Another very interesting HS youngster signed by Jubilo: this time it's Takeaki Harigaya, a player I've seen in the inter-high with Matsumoto (who signed with Sanfrecce). Shohei High School. However, he's very small... (166 cm) http://www.jubilo-iwata.co.jp/newslist/detail/?nw_seq=5139&year=2016&month=10
The Takamado Premier League, aka the U18 top league has ended. In the EAST block, Aomori Yamada High School won (wow!). In the WEST, Sanfrecce U18 was the champion. The final is on the 17th of december in Saitama Stadium. http://www.jfa.jp/eng/match/prince_takamado_trophy_u18_2016/championship_2016/ edit: have a look at the best goals. http://www.jfa.jp/match/prince_takamado_trophy_u18_2016/premier_2016/bestgoal.html
Forgot to add that Aomori Yamada won it all, beating Sanfrecce at penalties. The last time an high school won it was 2013, with Ryutsu Keizai Kashiwa High School. So don't be surprised if Aomori Yamada is the favourite to win this year's Kokuritsu. So far they are at the 3rd round with two 5-0s...
Currently watching Komazawa Daigaku High School. Best team so far in my opinion. Their positional play are quite good for this level. A lot of technical player too. Their connection is excellent. even better than majority of pro team in Japanese League. Reminds me of Ichiritsu Funabashi 3 years ago. Good team. Only to be beaten single handedly by Koyamatsu. Sometimes shit happens.
Guess what, shit happens all over again, Komazawa Univ. having played a better football and create better chance only to conceded a pinball assist leading to last minute goal.
Lack of Fukuoka in the best 4 is a big surprise. Three players signed by J1 clubs and good team overall. One side of the ladder was loaded with good teams. Tachibana were defeated by the Funabashi which got eliminated by Maebashi Ikuei. So the big favorites right now are Yamada and Maebashi. I'm glad that Shochi Fukaya went so far this time. But in Saitama prefectural eliminations for the tournament the final was played in semis where they defeated Shohei High School. Still at least they got Yamada's defence pierced for the first time in this tournament today. If I had to chose how the semis would look on before it started it would be: Higashi Fukuoka vs Aomori Yamada Ichiritsu Funabashi/Kyoto Tachibana/Maebashi Ikuei vs Komazawa Dai Those were the strongest teams on paper in their parts of the ladder. Doing good on the Prince League all season long and Yamada being the best youth team in Japan last year.
Out of curiosity, I didn't check if last year Fukuoka's coach also played the same freakin' lineup 3 times in 4 days. 'cause he sure did this year
I've yet to watch Aomori Yamada this year, but last year team with Kamiya on it is not really impressive IMO, or maybe is it the same with Komazawa Univ. Last year as far as i remember, they playing completely different football than now. Yet the coach is the same? So is this coach only there for their "manager" and not involved on day to day coaching or what? Surely there is a real coach out there, but how they completely playing different football from year to year is really amazed me. As for Higashi Fukuoka, i have to concede that i am not the fan of their football. Last year, it is very hard for me to understand at how they completely trashing Kokugakuin Kugayama, a far better team IMO, in the final. This year after watching Komazawa Univ. game which they've mind boglingly managed to lost after playing a very good positional football, watching Higashi Fukuoka game is like watching football from a different level, the game itself is scrappy and full of a hoofing pass with a no real scheme or stategy. The goal is also a series of pinball shots following corner. It is a very hard to watch this. Oh yeah, and is Kokugakuin Kugayama didn't made it to the National Championship this year?
Not to be that guy but that team is still, at the moment, the best youth team in the nation - that includes club's youth teams...
Their GK is good. Is he the number 1 GK of U-19? Still reckon that Komazawa Daigaku is a more interesting team though. Watching them play is like watching Yoshitake's team.
Yep, Hirosue is GK for the youth NT. He was kicked out from FC Tokyo and wasn't promoted to U-18 team so he left for Aomori. Now he's set to join FC Tokyo again. This time on a pro contract.
It seems a demolition according to the scoreline, but actually it far from it as Maebashi Ikuei created a plenty clear chance but couldn't capitalize their chance, including a two failed shots on an open goal and an one on one situation which is being executed badly. Up until 2-0, Maebashi Ikuei clearly a better team. But, credit where its due, Aomori Yamada burried every single of the chance the've had efficiently. Hirosue got a mixed display. His passing while wasn't consistent enough, was the key in exploiting a better physicality of Aomori Yamada in attacking sense, actually 4 of 5 Aomori yamada's goal were initiated by Hirosue's passing But he's trying too hard to be the sweeper keeper as his rash decision to come out of the goal nearly ended in a goal for Maebashi Ikuei.
Really funny how Narumi scored 6 goals in 5 matches and had scored 7 in 5 in the Inter high, but actually scored just 2 in the U18 league. Seems to suggest he has instincts but still lacks something else as he tends to score only against "weaker" opponents.
Yeah, he's stated that intent several times. He has to wait until age 20 though, so I wonder why his parents don't just apply right away so that Jeff doesn't have to wait...maybe their Japanese isn't good enough. Obviously getting citizenship is different from actually getting selected to the NT program, but there are certainly other real-world benefits, such as not taking up an AFC slot in the ACL (he does not count as a foreigner in the J-League).