As he confirmed the names of the eighteen Japan Under-23 men’s national football team players who will make the trip to London 2012, Takashi Sekizuka largely demonstrated his faith in those who helped secure Japan’s place at the Olympic Games football tournament finals. Excluding Yuhei Tokunaga and Maya Yoshida, who are included as two of the three permissible over-age members in the squad, twelve of sixteen contributed to the qualification campaign a minimum of three times, a number which would have been higher were it not for injuries to FC Nuremburg-bound playmaker Hiroshi Kiyotake.
15 games. Just one win. Only ten goals scored, but 36 conceded. Four points. This is the current record of Consadole Sapporo, currently languishing at the bottom of J.League Division 1, a team which shows no sign of making any kind of recovery. Their average of 0.27 points per game, should it continue along the same trajectory, would seem them finish the 2012 campaign with an historic low of nine points. Even the most cursory of glances at the league table will confirm that the J.League’s sole representatives from Hokkaido are having a terrible season, but the question posed here is whether are they on course to become the worst side to have ever appeared in the top flight of Japanese professional football.
(Yuki Nagasato’s first-half strike gave the Nadeshiko victory over Sweden in the 2012 Sweden Invitational, Japan finishing runners-up in the three-member tournament behind the United States with one win and one defeat)
The Japan women’s national football team wrapped up their participation in the 2012 Sweden Invitational with a 1-0 win against the host nation. Yuki Nagasato prodded home on the 27th minute for her second goal in the competition and her third in consecutive matches, and was the only Japanese player to have found the net in the round-robin tournament. Norio Sasaki fielded a relatively young side for the match, captain Aya Miyama, second-choice goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto, midfielder Megumi Kamionobe and forward Kozue Ando the only players in the starting line-up over the age of 25. Homare Sawa, Nahomi Kawasumi, Mizuho Sakaguchi, Shinobu Ohno and Yukari Kinga were named as substitutes.
The defeat was the second in as many years for the Blågult at the hands of Japan having exited the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup at the semi-final stage in a 3-1 loss, and they meet again on 28 July at the City of Coventry Stadium, their fixture the pick of the Group F games in the London 2012 Olympic Women’s football tournament.
Hindering their final preparations is news that Rumi Utsugi, who was stretchered off the field in the 4-1 defeat versus the US after a poor challenge from Carli Lloyd, has suffered knee ligament damage. The 23-year old midfielder, who supported her teammates in the Sweden match from the sidelines, has not yet been ruled out of making the final Olympic squad, Norio Sasaki confirming that an assessment will be made in early July.
The Under-20 Japan women’s national team completed their two match series versus the United States with honours even, a 1-0 loss on 17 June followed by a 2-0 defeat three days later, as they continued their preparations for the forthcoming World Cup as hosts. In keeping with their respective senior sides, both nations will begin the tournament among the favourites and should they top their groups as expected, a prospective meeting could only occur in one of the medal matches. Japan begin their campaign on 19 August versus Mexico at the Miyagi Stadium.
And finally, the Mainichi also confirms that Kuniya Daini is the President-Elect of the Japan Football Association, and will replace the outgoing Junji Ogura at the expiration of his term. Daini, who represented his country 44 times in a playing career that spanned nearly a decade, and as a defender played for Mitsubishi Motors, the predecessors of Urawa Red Diamonds, has been a Vice-President of the JFA since 2006.
Shinji Kagawa’s versatility across attacking midfield and goal-scoring prowess will not be on display at the London 2012 Men’s Olympic football tournament, as he was omitted Thursday from Takashi Sekizuka’s 35-strong provisional squad for the competition as expected.
The senior international, who still qualifies as an Under-23 player, can now focus wholly on completing his transfer to the English Premier League side Manchester United and the forthcoming pre-season, as they attempt to wrest back a title so dramatically won by their neighbors Manchester City on the final day of the 2011/12 campaign.
There is also no place in the roster for the second of Japan’s two internationally acclaimed players, with the Under-23 national team head coach opting to bolster his options in goal and defense rather than seeking to exploit the playmaking talents of Keisuke Honda as one of his three over-age players. Akihiro Hayashi, whose presence and performances between the posts have helped a goal-shy Shimizu S-Pulse to fourth position in the J-League and the joint best defensive record in the division, is one of four goalkeepers named in the squad, the S-Pa stopper’s selection made on the basis that neither Shunsuke Ando or Takuya Masuda are regular choices for their clubs, and ensuring that first-choice Shuichi Gonda benefits from the added competition.
