The German player who defended Ando is called "Poppi" on the blog (nickname for Alexandra Popp). Although non-Japanese speaking westerner, I guess I understood quite well the situation: I never used the exact words "racial slur", and I did that on purpose, out of respect for the fact that I didn't know well Japanese nor German, but what I said clearly implied that I had understood very well that Ando had been addressed some kind of xenophob insult. I guess that what I said also implied that I was strongly condemning what had happened and that I was hoping for some kind of formal punishment to Elsig from German Football Federation. You can think that I misunderstood something, but it seems to me that, although westerner, I quite agree with everything you said. The only thing that we probably don't totally agree with is Kozue's course of action: I guess acting against this kind of things shouldn't rest on her shoulders. If she received apologies, it's understandable that she doesn't want to raise a fuss, in a country (Germany) that, as she says, she now dearly loves and appreciates. I'm not saying that I am totally sure she did the right thing, but it's anyway understandable. And that doesn't mean for sure that she doesn't love Japan or that she can't stand to defend the name of her country. The very fact of her reaction on the pitch, from a very quiet and calm person like she is, speaks volumes about how much she loves her country and how much she suffers for offenses to it. But, as I repeat, the responsability to act against those facts shouldn't stand on the player's shoulders: there are referees, the fourth woman, the football societies, the media, and, most of all, the football federation that, like in England (although not for facts involving asian players), should step in and stand against what happened. I know that in another country, it was a japaanese player who took on him to stop a match (Although I don't follow japanese male footballers, it seems to me that it was Blue Samurai's GK, playing for a belgian club), but I am not sure if a player should be held responsible for not doing the same. That's what I think about the subject: I admit my information is incomplete, but I guess I expressed my point of view in a respectful way and on the base of a mix of facts and reasonable suppositions. If I got something wrong, I make my apologies, but for everything else I stand to what I said.
Well, I can't read a word of Japanese, but google/translate more or less revealed the truth. It doesnt actually translate as "racial slur" to me, but I could see the words discriminatory/Japan and so could only assume what the remarks had been race-based. Same with blissett's post. So, nobody here was "making matters worse", right? The other German player was Alexandra Popp and she was obviously angry with Elsig for her remarks. By the way, if you go back on this forum to last Sunday. we studied the video of the incident very closely, and were very astonished to see Ando upset to the point of a physical approach. Indeed we wondered what could possibly have been said. Did other members of Elsig's team aplogize to her? I am not sure about your first statement, as this has never happened (as far as I know) in women's football. But if true, I would completely agree that Ando should formally complain. One question - this blog account is written by Ando fans I believe - is the account written based upon - or copied from - an Ando email or some other communication? One just cannot trust every soccer blog, which is why I ask.
Thank you for translating! That really does sound pretty bad. I'm glad that, at the very least, Elsig did apologise in the end. And no, in the German media there was nothing about this scene or the insult last week, so I guess there was no follow-up after the match. (The German player who went between them was "Poppi", Ando's teammate Alexandra Popp.)
I completely agree with Saku², both about the fact that he can't be suspected to be biased just beacuse of the fact that Nagasato is Japanese, and about the fact that, after a questionable WWC, she had an eccellent Algarve Cup. I always have mixed feelings about Yuki, but I guess she's playing quite well lately. If I have to share my personal thoughts, actually I wouldn't say she's the stronger FW in Bundesliga, but I guess that whoever has this opinion (mumf, Saku² or whoever else) expresses a legitimate opinion, having not much to do with national pride or bias.
Oh yeah, I don't know if she's the strongest, I don't watch women football besides L-league or nadeshiko games, but the way she held her own against the very strong german defenders makes me suspect she's indeed amongst the strongest FW in the world.
