Probably not good if he's going to stick to 4-4-2 which is reportedly his style. This world cup sort of showed 4-4-2 is done and somewhat finished tactically if a team wants to make a higher level. Put it this way he has been quite unsuccessful these past decade or so except one pretty good season with Zaragoza.
As a MU fan I must say it's not true. What's wrong with 442? In 99 MU could cope well with Barcelona in 433 in a very open game Strategy, 442 or 433, is just theory. The way players work out in the formation and how they connect with each other are way more important. 433 with an useless CF and lazy midfielders is just as bad
I tend to think certain tactical tendancies phase in and out based on the style of football most commonly pursued at the time. examples show like now there aren't nearly as many real 3 man backlines about anymore (usually 5 masquerading as 3). Just like now not as many true 2-striker partnerships as there used to be (more often than not a CF & SS or CF & WF etc, not RS & LS as much). For a team like Manchester Utd 4-4-2 works good for them and thats great but I think if Japan is going to attempt to "punch above their weight" and make the last 8 or last 4 in 4 years time I don't think 4-4-2 is how that's going to be achieved. United don't really ever have to so much "punch above their weight" because there's no team in world football who would be considered an 'upset' victory if they won.
I am not impressed. Of the names that were around, surely the least attractive. He is an average European manager, with his good seasons but also his flops--more than once. Who knows, he might do a great job, but after our campaign in South Africa I hoped we could attract a more established manager... It seems we get to him due to the lack of alternatives, and again, the (slow) doings of the JFA leave me puzzled... I was all for a European manager, but at this point I would have preferred Nishino or Jofuku.
The U23's have a sweet deal getting Takashi Sekizuka. Man Gregorio Mansano would been prime and he is currently unemployed as of may this year, and not cause he was sacked either. http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/soccer/japan/headlines/20100812-00000017-dal-socc.html. There's a chance we won't get Fernandez it seems as he reportedly is asking for 300million yen per annum, pretty much exactly the wage Joachim Loew is getting at germany. Would not be able to sleep with an average manager like him getting Loew's salary. JFA set aside about 400million yen for NT coaches and staff annually with about 200 million supposed to be the max for the NT manager. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i6bht0P91P6jiyUAhmRdluJ-cZ8A 300 million? he can go get f**ked.
I still don't see bright future of those players. 2014 is not the year for Japanese football. Please ignore Japanese football in 2014.
It seems like the current trend in football tactics is away from three bands (4-4-2, 4-3-3, etc.) of players and more toward four (4-2-3-1, 4-2-1-3, 4-1-4-1, etc.). Having two banks of four seems neat and tidy on paper, but it proves much more problematic when the other side has anywhere from one to three attacking players operating in the space between those two banks. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2010/jul/14/the-question-what-next-for-442 http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2010/aug/04/the-question-is-4-2-1-3-the-future http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/03/24/three-man-defence-in-football-soccer/ I commend Jonathan Wilson's writings and the Zonal Marking website to those who think tactics is just "theory". Good players should be able to operate in just about any system, but the right tactics can make the difference and put players in position to succeed when you have good players on both sides. As far as Japan goes, I think the old saw about it "needing" to play three at the back has been pretty well disproven. The right manager should be able to recognize the talent at his disposal and craft the team's formation around it, not the other way around. Japan has skillful holding midfielders and attacking midfielders who can operate as trequartistas in a 4-2-3-1, so the main obstacle toward making that formation work is finding a forward of sufficient strength and intelligence to operate as a lone striker. Or the JFA could just throw a bunch of money at Sven and make all the Europoseurs squee with delight.
Next import to the Middle East is....... http://sports.yahoo.co.jp/news/20100817-00000210-sph-socc.html Okada!
The EAFC seems to be moved/delayed to 2013 now ... http://www.nikkansports.com/soccer/japan/news/f-sc-tp2-20100819-667807.html
Anachronistic, but I want to write it... Wouldn't have been good to have Kagawa in the last 20m + eventually extra-time against Paraguay? At the next WC he won't be much of a surprise... Sorry. I had to say it one more time.
The country’s football association said Friday it will play a friendly against Japan on Oct. 8 in Tokyo. http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-argentina-coach
I suggest you to stop expecting anything much from Nippon football. Nippon football is gonna die so soon.
Looks like its not Fernandez, but Aguirre poised to be the next manager. http://sports.yahoo.co.jp/news/20100824-00000502-sanspo-socc.html Decent pedigree, but still unsure.
when i read that i did infact gasp in excitement a little. Thank god its not Fernandez, he seems to get waaay too much credit for taking formerly good teams and doing shit with them afterwards. For example winning the Intercontinental cup was bugger all it was ONE GAME, like Alex Ferguson bragging about winning the FA Community Shield its that pointless. Aguirre would be a great manager. The Mexicans may not have the same ability of the best nations but they do play football the right way there's no denying and Aguirre was able to make a fantastic side out of mexico. Apparently though he's just one of the people who they're negotiating with, with probably another 4 of so managers in the running now.
Much preferable and a definite upgrade to Fernandez. Solid though with odd idiosyncrasies and limitations (though that may be an inherent reflection of the Mexican team as a whole). Round of 16 no more no less. Should be interesting.