(The first-half from the Young Nadeshiko’s Group C fixture versus England in the 2010 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, their only victory of a tournament from which they exited at the group stage, finishing third behind Mexico and Nigeria. Japan will once again meet Mexico in the group stage in the 2012 tournament, doing battle with El Tricolor at the Miyagi Stadium on 19 August. The second period can be viewed here)
In the biggest news of the day, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund both announced separately that terms have been agreed for the transfer of the Bundesglia club and Japan international Shinji Kagawa to the English Premier League side. The Asahi Shimbun notes that while full details have not been disclosed, the expected transfer fee is in the region of £12 million, rising to a potential £18 million. The deal is subject to a medical and acquiring the necessary work permit for the UK, together with Kagawa formally signing the contact. While the attacking midfielder does not strictly meet the criteria necessary to obtain a work permit on the basis of not having made the requisite number of appearances for the Samurai Blue, it is expected to be a formality on ‘exceptional talent’ grounds.
The 23-year old Kobe native confirmed in remarks to reports at a training session in Saitama that he is yet to sign any contract, adding that he is not willing to discuss his own future and wants to focus instead on the national side and their two remaining 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in June. Japan meet Jordan on Friday, before flying to Brisbane for the 12 June tie against Australia.
The Asahi Shimbun also reports that the Japan Football Association has announced a 21-strong squad for the Nadeshiko’s trip to Sweden, where they will participate in the 2012 Sweden Invitational. Japan will contest the round-robin tournament with their fellow London 2012 Group F rivals and the United States, who they will meet in a major final for the second time in as many years if the seedings for the competition hold true, having triumphed over Team USA in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Homare Sawa, who has fully recovered after being struck down with benign paroxysmal postural vertigo, is included in the travelling party together with 2011 AFC Women’s Player of the Year and captain Aya Miyama, while Ami Otaki receives her first call up to the senior team. The full squad is as follows:
The Yomiuri Shimbun adds that the squad for the London 2012 Olympic Games will then need to be reduced to eighteen players, with those getting the nod for the trip to London to be decided by manager Norio Sasaki in early July.
Japan are set to play Mexico, Switzerland and New Zealand in the FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup. With Homare Sawa presiding over the draw, the Young Nadeshiko will begin their Group A campaign against Mexico on 19 August at the Miyagi Stadium, where they will meet New Zealand three days later, before playing the Swiss in their third and final group match at the National Olympic Stadium on 26 August. Should Japan progress to the quarter-final stage, they will meet one of Brazil, South Korea, Italy or Nigeria on 30 August. The World Cup final takes place on 8 September at the National Olympic Stadium.
And finally, Zdenko Verdenik is the new manager at Omiya Ardija. The 63-year old, who had spells in charge at JEF United, Nagoya Grampus and Vegalta Sendai between 2000 and 2004, remarked that he was delighted to be working at a J.League Division 1 club again, and will take the reins at the Squirrels prior to their Matchday Fourteen clash against Kashima Antlers on 16 June.
The 2012 Kirin Challenge Cup fixture with Azerbaijan was the final chance for Samurai Blue manager Alberto Zaccheroni to run the rule over his players before selecting his squad for the three upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. The national team eased to a 2-0 victory courtesy of goals from Shinji Kagawa and Shinji Okazaki either side of half-time. Kagawa, the subject of intense press speculation in recent weeks after confirming he would not be renewing his contract with Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, broke legendary Japan striker Kunishige Kamamoto’s longstanding record to become the youngest player to reach ten goals for his country.
The morning after the match the Italian named the players who will join him for the matches against Oman, Jordan and Australia, and despite increasing the overall headcount from 23 to 25, there is no place for FC Tokyo’s Yuhei Tokunaga and Aria Hasegawa or Urawa Reds’ Genki Haraguchi, while defenders Yasuyuki Konno and Maya Yoshida, midfielders Hiroshi Kiyotake and Yasuhito Endo, and striker Mike Havnenaar all make the cut. The full squad details are as follows:
Position
Name
Club
GK
Eiji Kawashima
Lierse S.K.
