Official 2017 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン（英語スレッド）

Wow, I didn't remember Kanako Ito also had joined Nittaidai, along with Eriko Arakawa. If you factor in that Shoko Uemura seems on fire as much as in previous seasons, I see them more and more as a potential promoted team.

 

Taglines on photos were priceless!

For records, I wasn't the one screaming "Rumi" at half time. I called for her after the game, instead (as I described previously).

The fact that Takakura likes exchanges with veterans (in the circumstance, Sakaguchi, Sameshima and Kumagai) is not unexpected but it's some precious insight anyway...

 

Are there any limitations for the rosters during the league itself, instead?

In fact, on the NC Courage thread it has been said that she doesn't have any number yet, at the moment...

 

Strange away kit Vegalta has: vaguely reminds me of Croatia's NT...

It looks like Asian Player of the Year Caitlin Foord's impact on the game was felt. Her action on the right for Mynavi's 2nd goal was powerful: Japanese DFs in the league will have to learn to deal with her, and it's not necessarily a bad thing; Nadeshiko League needs this kind of players around, for a change.

By the way: it's not a physical factor, just a another kind of play, a different mindset: checking Mynavi Vegalta website confirms that Foord is just 165 cm/59 Kg, a size that's perfectly comparable with her Japanese counterparts.
While looking at faces on thumbnails, I was surprised by Mike Irie: she looked completely different from how I remembered her, I couldn't have recognize her at all. She was in Europe for a brief stint, wasn't she? It looks like she completely changed her look, while staying there.



Meanwhile, the cameraman of the second video had to be a fan of #28 Yui Narumiya (but, let's be frank: who else isn't? ). This makes me think that, looking at JEF's website also, it looks like Ichihara Chiba ladies could be the club with the highest prettiness factor in the whole league! Ok, I know I am partial to Risa Fukasawa, but consider also:









Oh, we already talked about Yui Narumiya, didnt we?

 

I had considered that, but the tweet from my Japanese source, @Ndsk_Foot, seemed to imply that the deal was done...

 

If they need a DF, Kawamura would be a sound choice: in the last seasons, she was mostly played as a MF, both in club and NT, but actually she began her career as a CB and she's quite solid in that role. She could also come in handy as a DF that's also able to build play from the back and/or shoot, since she played at MF for some time by now.

We're going to see how the situation will evolve. Is there a dead-line for signing players for the season, or could it happen later, even when the league has already started?

 

An article on Equalizer Soccer from two days ago says NC Courage is going to seal a deal with Kawamura, but apparently their source it's the same we have (Ndsk_Foot) so it looks like we're back to square one anyway...

Let alone that they called Kawamura "Karamura" for half of the article...

Edit: actually, I should read better, before writing. They say they have another insider source, in addition to the Japanese tweet. So it looks like it's more and more likely that an agreement will be reached.

 

Is this the squad for the April friendly match in Japan? Does anyone care to elaborate about the changes from Algarve? I am going to start the discussion :

1) same GKs (including Ikeda who had substituted Hirao at the last moment): can't say I complain; nothing better around, I suppose, unless we go drawing from U-17;

2) Kyoto as for Bunnys Kyoto SC? This would mean a player from 3rd Division (Challenge League now is basically that) gets called? Well, quite unheard of. Although I suppose it's the same Ishii who recently was playing for Urawa and was called for U-23. I like Ichise's call. No Kawamura, just when she's probably going to be signed by a NWSL team? Maybe she wasn't called just for this reason, because NC Courage wants her free from any commitment right now? Anyway, I was unimpressed by Nakamura at Algarve and I am unimpressed that she's called again... The Shark resists!

3) Naomoto's fans of the world, rejoice! I wonder if "that" journalist was there and if he was happy now. For the rest, nothing worth noting, except the fact that maybe Sonoko Chiba missed her chance to impress in Algarve and was consequently cut. Yu Nakasato was probably deemed physically too fragile, despite her fighting spirit? Anyway she was cut too.

4) Mmm, Ohya? Please remind me of who she is... When and how did she enter the NT circle? I am happy that Takenaka wants to try Mami Ueno. Meanwhile, Nagasato will be permanently out, or this friendly match was automatically included in the period when she wanted to "concentrate on her club, 1.FFC Frankfurt"? Also, I suppose Yuika Sugasawa is still injured.



I didn't give a look at Algarve roster, please help me to piece together the names of the players who were in Portugal and aren't called for this match: apart from the injured ones (Hirao, Sugasawa, Kitagawa, Iwabuchi, Ariyoshi... a lot of them! ), I can count: Sonoko Chiba, Yu Nakasato and Yuri Kawamura. Anyone else I forgot about?

 

Hope not.

Would't she (or someone else) at least say something?