"expert" predictions on the upcoming season http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/domesoccer/imgs/0/8/08988b43.jpg (bigger)
I was really impressed by Kitakyushu last season, it'll be interesting to see how they go this time. I think they made a bunch of loan signings in the off-season.
I have to see better the squads, but.. the impression is that we'll re-start from where we were.. Kyoto Sanga, JEF and Tokyo Verdy are in front row, waiting to see if they could make it for the J1 of 2013. Along them, Avispa is sure interesting. Surprise? Maybe Matsumoto. Who knows?
I think Kitakyushu could place in the top 6 if they improve their team. To be honest with this playoff system, anything goes once the regular season ends.
To be honest it's quite hard to predict the J2 league as there are so many uncertainties every season. History tells us that a mediocre J2 team in one season may suddenly pop up to challenge the title next year.
I know Kyoto had a woderfull second part of the season when they were unbeaten for few months until Emperor's Cup final. But I doubt they could keep that high form in the upcoming season. And everyone predicting they'll be first in the table... I don't think they could be like Cerezo or Kashiwa. If they somehow will get to J1 they'll be most probably relegated next season. But I'm writing about things two years ahead... For me the six teams which will fight for promotion should be (in whatever order): JEF, Verdy, Ventforet, Tokushima (still), Kitakyushu, Avispa/other team which will pop out in the second part of the season.
Kyoto not even in the top-6? I found it a little risky as vision.. And Ventforet losed Paulinho and Havenaar..
i see three teams above the average:Sanga-Ventforet-JEF Utd... but:Sanga is a young team and like every young team could suffer under pressure.It will be crucial for them to start well:if they could get in a good mood from the start they have the potential to win the league. Ventforet has both quality and experience plus Jofuku is a good manager and will be eager to seek revenge.They should re-settle to J2 life quickly,and that's not always easy,but in the end i predict them in one of the first two spots. Then there is JEF Utd: potential winners if you see the roster...but there's always a chance that everything could go wrong,as usual...i can never tell.(...and i'm rooting for them) for playoffs contention i say:Montedio,Tochigi SC,Giravanz,Avispa. Verdy will be the big delusion. Bellmare possible dark horse. Zelvia rock bottom.
http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/domesoccer/imgs/0/7/07a38b50.jpg Here's a bigger version. I think that the first line is supposed to say "Please ask before falling into a ditch" ? and the second line is supposed to say "You should have sex with a director instead of the expected (a woman?)" Just kidding, I think the second line is supposed to be along the lines of "You should say what you feel and not what people expect you say."
He does seem to have made quite a few 'dramatic' picks. It's good to see some unexpected choices, but if you make too many then it seems he is trying to make loads of unexpected choices just so he can say he predicted it at the end of the season even though he got loads of other things totally wrong. Okayama coming last, Kitakyushu finishing in the play-offs, all 3 relegated clubs missing the play-offs, both new clubs being comfortable. Maybe 1 of those things will happen and he can say he predicted it when no-one else did. Nonomura seems to have been deliberately controversial with a couple of his picks too (Maybe that is just me as an Avispa supporter though).
I don't know how much research they did last year when everyone predicted Giravanz to end the league on the last place when the club itself planned to reach 56 points at the end of the season... One thing for sure is that there isn't a club which should win the league by the wide margin like FC Tokyo last year or Kashiwa two years ago. And putting in that place Kyoto... On what basis I'd like to ask?
I read a bit different about the second line. I think what Fagi's supporters are trying to say is why you're a pundit but not a manager ("Kandoku" in Japanese, which also literally means director) if you're so damn good?
I am actually surprised that Nanami, Miura and Nonomura predicts Yokohama FC to end just outside the play-offs with that old team when thinking how bad they did last season.
So how about some of our predictions? 1: JEF United 2: Avispa Fukuoka 3: Kyoto Sanga 4: Tokyo Verdy 5: Ventforet Kofu 6: Tokushima Vortis 7: Montedio Yamagata 8: Tochigi SC 9: Oita Trinita 10: Shonan Bellmare 11: Giravanz Kitakyushu 12: Thespa Kusatsu 13: Yokohama FC 14: Roasso Kumamoto 15: Ehime FC 16: Mito Hollyhock 17: Matsumoto Hollyhock 18: Fagiano Okayama 19: Gainaire Tottori 20: Kateller Toyama 21: Machida Zelvia 22: FC Gifu Play-off winner = Kyoto Sanga Top Goal-scorer = Takuma Abe (Verdy) Player of the Season = Daisuke Sakata (Avispa) Rookie of the Season = Yuya Kubo (Kyoto Sanga)
Is Yuya even eligible for this? I know this will be his first full pro year, but he played quite a lot last season.
Usami and Sakai played the previous seasons. Usami played 3 times in 2009 and Sakai played 9 times in 2010. edit: I think that you also have to play in J1. Takanori Sugeno won it in 2007, but he had already played 4 full seasons in J2.
Guys remember those titles is primarily media stunts. Japanese loves putting things in Categories and top5 rankings, media wise it just sells better to create a rookie of the year solely for J1, if J2 were counted in the prize wouldnt be as magical for the media.
This is extremely misleading, though I can understand why you might make the mistake. In 2007 (and I think as late as 2008) the title of the award was not "rookie of the year", but rather "Young Player of the Year". Although it generally was given to players with only minimal previous experience, the criteria were that you had to be under 23. Nothing was required in terms of previous number of seasons. More recently, however, they have changed the title and the criteria, so that it is more accurately a "rookie of the year" award. If it is your first FULL year, can have previous appearances, but Im pretty sure there is a limit on the number of games (something like 5-7) you can have played in a previous year.
With the promotion relegation system being installed this year (Last J2 team automatically relegated - providing a JFL team that meets criteria finishes 1st in the JFL) or (promotion/relegation games played between last team in J2 and 2nd placed JFL team that meets criteria) the bottom of the J2 will be just as important as the top for many clubs. Half an eye each week will be on the JFL ladder, and whether or not Kamatare Sanuki of Kagawa Prefecture - the only team realistically to have met the criteria and be able to be promoted to the J2 - can finish either first or second in the JFL. This relegation would probably spell the end of clubs like FC Gifu so there is alot to play for. After watching Gifu beat Jubilo in the weekend, I am confident that the team will be able to defend a bit better next year, and I am hoping that they will be able to at least claim 21st place, and be safe for another year. I'm thinking Machida and Yokohama FC, along with Gifu will be sweating most of the season and there's a good chance that one of those clubs may finish at the bottom. What do you all think??