GK
Shusaku Nishikawa
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
GK
Shuichi Gonda
FC Tokyo
DF
Yuichi Komano
Jubilo Iwata
DF
Yasuyuki Konno
Gamba Osaka
DF
Yuzo Kurihara
Yokohama F-Marinos
DF
Masahiko Inoha
Vissel Kobe
DF
Yuto Nagatomo
Internazionale
DF
Tomoaki Makino
1. FC Köln
DF
Atsuto Uchida
Schalke 04
DF
Maya Yoshida
VVV-Venlo
DF
Hiroki Sakai
Kashiwa Reysol
MF
Yasuhito Endo
Gamba Osaka
MF
Kengo Nakamura
Kawasaki Frontale
MF
Makoto Hasebe
VfL Wolfsburg
MF
Hajime Hosogai
FC Augsburg
MF
Keisuke Honda
CSKA Moscow
MF
Hideto Takahashi
FC Tokyo
FW
Ryoichi Maeda
Jubilo Iwata
FW
Shinji Okazaki
VfB Stuttgart
FW
Mike Havenaar
Vitesse Arnhem
FW
Takayuki Morimoto
Novara
FW
Shinji Kagawa
Borussia Dortmund
FW
Hiroshi Kiyotake
Cerezo Osaka
FW
Ryo Miyaichi
Arsenal
The Asahi Shimbun has a piece on the ongoing financial troubles at J.League Division 2 outfit FC Gifu, currently sat rock bottom of the professional ranks. Having previously been unable to repay a ¥50 million loan by a 2009 deadline, the club’s position has become so perilous as to have spurred a meeting attended by the prefectural government, including the chambers of commerce and tourism organisation, together with a number of private sector bodies to try to ensure its survival. The situation is so far without resolution.
In the final story of the day, the Sankei Shimbun takes its lead from German football magazine Kicker, stating that Samurai Blue defender Atsuto Uchida has entered negotiations to extend his contract with Bundesliga side Schalke 04. Horst Heldt, the General Manager at Die Königsblauen has described the 24-year old right-back as being extremely professional towards the club and having a wonderful mentality.
The Mainichi Shimbun reports that the Yokohama F-Marinos defender Takashi Amano faces eight months on the sidelines in his fight to recover from the anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained during pre-season training in October.
The newspaper also confirms that Italian giants AC Milan have opened their second soccer school in Japan. The soccer school is located in the small city of Yufu, Oita Prefecture, which joins the school in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture in the Rossoneri’s growing overseas operations.
The Mainichi Shimbun adds that the date of the All Japan Women’s Football Championship, the L.League equivalent of the Emperor’s Cup, is being changed from the traditional New Year’s Day fixture to 24 December. The change has been made in the hope of attracting more spectators to the women’s final, with what is regarded as the final match of the football season previously being only a prelude to the Emperor’s Cup.
Bad news for Shinji Okazaki and VfB Stuttgart, notes the Asahi Shimbun. Okazaki damaged ligaments in his right knee during training on 14 March, and will miss the next two to three weeks including the 16 March fixture against TSG Hoffenheim.
The Nikkei Shimbun leads with a story confirming that the Nadeshiko remain at third place in the FIFA Women’s World Ranking. There have been no changes to the first seven places, but only 52 points separate the top three of United States, Germany and Japan.
And finally, the Sankei Shumbun turns its attention to the Osaka derby. As outlined in the Matchday 2 preview here, Gamba’s hold over Cerezo Osaka is almost total. However coach Jose Carlos Serrao has apologised to supporters following a poor start to the season in which Gamba began with a 3-0 home defeat to South Korea’s Pohang Steelers in the AFC Champions League, with Vissel Kobe taking three points at the Osaka Expo ’70 Stadium on the opening day of the J.League Division 1 season. In an interview at a closed training session held on 16 March, Serrao stated that “if we win [at Cerezo] tomorrow, it will be a turning point”.
Cerezo Osaka’s coach Sérgio Soares, meanwhile, has included Under-23 Samurai Blue players Hiroshi Kiyotake, Hotaru Yamaguchi and Takahiro Ogihara in his squad for the match, despite their exertions in the 2-0 victory over Bahrain which secured a berth at London 2012.
The draw for the fourth round of AFC qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Kuala Lumpur on 9 March, with the seedings determined by the latest FIFA rankings issued on 7 March. Japan, whose world ranking fell three places from February’s 30 to 33, found themselves placed in Pot 2 after South Korea’s ranking improved four places to 30.
Japan will face AFC rivals and the confederation’s highest ranked team Australia, who they defeated in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup final. Iraq, Jordan and Oman fill the remaining three positions in Group B. The Samurai Blue’s attempt to qualify for their fifth World Cup in succession will begin at home on 3 June 2012 against Oman, with a further home tie versus Jordan on 8 June before they fly to Australia to face the Socceroos four days later on 12 June.
