Birmingham City boss Tony Mowbray has spoken very highly of South Korean signing Seung-ho Paik.
Seung-ho Paik, a winter acquisition for Birmingham City, has the potential to be a major contributor if he gets up to speed, according to Tony Mowbray.
After his contract with Jeanbuk Hyundai expired on Deadline Day, the South Korean midfielder signed a free agent contract and has already made three appearances for his new team. The 26-year-old, who was formerly with Barcelona, Girona, and Darmstadt, can play in a variety of central midfield positions, giving Birmingham some much-needed versatility.
The one bright spot in the disappointing away losses to Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion, respectively, was the rise of Paik, who, after being substituted on, is now maybe Birmingham’s finest player. After those cameos, he had a spectacular hour or so during his maiden start, a 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers.
Mowbray is happy with the new number 13 for Birmingham so far. “He is excellent. Observing him on the practice field, you’ll notice that he typically chooses the appropriate pass and sidesteps pressure applied to either the inside or outside of his foot, Mowbray told Birmingham World.
“He is aware that some players want soft passes, while others require them to be wrapped into narrow openings. We needed to get him on the field because he is a skilled football player who knows the rules of the game. We have some control, I believe, because of the combination with Dozzell, who is also a tremendously talented football player.
“I must consider him [as a consistent starter]. He informed me that he had not played a competitive game since December 10. We signed him as soon as he passed away. The previous week [against Sheffield Wednesday], he was taken off the bench. I felt it was appropriate to give him sixty or seventy minutes instead of twenty or thirty,” Mowbray said.
Paik’s game time will be steadily increased. When his match sharpness peaks, he is expected to play in the majority of fixtures. Paik, a South Korean international with 15 appearances and three goals, might develop into a vital component of Mowbray’s system. Paik scored against Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
