2019/24 Shoya Nakajima @ FC Porto (POR)

Sérgio Conceíçao declared his intention to resign from his job after Porto’s defeat against Sporting Braga in the league cup final.

However, the club chairman Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa said that they will keep Conceíçao until the end of the season. While some rumours in Portuguese media are suggesting that Porto are keen to sign current Flamengo’s manager and former Benfica and Sporting Lisbon manager Jorge Jesus as their new manager (head coach).

Nakajima did not play in the league cup final as he is still rehabilitating from injury.

 

On the bench at tonight’s crucial match against Benfica:

Suplentes: Diogo Costa, Mbemba, Manafá, Zé Luís, Nakajima, Loum e Vítor Ferreira#FCPorto #FCPSLB

— FC Porto (@FCPorto) February 8, 2020

7 points are separating Porto from Benfica. If Porto win they will move 4 points behind Benfica. While if Benfica win they move 10 points clear at the top of the league and virtually secure the title and the automatic CL spot.

 

Thankfully he didn’t play.

The match was way too physical, with even Pepe who is a tough player left the pitch limbing and was forced to be subbed out.

If Nakajima played, he might could have aggravated his injury, in addition to the fact that he is not fully match-fit.

4 points separating the 2 Portuguese giants at the top of the table. With almost 15 points separating Porto from the 3rd place, it seems both virtually guaranteed the top 2 positions which will see them qualify to next season’s CL, with the champions qualifying directly to the groups-stage and the runner-up to the play-offs round.

Porto need to avoid dropping any further points, and hope that Benfica will drop at least 4 points in the remaining 14 matches.

 

Assist by Nakajima in the league.

 

The Portuguese league will resume on 4th of June.

 

Another twist in Nakajima's melodrama at Porto:

https://www.abola.pt/nnh/noticias/ver/847449

Nakajima refused to join Porto's team training, citing fears on his wife's health as a reason, and opted instead to train at home.

Sergio Conceicao is furious about Nakajima's decision and did not call him up for last night's match, which Porto eventually lost against Famalicao, which put them in danger of losing the first place if Benfica win their match today.

Sergio Conceicao hinted that an escalation might follow up, as the club's management might penalise Shoya Nakajima or terminate his contract, as Conceicao said that the club management will take care of his situation.

 

Nakajima's situation is quite complicated, it is not solely about him not joining the training nor his wife's health concerns.

It is about many reasons, such as:

1- the unfavourable relation between him and Sergio Conceicao, and the tension between them.
2- Nakajima did not grow whatsoever harmony between himself and his teammates whether inside or outside the pitch.
3- The team's playing style proppsed by Sergio Sergio Conceicao does not suit Nakajima to the point that it is undermining Nakajima's qualities.

Sergio Conceicao's approach is centred around fewer passes until the ball reached one of the two strikers into the penalty box, and in most cases they depend on long aerial passes from the wing aiming for the two tall Strikers.
This approach is similar to traditional English football style, long passes and aerial dominance, not so much passing exchanges between the players to create openings "tiki-taka", and not holding possession for extensive periods.

This style does not even belong to modern football, let alone if it does not suit Nakajima.

The team have many talented players which can easily play a better and modernized football, and accomplish better results, but it seems Conceicao are just trying to play it safe and doesn't want to risk losing possession which might lead to counterattacks if the team hold the ball for extensive periods.

In December-January Porto briefly played with some beautiful passing exchanges during periods of their matches, and during that period Nakajima was playing regularly and began to regain his form.
However, after Nakajima's injury, the boring style returned, and Nakjima seemed to not being fit again into the team.

It is not a question of whether the team have enough quality to play a more modernized style of football, because they obviously have. Players such as: Luis Diaz, Otavio, Uribe, Jesus Corona, Manafa, and Alex Telles all obviously can play better football, and their talents are being wasted by Sergio Conceicao, even Marega can play some good build-up exchanges.

To sum it all, I think it is about the system and atmosphere at Porto, not Nakajima, he is obviously not the one to blame.

Who knows, perhaps he and his agent might be working on a summer transfer or a loan move, and Nakajima doesn't like to get injured or infected and jeopardize a potential exit from Porto.
In the other hand, it was reported that Sergio Conceicao will leave the club after the end of this season, and perhaps Nakajima doesn't want to play under Sergio Conceicao for the remaining few matches anymore.

 

Shoya Nakajima was at FC Porto's training facility today for the first time after the outbreak of COVID-19.

He had his COVID-19 test done and trained individually, as the rest of the squad had an off day.

FC Porto: Nakajima já treina à parte no Olivalhttps://t.co/dBGEEokzrx pic.twitter.com/XI5XdXaKkb

— maisfutebol (@maisfutebol) July 1, 2020

 

I think if Sergio Conceicao leaves he will stay, otherwise he shall leave.