Japan’s full fixture list is as follows:
3 June 2012
Japan
vs
Oman
8 June 2012
Japan
vs
Jordan
12 June 2012
Australia
vs
Japan
11 September 2012
Japan
vs
Iraq
14 November 2012
Oman
vs
Japan
26 March 2013
Jordan
vs
Japan
4 June 2013
Japan
vs
Australia
11 June 2013
Iraq
vs
Japan
The top two teams from both Group A and Group B will automatically advance to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, while the two third-placed teams will enter into the fifth and final round of qualification, facing a play-off to determine the Asian confederation’s last entrant into the tournament.
(Japan defeat South Korea 3-0 on penalty kicks to advance to the 2011 AFC Asian Cup final. The match finished 2-2 after extra-time. South Korea has exacted some revenge by leapfrogging Japan in the latest FIFA World Ranking, thus avoiding the highest seeds Australia in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Fourth Round)
The Asahi Shimbun leads with the story that one of the leading players in Japanese women’s football, Mizuho Sakaguchi, will be transferring from Albirex Niigata Ladies to their L.League rivals NTV Beleza. The 24 year-old midfielder, who was an indispensable part of the national team which lifted the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, will aim to continue the dominance of Beleza, who have claimed the title a record eleven times, with seven championships coming in the last eleven seasons.
The newspaper also confirms that the three trophies collected at the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala will be on display in the Japan Football Association Museum. The FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year and the FIFA Fair Play Award trophies will be available for public viewing until 29 May.
As reported yesterday, Keisuke Honda’s mooted transfer to SS Lazio is still to be resolved, according to The Daily Yomiuri. The report, using the Russian sports daily Sport Express as a source, confirms that the negotiations are ongoing but an agreement is yet to be reached.
And finally, news on Japan’s overseas players is the order of the day for The Daily Mainichi, starting with Samurai Blue Shinji Okazaki’s VfB Stuttgart side falling to a 3-1 defeat away to Atsuto Uchida’s FC Schalke 04. The Schalke right-back played for the full 90 minutes, while Okazaji made an appearance as a 73rd minute substitute, netting a consolation goal for Stuttgart in the 87th minute and bringing his total to four for the season. Gotoku Sakai was an unused substitute for Stuttgart.
Elsewhere, the midfielder Makoto Hasebe was left on the bench as his VfL Wolsburg side scored a late winner to take all three points against FC Cologne in a 1-0 victory, while Hajime Hosogai was named in the FC Augsburg team which fell to a 1-0 defeat away to SC Freiburg following an 88th minute winner scored by Matthias Ginter.
The Asahi Shimbun runs a small feature on the newly promoted J.League Division Two side Matsumoto Yamaga, focusing on the training camp being run under the auspices of the new manager Yasuharu Sorimachi. Sorimachi was hired for the position owing to his predecessor Yoshiyuki Kato not having the requisite coaching credentials for a professional team. Sorimachi led the session, which was opened up to supporters of the Ptarmigans, with his squad of 30 focusing on light exercise and technical drills. The Nagoya Prefecture side begin their league campaign away to Shonan Bellmare on 4 March, following by their first professional home fixture at the Matsumotodaira Football Stadium against Montedio Yamagata a week later.
The power of Japanese women through the ages, including the evolution of language through the invention of kana, to the present time and the boom of women’s football owing to the exploits of the modern day heroine Homare Sawa occupies the thoughts of Ryuzo Morioka in The Daily Mainichi. Morioka, the former Japanese international defender capped thirty-eight times by the Samurai Blue, and now a coach at Kyoto Sanga, talks about “Pink Power”, and that young boys should surely be impressed and inspired by the achievements of the Nadeshiko, self-mockingly suggesting that he is perfectly aware of female strength owing to the number within the Morioka household.
And finally, Nippon Sports takes on the increasingly protracted and convoluted negotiations which could see Keisuke Honda leave PFC CSKA Moscow for Italian giants SS Lazio. The 25 year-old attacking midfielder has been linked with a host of clubs across Europe in recent years, and the Corriere Dello Sport reported that there is some distance between the fee Lazio are willing to pay, with an EUR 2 million loan fee followed by a full transfer fee of EUR 10m being proffered six months later, compared to an EUR 16m fee being demanded by the Russian club. A further complication is that Lazio has a full complement of foreign players, and will need to loan or sell one of its current overseas contingent to allow Honda to play. With the transfer window closing in Italy at midnight on 2 February, and a significant gap in the valuations of the two clubs, there is little optimism that a deal will be concluded this winter.
(Keisuke Honda opens the scoring with a free-kick for Japan against Denmark in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Group E game. Japan would go on to win the match 3-1 with goals from Yasuhito Endo and Shinji Okazaki)
