The ‘Korean Dream’ is far from over for Vietnam international striker Van Thoan (27, Seoul Eland). ‘Teacher’ Park Chung-gyun has dismissed recent transfer speculation.안전놀이터
“There have been a lot of false reports from the Vietnamese side,” Park told reporters before the 2-1 win over Busan I-Park on 20 November, “and I have no intention of sending him back (to Vietnam). I didn’t bring him here for marketing purposes. I saw him with my own eyes, and I picked him because I thought he would be needed when the weather got hot in the summer.”
Recently, a number of Vietnamese media outlets reported that Vantoan was returning home after his challenge in South Korea.
It was plausible. After signing for Eland in January, Bantuan has only played nine games in the K League 2 this season. Having played in Vietnam since his professional debut, he curiously took up the challenge in Korea, but failed to score an attacking point in half a year.
Van Thoane struggling in South Korea (Photo: KFA)
Earlier, Vantoan spoke about the difficulty of adapting to the Korean scene. However, he hasn’t expressed any desire to leave the team. According to Eland officials, Bantoan and head coach Park Chung-gyun recently had a meeting that was not much different from any other, which led to the misleading reports. The reports were fueled by Bantoan’s continued absence from the roster since his appearance against Busan I-Park on 4 June (1-2 loss).
Park Chung-gyun, the head coach of the team, firmly corrected the rumours of Bantoan’s return, saying, “(Bantoan) has family problems that prevent him from focusing on training. “We are not planning to send him (to Vietnam),” Park said, adding, “I had a conversation with him (recently). If he comes back, he will be useful to our team. At some point, we will use him,” he said.
Park Chung-gyun, head coach of Seoul Eland (Photo: KFA)
Park was in charge of Hanoi FC (Vietnam) from April 2021 until February last year, when he spotted Van Thoane and approached him shortly after his appointment as Eland boss. Former Vietnam national team coach Park Hang-seo also encouraged him to take up the challenge, and that’s how his life in Korea began.
His first season was certainly a struggle. He couldn’t get on the pitch and his presence faded. However, his ‘teacher’, Park Chung-gyun, doesn’t want the Korean challenge to end as he sees him as a ‘marketing player’. It’s up to Bantoan to change that assessment.