He played at the same time as Caicedo, but his performance was different. Endo performed well with a stable appearance. He recorded an 88% passing success rate and 1 successful tackle, among others. Endo was praised.
Many Liverpool fans said “Endo is better than Caicedo”. Of course, it is an evaluation that adds to the remnants that Liverpool lost to Chelsea while pushing for Caisedo, but this evaluation cannot be completely denied.
The British influential newspaper ‘Guardian’ gave a similar evaluation. ‘Guardian’ argued that “Endo could be successful at Liverpool and could be a better contract than Caicedo”.
This analysis led to a general atmosphere that Europe still ‘undervalued’ Asian players. ‘Guardian’ said, “Asian players are not properly recognized for what they deserve. Heung-Min Son of Tottenham and Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton and Hove Albion also have talent and hard work, but Asian players are not getting the respect they deserve.” Explained.
At the same time, he emphasized about Son Heung-min, “Son Heung-min is described as the most underrated player in the world.”
“Son Heung-min is a technically great player, but there are many stories that do not come from players on other continents, such as his modesty and his father’s strict training style, have been reported. Despite that,” he pointed out. In other words, it means that Son Heung-min focused more on his non-football appearance than on his value as a football player.
Regarding Endo, “Endo has great qualities. But when Liverpool lost Caicedo and brought in Endo, the glamor and excitement was gone. It was because he was an Asian player. It’s underrated. If Endo is Argentina , German or French nationality would have received a lot more spotlight.”
Park Ji-sung, who played for Manchester United in the past, was also mentioned.
The media said, “There was a time when I looked at many Asian players for the purpose of selling jerseys. I looked at Park Ji-sung that way when he moved to Manchester United in 2005. Park Ji-sung often encountered such stereotypes during his 7 years at Old Trafford. However, Park Ji-sung technically He was a talented player and showed his performance on the pitch. He made an achievement.”