Please excuse me, but you don't understand inch. If Google Translate was reliable, you would have understood, rather than assumed, what was going on, to begin with. [ Two guys, who even cannot say "she kicked the ball" in Japanese, are agreeing and disagreeing about what a Japanese web site said. King Lear wouldn't have been that self-confident. My envy? [ The site is operated by Ando's fan. All info and posts are screened and approved by Ando. The message in question is a personal message from Ando. [
Sorry, but I guess we're arguing about nothing. First, I'd like you to put the blame where he's meant to be: can I please understand what exactly I got wrong? I don't think I have been "self-confident". I admitted since the beginning of this discussion that I don't know japanese. I said that I am discussing (with all the possible limits and the cautions) based on resonable assumptions and on deductions about the scene that I saw during the match. Can I please know which of my assumptions were wrong, since it seems to me that I mostly agreed with you on everything? Yes, sure, i don't know what exactly has been said to Ando, but I can resonably assume it was some very unpleasant racial remark, and you seem to confirm that. Does it really change anything the fact that I can't read what has been exactly said? I can feel you're outraged, but honestly I don't think the offenders are here on this thread. I said from the beginning, since I had guessed that something unhappy had happened between Elsig and Ando, that what had happened was bad and I agreed that it should be publicy stigmatized and punished. Since I guess we mostly agree, can you explain to me how should I be making things worse?
Of course Google Translate is not reliable. Go back to early today, this is what I posted: " Speaking of Kozue - this is her (well, via her fans?!) blog account of the incident with the Jena #3 last weekend - here - well I wont tell you what google-translate suggests, but someone please translate what the offending comments were " I am actually relying on - and agreeing with -> not blissett but YOU for confirming the outrageous comments. This is why I would never pretend to understand completely anything in Japanese (or German) without someone explaining it to me. Your English is fairly good, but your remarks about "King Lear" and "envy" make no sense at all. I guarentee you that no-one here knows what you are trying to say with these two statements. Well then it is from Ando. And - does she write the exact equivalent of "racial slur" or could it be less offensive? The message does not say exactly the words used by Elsig? In any case, as I said she should complain and Elsig should be punished.
Elsig was anonymous in Kozue's message BTW. In Kozue's message, she says--- I received a lot of messages about an incident. This player was given yellow card and upset, and she made a derogatory statement of "Japan" (emphasis by me). I felt anger I have never had before, and I was going to approach to (indicating start fighting/arguing with) this player. I found the disrespectful statement towards my home country totally unforgivable--- Still it is better than your and your friend Google's Japanese.
Well, if you want I can give you the address of the photobucket album where I uploaded my autographs, so you can zoon on it (although, as unepomme said, I don't think that it's a problem of dimensions: I had showed this autograph to a friend of mine who studied Japanese, but she said she couldn't recognize the signs well; it's somehow reassuring that even a Japanese himself finds it too much deformed to read it ) http://s1164.photobucket.com/albums/q563/blissett05/Autographs/ On the album there are only Miyama's and Sasaki's autographs (the only ones that I had scanned), but if you're interested and if you want to see if there is anything else written beyond the names and numbers, I can later upload my other 8 autographs.
I am ok with your remark: I admitted that I don't know Japanese and i know this is a big limit when posting on a forum and on a thread like these. But still I think that I am entitled to express my opinion, if it's respectful and if it's based on a mix of facts and resonable deductions. And I am totally willing to stand corrected if I happen to get something wrong anyway. I dare to make you notice that, although you had access to what was written on Ando's fans' blog, you hadn't a complete info about the subject either: you didn't even know the names of the german players involved in this fact (Elsig, Popp) and apparently (at least at the beginning of the discussion) you didn't seem to have actually watched the scene (and I swear that these images speak volumes about what has really happened on the pitch). These are important pieces of info, in my opinion; nobody, though, ever thought to say that you weren't entitled to express an opinion because you hadn't got those info. On the contrary, we found your contribution to this discussion incredibly precious and enlightening. My only remark is that, in my humble opinion, you got angry with people on this thread for actually no reason, because we were basically saying the same things and I guess we were also quite cautious, because we knew that we hadn't complete information. If you happen to still not have watched what happened, you can find the foul and subsequent reactions at about 44'/45' of first half on this video of the full Leverkusen-Duisburg match: http://tv.dfb.de/index.php?view=4219 (if you want, you can also see Ando's assist for Duisburg's goal at the end of second half ). With sincere friendliness.
