South Korean international Paik Seung-ho is among the best players to have ever played in League One – but he’s hoping for Birmingham City it’s a whistle-stop tour.
Paik Seung-ho has stated that he rejected down offers to stay in the Championship last summer following Birmingham City’s relegation to League One, but after consulting with Chris Davies, he was confident that the Blues were still the ideal location for him to continue his career.
Despite the disappointment of the drop – Paik scored the winning goal on the final day of last season, but it proved insufficient – the Blues have been reborn this year under Davies, developing a winning mentality that has seen them lose only four times in all competitions as of the middle of February.
Paik, a South Korean international, has been a key component of this winning side, alongside Tomoki Iwata in the heart of Blues’ midfield. A player whose performances frequently remind you that he may not even be playing at this level, the midfielder – who has since signed a new long-term contract with the club – revealed he had the option to leave in the summer.
He’s satisfied with how things have turned out and is glad he elected to stay at St Andrew’s after speaking with new manager Davies, who has excelled in his first outing as a full-time head coach.
“Honestly, I thought I would definitely leave, but the manager is so good,” Paik told Naver Sports. “I kept fighting with myself internally: ‘If you play in a better league, won’t you be able to make the national team?'” And the other part was ‘under this management, can’t you genuinely improve as a player while playing the game I enjoy and learned?’ I had offers from Sheffield, Norwich, Stoke, and other places.
“I have no regrets.” I was lucky to get called up to the national team, and I’m now playing the type of game I’ve always wanted to play. I believe that is the greatest option. I am extremely happy, and if we get promoted here, it will be the finest.
“If I’d spoken out, they’d have let me leave. At first, the manager stated, ‘If you don’t want to be here or don’t think you’ll give your all, tell me. I will absolutely let you go. In fact, all of the players who shared that sentiment left, but I thought this manager was too wonderful to pass up. If I had transferred, I would have no idea what style of football the manager there would play. It was quite stressful. In the end, I opted to stay, and I am quite happy. Really.”
With Blues already leading League One, and an EFL Trophy yet to be won before the season ends, Paik is already looking ahead to what next season may bring. While the task must be completed this term, the Korean expects to return to the Championship next term and have a different experience than the previous six months he had in the division.
“I hope we’ll be in the Championship and in the same situation as now,” Paik said afterwards. “For example, being first in the league by a few points over second place. It’s fantastic that the club has defined aims. I prefer being able to focus on working hard and preparing.
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