LOW POINT IN KOREA..
But Gemmell reveals drubbing gave him and Scotland an insight into quality of Asian players
IT’S just over two decades since Scot Gemmill was part of a Scotland side offered an insight into South Korean football by being on the end of a four-goal drubbing.
That 4-1 loss to a side led by Dutch coaching great Guus Hiddink during the Berti Vogts era was also a prelude to the 2002 World Cup which saw the Taegeuk Warriors introduce themselves on the global stage by reaching the semi-finals.
As a memory of his time in the dark blue, Gemmill admits it opened his eyes to the ability of Asian players and beyond, to the shrinking world of planet football and the increasingly cosmopolitan approach to recruitment being dep loyed at Celtic is testimony to a growing appreciation of Far Eastern talent.
With the Hoops preparing to unveil Oh Hyeon-gyu from South Korean side Suwon Bluewings on a £2.5million deal, the Scotland Under-21 boss was given a reminder of his last visit.
He said: “I remember South Korea being so well prepared ahead of the tournament.
“You could see they had invested a lot into players in terms of their preparation for the World Cup that they would co-host with Japan.
“That investment was also targeted at the coaching staff with Hiddink brought in to lead the national team. As a nation, this was the World Cup where they introduced themselves as a country capable of producing quality footballers.
“As a Scotland player I saw that for myself in Busan as they were far better than us on that day and I wasn’t as surprised as some when they beat Italy and Spain before being knocked out by Germany at the semi-final stage. Those Finals were really the formulation of what they’d worked so hard to get to”
South Korea’s class of 2002 contained Park Ji-sung who would make his name at Manchester United and was arguably the best Asian player in the British game before Son Heung-min burst on to the scene at Tottenham.
And Gemmill believes Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou bringing in six Japanese recruits is also a part of our clubs’ change from the traditional recruitment boundaries. He said: “Back then it was very rare for Asian footballers to arrive in Britain but I remember South Korea had Park in their side when they beat Scotland. “He was something of a trailblazer when he signed for United. I was lucky enough to play at a high level and you know when you are coming up against a really high level of opposition and South Korea certainly were that in that game.
“It’s a football culture based on professionalism with a focus on team ethic. East Asian players test you tactically, physically and mentally and there’s no question that we were nowhere near their level back in 2002
“It’s only natural that we are all immersed in everything to do with British and European football but you can see from the current recruitment trends that the football world is shrinking. .
“The British game is now increasingly multinational when you take a look at squads across
all of the major leagues and recruitment is truly global.
“Celtic’s expertise in the Japanese market is an example of the geographical barriers being reduced and it’s to their credit that these players have been able to assimilate so well and prove to be successful.
“There may also be value in the Asian market which is more attractive than in Europe where transfer fees and salaries continue to skyrocket.”
Celtic had also made an offer for Oh’s international team-mate Cho Gue-sung, but talks have stalled with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors after the player decided to weigh up his options.
Gemmill is convinced the Asian market is proving less of a gamble for British clubs who decide to move outside their comfort zones when rolling the dice on recruitment.
He said: “When you look at the temperament and skill-set of the Japanese players at Celtic as an example then you see individuals who appear to thrive in an environment which is about team values and not the individual.
“That professionalism and work ethic shines through in performances but like any club looking to Asia for potential signings, a lot of homework and research will go into creating a profile of that player.
“Being able to move from a different continent and be able to settle is another aspect which always impresses me and again you can look at Celtic as a positive example of that.”
The sting in the tail from the influx of players from across the globe is the reduction of genuine pathways for young players to achieve first team ambitions and that fact isn’t lost on Gemmill as he plans for Scotland’s future in charge of our top youngsters.
He said: “That is definitely linked to how hard it is now for young players and their pathways to try and get the opportunity to play for clubs.
“If you look at a breakdown of the nationalities, not only in the Premiership but in the Premier League then you see it’s becoming harder and harder because of the greater reach with world-wide recruitment.”