The members of U20 road trip to France (3/27~4/6) was announced: http://www.jfa.or.jp/national_team/topics/2012/91.html Fujita seems injured. AndG, Wada is in.
Hey, people: apparently yesterday there was a match between Urawa Red Ladies and NTV Beleza; there are plenty of pics (a sample below) showing Naomoto, Arakawa, Sakaguchi, Ito and friends... Does anyone know if it was just a friendly match or if it was some kind of "official" match? Any info about the score? (By the way: when the 2012 season will officially start?)
I think it's a pre-season training match. Much to my astonishment, the score was Urawa 5-0 Beleza. I hear Sasaki watched this match, and highly appreciated Arakawa. A lot of this kind of matches have been held in various areas, and I hear Yokoyama has been scoring huge amounts of goals for Belle, though I don't know of the exact results. The 2012 season will start on 15th April.
Mmm, I was sure Sasaki would have had a special eye on Arakawa... A player can't be a regular starter for the NT in years, MVP in Nadeshiko League for 2010 season, and then simply be counted out and disappear, although after a very serious ACL injury and a year of break. Especially if NT keeps needing some FWs that can actually score with continuity. Well, let's see how Arakawa will fare in this season: we all know that the competition for FW places in London will be very very hard; let's hope that the very best ones will emerge winning it. By the way: I guess Sasaki didn't dare to mention Arakawa still (and it's a right choice), although I guess she's in his mind, if only as an afterthought at the moment. There was anything interesting about the subject of member selection in the last Sasaki's video interview?
Rain, cold, game lost - yes, it certainly looks like Saki had fun at the Frankfurt-Hamburg match yesterday. (fansoccer.de match report)
What a great photo....right down to the umbrellas! Amazing how Frankfurt, with Bajramaj, Behringer, Garafrekes, Maroczsan, Krieger and Saki - continues to struggle. On paper it is the strongest Bundesliga team by far, and it seems equal to Olympic Lyons. Meanwhile, the kids team of Urawa Ladies - went on a goal rampage.
yes, I'm agree with you but in Bundesliga only are 3rd 7 points away from Postdam, is bad Frankfurt is my fav team there
I am not sure, I love all the three Bundesliga's teams were there are japanese players, but I guess in this moment I am rooting for Ando's Duisburg. Go Kozue!
The bad new is Sameshima is injury actually (ankle problem again) she told me she don't know when will able start to play again but she hope quick because back in Japan soon for game agains't USA & Brazil. She will can't play again't Saint-Etienne this weekend. Actually she can only little move with right foot but can't strong juggle. Today a team from Shizuoka came for a training game with our team A. It's was like a Shizuoka allstar with all best players U17 in Shizuoka. Utsugi played 2 half on 3 (was 3x35), impossible for them to play a international Nadeshiko like her more since she improved her defense with the DF replacement in national team. I had time to take a talk with her after her substitution and like i suspected she want stay like MF, she want use her offensive capacity and confessed she is bad with head for a DF player... Sameshima didn't play and only watched with her personal training but we didn't need her. Youngs players was weak for a top team like MHSC, we won with something like 8-0. It's was good for them, for expérience and was all very polite. Look my pics & videos soon !!
Hi Kyra, please tell her that everyone on bigsoccer wants her well very soon! Was Narumaya on that u-17 team, or any of the Asian u-17 champions? Also did you see UnePomme's post - look who else is coming to France - they play Juivsy - but not Montpellier, I guess that would be too much travel: The members of U20 road trip to France (3/27~4/6) was announced: http://www.jfa.or.jp/national_team/topics/2012/91.html (ps - UnePomme, was Mana back from her injury? And who scored for Urawa?)
Mumf, no Narumiya is JFA Academy (Fukushima) she can't join Shizuoka team. From info by Japanese staff seem no one was famous in this team, in the game too i saw nothing like Narumiya or Tanaka skills. Yes i am aware about u20 national team in France, Motegi Testu coordinator of Japan players in France told me again about that today, they will play a game at north of France near to Lille and another one agains't France youth (i think clairefontaine center).