Korean Kim cleared for combat

Central Coast have announced the club’s recently recruited South Korean ace Kim Seung-yong received his International Transfer Clearance overnight.

Central Coast Mariners have announced the club-s recently recruited South Korean attacking ace Kim Seung-yong received his International Transfer Clearance (ITC) overnight.

Kim traveled with the Mariners- squad to the city of churches yesterday, with the Club at the time confident that the former FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Motors man would be cleared in time for tonight-s Hyundai A-League round 19 clash against Josep Gombau-s Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.

Central Coast Mariners boss, Phil Moss, this morning expressed his delight that one of his key transfer window signings is now cleared to take the field for the yellow and navy.

“It is very pleasing to have Kim now eligible,” Moss said. “He-s a player of high quality, and has great experience in Asian football through his time in the K-League and J.League.”

“Over the last ten days he has shown some very promising signs in training. He has looked very sharp on the ball and has fitted into the group very easily. He is an extremely humble guy, and believes in our culture that everything is about the team rather than the individual.”

While Moss would have originally liked Kim to be available for the Club-s round 18 meeting with Melbourne Victory in Gosford last Saturday, he said that the former Ulsan Hyundai and Gamba Osaka gun may ultimately benefit from spending his first week as a Mariner on the sidelines.

“In hindsight, the time it has taken form him to get cleared may have in fact helped him settle in,” Moss explained. “He watched the game last weekend from the stands, and that gave him an understanding of what he can expect in Australia in terms of the pace, style and physicality of the league.”

“People will also need to appreciate that Kim hasn-t played 90 minutes since early December, so it will take a little time for him to reach his best.”

“(But) we-re sure that over the coming month Kim will show his qualities,” he said.

Central Coast Mariners and Adelaide United have met twice this season, with the Mariners claiming a 1-0 victory over the Reds in Gosford in round 2, while Gombau-s charges turned the tables in round 10 via a solid 4-0 victory in South Australia.

Victory over Gombau-s men at Coopers Stadium tonight would see the Mariners consolidate their place inside the Hyundai A-League-s top four, while a defeat to Adelaide would allow the Reds to enter the race for a top four finish alongside Western Sydney Wanderers, Melbourne Victory, and Central Coast.

Hyundai A-League 2013/14 Round 19

Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners
Friday 14 February, 2014
Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
7:00pm local (7:30pm AEDT)

Twitter: Join the conversation on Twitter! The official match hashtag is #ADLvCCM
Watch: Live on Fox Sports 2 & 2HD
Listen: Live on ABC Grandstand & Coast FM