Korean media deliver worrying verdict on Forest-owned Hwang Ui-jo

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Nottingham Forest-owned striker Hwang Ui-jo played for South Korea yesterday and the national media delivered a rather worrying verdict afterwards. Jurgen Klinsmann saw his team beaten 2-1 by Uruguay and Hwang was substituted 11 minutes into the second half.

Forest have had a knack in transfer windows of recent time of signing at least one truly bizarre signing. In the summer it was 30-year-old Hwang who signed after doing okay for Bordeaux, without ever really setting the league alight.

During his time with the French outfit, he scored 29 goals in 98 appearances. It was a signing that just didn’t make sense for a Premier League outfit and it was no surprise that he quickly joined Olympiacos on loan.

That move didn’t work out either. The South Korean failed to score in Greece and in January he headed out on loan to FC Seoul instead where he’s still awaiting his first goal of the campaign.

Yesterday, Klinsmann handed him a start for South Korea. Despite the new boss showing some faith in the forward, he couldn’t repay him and the national media judged his performance after the game.

KBS News wrote: “He failed to create threatening or impressive scenes. Instead, he focused on pulling out defenders to give space for Son Heung-min.”

Forest-owned Hwang plays for South Korea and national media deliver worrying verdict

It’s not ideal that Forest appear to have signed a player that is seemingly on the decline. He’s not scored a single goal yet this season and it’s perhaps remarkable South Korea called him up in the first place.

Hwang is suffering a real confidence crisis. It’s perhaps also telling that the national media chose to offer a worrying verdict after his latest performance.

If he was having shots and missing then perhaps that would be acceptable. At the moment, however, he’s not even having the confidence to get his chances on goal.

Hwang looked a bizarre signing at the time. Right now, it would represent a miracle if the man with 53 caps for his country ever pulls on the Garibaldi.