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Man Utd´s Park targets treble after ´lonely´ injury lay-off
MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung has targeted success on three fronts this season to compensate for his "lonely" road back to full fitness following nine-months out with a knee injury.
South Korea international Park, 26, is battling for a starting place in manager Sir Alex Ferguson's line-up for the Premier League clash with Portsmouth at Old Trafford on Wednesday after recently returning to action following his lengthy injury lay-off.
The former PSV Eindhoven star has shown no ill-effects of the cruciate ligament injury which at one point threatened to cast a shadow over his long-term career, with rumours suggesting that the problem was more serious than initially diagnosed.
And with champions United currently on top of the table, with an FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Arsenal plus a Champions League last 16 date with Lyon looming next month, Park insists that another treble, to go with their 1999 triumph, for the club would make his long slog back to fitness worthwhile.
"I remember last season that we had the opportunity to win many things, but we only won the Premier League title. That's still good, but it could have been more," Park said.
"This season, though, we have a good squad, with injured players coming back again, so we are better than last year. We have a better chance of winning the title and other things as well.
"I think we can win all three trophies. Our team is better than last season and the season before and we are all getting better as players, so that means we have a good opportunity to win all the competitions."
Park, who injured his knee in a league win against Blackburn at Old Trafford in March, said he felt fully fit after nine tough months of rehabilitation.
"My knee is fine. Since I've been back playing, I've had no reaction, so I feel good and I feel really fit physically because I've been in the gym for a long time.
"I'm mentally fit too, but I don't want to back in the gym again. It's really awful to be doing something in there without other people. I was just by myself, there was no-one to train with me, so it was kind of lonely. Seriously, you feel awful.
"During the rehab, I was always thinking about being able to play and when I actually came back, I couldn't believe it because it had been such a long time. To play again made me feel like I was still alive and it is great to be back on the pitch again."
Portsmouth travel to Old Trafford with faint hopes of securing Champions League qualification this season and manager Harry Redknapp has completed the loan signing of former Liverpool forward Milan Baros from Lyon in a bid to boost the club's chances of finishing in the top four.
Baros is set to make his debut against United and he admits that Pompey must aim high if they are to qualify for Europe.
"The team is currently five points off the Champions League spots and, at the very least, everybody here is thinking about the UEFA Cup.
"The league is even and a couple of clubs will fight it out until the very end. Each point will be important and I want to battle for them for Portsmouth, although it will be no easy task," the striker added.
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