20-year-old striker to make his first start in Premier League this weekend


South Korean striker Ji Dong-won of Sunderland will be very successful in the English Premier League, his club manager believes.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce said on Monday that the 20-year-old Ji is a “fantastic” player with a bright future ahead of him.

“Ji has a big appetite to play and has great work ethic. I believe he has a big future,” Bruce told The Korea Herald at the British Embassy in Seoul.

The 50-year-old manager, along with the club’s international marketing director Niall Quinn, was in Korea on Sunday for a three-day visit as Sunderland AFC look to increase their football and business profile on the international stage.

“We’ve come here to recognize the leading role Ji plays in our football club, and to support his effort to build his international career,” said Quinn, a former Sunderland player and Ireland international.

“We were amazed at the response from Korean fans since we signed with Ji. So we came to Korea to build stronger relationships and also to support Ji,” former England manager Bruce added.

The 187-cm-tall center-forward joined Sunderland from the K-League’s Chunnam Dragons this summer for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.

The Korean, however, has not yet had a chance to prove himself in the league with only one appearance for Sunderland so far this season.

Some are beginning to wonder if he can keep up with the physical style of English football and connect with his teammates.

His manager, however, dismissed the concerns. “He is not physically weak, but we’ve got to give him a little bit of time to settle.

“English Premier League is physically different to any other football league, but he’ll adapt because he’s a fantastic young player,” he said.

Bruce added that he believes Ji is now ready to play, and will make his first start for the club this weekend.

The Sunderland boss was scheduled to attend South Korea’s World Cup qualifying game against the UAE on Tuesday to check Ji’s condition.

“If he is OK after Tuesday’s match, he’ll make a first start against Arsenal on Sunday,” he said.

Bruce also noted that he would look out for a possible new signing from the Korean national team.

“It’s important for a coach to be always looking for players no matter which countries, but what appeals to me with Korean players, in particular, is their work ethic, honesty and also their ability to want to succeed.”

Seven games into the 2011-2012 season, Sunderland are running 16th in the 20-team first division league. But Bruce is certain his team will improve after their poor start once Ji and other young players get used to playing together.

“I know we are very capable of climbing up the table, and I’m very convinced that Ji and other young players can help the team finish better than last year,” he said.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)