Jesse Lingard: What has he actually done in Seoul and why is his manager so unhappy?

While his presence may have contributed to a record 51,670 spectators to Seoul World Cup Stadium on his March 10 home debut, Lingard's performance in the K League 1 has drawn criticism from FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong.

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard waves to fans after a K League 1 match against Incheon United at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on March 10. [YONHAP]

Former Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard made a surprising move to FC Seoul in February, drawing headlines across British and Korean media.

While his presence may have contributed to a record 51,670 spectators to Seoul World Cup Stadium on his March 10 home debut, Lingard's performance in the K League 1 has drawn criticism from FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong.

Kim's comments came after the English midfielder's unimpressive performance over the three K League matches he played for FC Seoul during which he recorded zero assists or goals. He also missed the past three fixtures due to injury.

Kim said last month that Lingard did not play hard enough in a match against Jeju United and said “fame does not win football games.”

But how did the midfielder who once played in the Premier League become a target of criticism?

Here's a breakdown of everything that has happened since his move to FC Seoul.

March 2 — Lingard made his FC Seoul debut in the team’s 2-0 loss to Gwangju FC during which he played 23 minutes and received a yellow card. In his first game since he became clubless following a contract expiration with Nottingham Forest in June 2023, he found little goal-scoring opportunity, recording only one shot that went high. At the time, however, Kim said that Lingard still had a few good moves, and he'd help the K League newbie play better.

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard, center, controls the ball during a K League 1 match against Gwangju FC at Gwangju Football Stadium in Gwangju on March 2. [NEWS1]

March 10 — Playing 69 minutes as a substitute against Incheon United at Seoul World Cup Stadium — which drew the home-game record 51,670 spectators, Lingard recorded only one shot through the end of the game, with the rest of the squad struggling to land chances and recording only one other shot on target to end the match in a goalless draw.

March 16 — Playing 40 minutes as a substitute again against Jeju, he pressured opponents hard but did not put the same amount of effort toward the end of the game, drawing criticism from Kim.

Kim said the following after the match: “He only played a few minutes, and yet he didn't work hard and avoided tussle. If you run less than a footballer who has played 90 minutes, you're not even a footballer. Fame doesn't win football games. If it did, I would have brought in a famous retired player.”

March 23 — During an interview on the sidelines of FC Seoul training, Lingard commented on the remarks Kim made on March 16. Lingard said the following: “That is part and parcel of football, you know. I spoke with the manager the other day; we’ve, you know, squashed that now, and we can move onto the next game.”

Kim also spoke to reporters during that training and said the following: “After he returned [from Britain], he hugged me. The first thing he did was not say hi but just giving me a hug. Some parts about that [remarks on March 16] are a little exaggerated. I told him that I said that in the interview because he is a special player who should take a leading role. I also told him that he should be mindful of the aspect that he should lead the team as a special player, not an ordinary player even from now. He was also aware of it.”

FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong speaks to reporters on the sidelines of training at the GS Champions Park in Guri, Gyeonggi on March 23. [YONHAP]

March 31 — Lingard was absent from the roster for a game against Gangwon FC that ended with a 1-1 draw due to a knee injury. Kim told reporters before the match Lingard’s injury was not severe.

April 3 — Lingard was excluded from the roster again for a game against Gimcheon Sangmu that ended with a 5-1 victory for FC Seoul due to the injury. He watched the match from the bench.

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard watches a K League match against Gimcheon Sangmu from the bench at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on April 3. [NEWS1]

April 5 — Lingard shared a post on his personal Instagram account with pictures of him training with the caption: “Accept what it is, let go of what it was and have faith in what will be.”

April 7 — Injury kept Lingard off the roster again, with him missing a match against Daegu FC that ended with a goalless draw.

What's next for Lingard?

It is unclear whether Lingard will be fit to play the upcoming match against league leaders Pohang Steelers at home on Saturday. His return to the team at the level of his glory days — during which he displayed pace and tidy crosses that saw him record assists — could diversify FC Seoul’s attack that proved effective against Gimcheon.

The remainder of the season will put the English midfielder to the test — of whether he can make enough impact to end the capital side’s trophy drought est. 2016, the last year FC Seoul won the K League 1.

Over one month into the 2024 season, FC Seoul sit in sixth place on the 12-team table as of Tuesday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]