http://community.manutd.com/forums/t/45264.aspx?PageIndex=4
A kind soul translated it from Korean.
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Introduction
Manchester United's defender Patrice Evra and Ji Sung Park are best
friends. Not only on the pitch but more noteably off the pitch, as
Evra frequently likes to visit Park. The interaction between them
has brought the pair closer together, almost like brothers. Evra
even calls Park's father, Park Sung Jong, Papa. Living in England,
the two players have become very dependent on each other as they
overcame their difficluties together. Park Sung Jong now reveals
the untold stories of the pair.
Park Sung Jong-
When utd have a game abroad our house becomes a gathering point.
Because the parking is expensive at the airport, several players
come to our house so that they can catch a ride from me to the
airport. Pat, Carlito, VDS, and Berba are the usual customers as
well as Ji. I always get nervous when I drive them because I'm
escorting a team of superstars and their combined cost is over 40
million!! Therefore, I have to always be alert and at my best and
try not to think about crashing! But Evra is always at my side
cracking his usual jokes and that gets rid of any worries. When we
won the EPL ,Evra was the first one to come and hug me and my wife
and take a picture with us. Also, he always calls me papa. Thats
how close we are, like a family.
Evra is a French international, but he is actually from Senegal. He
grew up in the back streets of Les Ulis, a place populated with
gangsters. However, it was football that prevented Evra from going
down that road. I think Theirry Henry was from that region
too.
Evra and Park are of same age. Evra is a bit more sociable than Ji,
but both don't talk much and both are introspective. Whether its
Ruud Van Nistelrooy of the past or Edwin Van der Sar of today, most
of Ji's friends are from abroad, outside of Uk. British players
usually hang out with each other and so the foreign players usually
cluster together and depend upon each other.
Two years ago in the summer of 2007, during the Asian Tour, Evra
was able to visit Korea. The day before the game, he came over to
our house in Suwon. In Machester, he always asked us if he could
vist our home in Korea if he had the chance. Therefore, he seized
the opportunity when utd came to Korea to come and visit us. Not
only did he look around our house, but he also begged Ji if he
could take him to a nightclub in Seoul. Ji had never been to a
night club in his life until the day he gave in to Evra's
wishes.
Evra and Ji first met not as friends but as enemies back in 2005.
They clashed in the round of 16 in the Champions League, Park
playing for PSV and Evra playing for AS Monaco. In the two legs, Ji
played on the right side of midfield and Evra played as left back
and so both of them were frequently in battle. Eventually, PSV won
both games 1-0 and 2-0. Evra sometimes reminisces about that game.
He joked "I had my butt kicked around all night by Ji and so I
didn't really feel like being friends with him." "I held a grudge
over him." Surprisingly, both Ji and Evra remember that game very
well. I believe it was destiny for both of them to become best
friends.
When Evra first arrived back in January of 2006, he had
difficulties adjusting to the team. At that time, Mikael Silvestre
and Gabriel Heinze cemented their places ahead of Evra and there
was no room for Evra to break through. Whenever he had the chance
to play, he made mistakes and that cost him his place. He was so
into attacking that he sometimes forgot his defensive duties and
left his marker free to roam. Unfortunately, he was dubbed the
"full back that never returns" by some sections of utd fans. During
those difficlut periods, it was Ji that consoled Evra and gave him
a shoulder to lean on. Ji told Evra about the difficult times he
experienced back in Netherlands and tried to give him the
confidence that he needed.
We became even closer friends with Evra when we moved right next to
his house on February, 2007. Whenever Evra's wife, Patricia (funny
Evra's first name is Patrice and his wife's first name is
Patricia), takes her kids to visit relatives in France, Evra comes
to our house and settles in as if it is his home. Sometimes, he
invites Ji to his house and they spend time together. I think thats
how Evra repays the kindness Ji has given him. When Ji had a
surgery on his left ankle, I remember Evra writing a get well
message on his cast. When Ji had a surgery on his right knee in the
Spring of 2007, Evra dedicated the goal he scored in the 7-1
thrashing of Roma to Ji.
Evra's father lives in Dakar, Senegal. Evra says that, because his
father married so many times, whenever he goes back to his home
town, there is an Evra here, an Evra there and Evra Evra
everyhwere. Evra's father usually stays in Senegal, but he came to
visit Manchester one day. Evra was so excited about the prospect of
playing in front of his father at Old Trafford. However, Ferguson
decided to put Evra on the bench and after the game Evra was
extremely upset. He held his anger inside but when he got home he
exploded. He screamed and started throwing things to the ground. It
was obvious he wanted to make his father proud. I looked and Evra
and thought "what if that happened to Ji?" Ji rarely reveals his
feelings in front of me. He usually hides it. However, I could tell
he was extremely disappointed when he missed out on the chance to
play in the CL final last year. Sometimes, I wish Ji would be more
expressive of his feelings like Evra.
Last year, we moved into the house Evra used to live. It is three
stories with seven rooms. Evra also moved about 3-4 minutes away
from our house. When Ji goes to training, he and Evra usually share
a car. One day it wiil be Ji driving and the next day it is Evra.
When training is over, the two of them sometimes go to a Korean
restaurant to eat.
Evra's love for Utd is strong. He got a highly profitable offer
from Inter Milan but he immediately turned it down. Whenever he
plays a football video game with Ji, I have never seen him select a
team other than Utd.
Now they are in the CL final together again. A few days ago, Evra
told Ji "Hey friend, last year we didnt get to play with each
other, but this time lets do this together. Remeber, if either of
us score, we must celebrate together. Evra is a really good friend
of Ji.