Korea say ‘Thank You all’

South Korea’s soccer association said today it has sent “thank-you” letters to Italy’s Perugia and other foreign clubs f...

South Korea’s soccer association said today it has sent “thank-you” letters to Italy’s Perugia and other foreign clubs for hiring South Korean players who contributed to their home country’s success in the World Cup.

The letters, signed by Cho Jung-Hyun, general-secretary of the (South) Korean Football Association, were faxed yesterday to Perugia, RSC Anderlecht of Belgium and five Japanese clubs — Kashiwa Reysol, JEF United Ichihara, Kyoto Purple Sanga, Kashiwa Reysol and CE Rezo Osaka.

In a letter addressed to Luciano Gaucci, President of Perugia Calcio, Cho said he wanted to “convey our heartfelt gratitude to you for your contribution to the successful result of our national team at the World Cup. We would like to share the joy of our team’s success with your esteemed club.”

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“Without your kind cooperation in nurturing Mr Ahn Jung-Hwan and releasing him each time he was summoned for his national team duty, our national team could not have reached the level of peak performance that they displayed during the World Cup,” he said.

Ahn, who had been playing for Perugia since the start ofthe 2000-01 season, played a key role in helping South Korea move to the semi-finals in this year’s World Cup.

His header in overtime lifted South Korea to a stunning 2-1 victory in the second round, delivering three-time champions Italy a humiliating World Cup elimination. Perugia’s President, Gaucci responded by telling Ahn he was not welcome back.

“I am not going to pay the salary of a guy who has been the ruin of Italian soccer,” Gaucci was quoted as saying by the Italian daily La Gazzetta Dello sport, a day after Italy’s knockout.

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Perugia later changed its mind and said it would exercise its option to purchase his rights from South Korea’s Busan I.Cons.

Ahn rejected Perugia’s offer to sign a new contract. His agent, players, said the South Korean star had no intention to return to Perugia which attacked his character instead of congratulating him for his goal in the World Cup.