1. American 2. Technical & fair play 3. The obvious...Nakamura. 4. Not familiar enough yet with the J. League. But as for the NT, I think they are in a lull at the moment. The next stage of Asian qualification will reveal more about the direction on an international level. 5. First post and 2nd day that I have visited this forum.
1. Your nationality English 2. What you like about Japan NT Nothing in particular, but oddly I have seen Japan play 3 times, more than any other country. Twice in the confederations cup, v Mexico and Greece, and also v Croatia in the world cup. For all three I was in the other team's end, yet strangely for the Croatia match in Nuremburg, despite it being clearly the Croatia end, I was surrounded by a small knot of about 100 Japanese fans, as seen below. 3. Your favorite Japanese player None, but anyone who scores will do. 4. Your future vision about Japanese soccer (will it rise or fall? etc.) who knows, maybe it'll pass baseball and become the most popular team sport. 5. Anything else you would like to add I'm just passing through, having arranged my second trip to Japan in three years - the first largely being inspired by seeing two young women making their way to the confederations cup match dressed in Kimono (rather cheap looking ones too, now I know what the real thing looks like). On my first trip I was able to take in a match of J2 runaway leaders Kyoto Purple Sanga, who have apparently now dropped "purple" from their name - presumably they are confident their fans know which colour they play in now and there's no chance unobservant occasional home fans will start singing "come on you blues!" when Gamba Osaka are in town. This time, by luck rather than judgement, I'll be able to squeeze in two games. The first will be when I'm down in Kyushu, when Sogantosu have a home game. They look to have one of the best stadiums at that level, offset by possibly the worst club colours in the history of sport. Unless there's something seriously wrong with my browser, the club colours look to be near enough turquiose and pink, giving them the only club badge in the world that could double as a test for colour-blindness. The other game will be a Urawa Red Diamonds home match, which should be good.
I' m a Brazilian (Lebanese/German/African) raised in Japan. ^ ^ My favoruite player is Nakazawa. Who imagined he would become such a great player about 5 years ago?
1. Your nationality Malaysian Chinese 2. What you like about Japan NT I like the way they play soccer, hardwork and creative. Hope they keep going like this. 3. Your favorite Japanese player 中田 英寿 Hidetoshi Nakata , he is the most creative player for me. 4. Your future vision about Japanese soccer (will it rise or fall? etc.) They will getting better after a lack down on WC2006. I believe on Japan NT. 5. Anything else you would like to add Nothing to add until they going to WC2010.
1. Your nationality I am french and live in France but my father comes from Guadalupe, a small island not far of United States of America. The island is french now but all of the inhabitants doesn't feel french because of colonization. A lot of famous players are Guadeloupean as Lilan Thuram, Thierry Henry, William Gallas, Sylvain Wiltord, Jocelyn Angloma etc... And my mother is french, from Normandie . 2. What you like about Japan NT I was falling in love of the Japan NT since i had only 11years when i watched the Japan against France in the Confederations Cup 2003. I like especially his typical game with some passes and some greats skills, as a lot of foreign fans likes also i think. 3. Your favorite Japanese player At start, i like of course Shunsuke Nakamura after his great match despite the defeat against France but i don't like him a lot now... My favourite player is Yosuke Kashiwagi but i think that you still see that. The best talent in Japan in my opinion and i am must to like him as he plays for Sanfrecce . I like also Hisato Sato, Ryuichi Hirashige (what a fantastic potentiel that he have), Keiji Tamada, Akira Kaji. I think it is my "top 5" but i like so much the japanese young players as Tsukasa Umesaki or Masato Morishige. And Shunsuke Maeda... All of people forget him . 4. Your future vision about Japanese soccer (will it rise or fall? etc.) Definitively rise if a famous coach as Arsene Wenger or an other can use the potentiel of the youngsters, as Troussier made it before. 5. Anything else you would like to add I play in a good level in France and i want to carrying out tests in japanese youth teams. I don't know how make to do but i hope i can come in Japan the next summer. We'll see.
1. American 2. Seemed to be determined in the World Cup. 3. Nakamura 4. Rise. 5. Truth be told, I'm a Les Bleus fan (I'm of French descent) but I have a soft spot for the Japan NT as I've always loved Japanese culture. Right now I'm learning Japanese in addition to French and hopefully I'll be able to study in Japan for a semester in a few years.
nomoredong, your post history certainly does make an interesting read To much time on your hands, methinks.
1. American 2. Attacking, technical, highly skilled, and flair. 3. Nakata first and Nakamura second. 4. Japan will get better over time and be successful in future World Cups.
1. American 2. Kits... Style of play up front. Fast pace but very technical. 3. None as of right now. Big fan of Junichi Inamoto 4. Japan can only get better with the support it has from it's fans and corporations. It has to due to the gains that China, S. Korea, Iran, Iraq, and a few others have made over the past few years in the AFC. And with the Aussies now in the AFC Japan has to keep up. 5. Been a fan of J League since it's inception. I follow Urawa Reds just for their fans...AMAZING...but I am more of a Avispa Fukuoka fan due to my sister-in-law is from Kitakyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture). It looks like New Wave may become apart of J2 which makes it more interesting for me.
Greetings fellow Ohio! I grew up in Elyria and also lived in Fukuoka. Unfortunately it's more of a baseball town, but alas... I'm a fan of all Kyushu. =)
Yeah, Fukuoka IS a baseball town, baseball crazy is more like it, but I think soccer is second. As far as Kyushu goes...I'll take Kyushu over Tokyo anytime. I've been to Tokyo and Yokohama and they can't come close to the people and places in Kyushu. I really do hope New Wave Kitakyushu gets into J2 with Avispa. That would really shake up soccer scene on the island.
Hello, I'm a Peruvian fan raised in Japan. I'm not fluent in English, so I have only read this forum.
I consider myself a fan of the Japan National Team. I'll root for them any time (as long as they're not playing the United States).
I am from England but have been living in Japan now for almost 6 years. I started to follow the Japan National during the 2002 world cup and I continue to support them wholeheartedly for 2 reasons. 1) I said I was from England. Has anybody actually stayed awake long enough to watch England play for 90 mins? ....you have? sorry to hear that. 2) Japan is my home. Japan will be my home for the rest of my life due to the fact that my wife doesn't particularly warm to the idea of living in England since she doesn’t speak English and the food is shite. I am club before country generally, Yokohama F.Marinos being my all and everything but I also go to the National Team games whenever I can to show my support for this wonderful nation that lets me stay here.
S'pose I should add my tuppence, then. Englishman living in Shizuoka since 2003 and as such I live and die for S-Pulse. Local pride is something bred into you back home, so it took about two seconds after discovering those heroes in orange to become a fan for life. Following S-Pa around the country has turned out to an incredible amount of fun, so that initial burst of enthusiasm has evolved into genuine feeling for the club, and that will last forever. Despite feeling a real connection to Shizuoka and it's people, I don't (yet) feel anything approaching that on a national level. As such I couldn't give a toss how the national team do (sorry!). I have, and will continue to, politely cheer them along in the company friends / better halfs if only to keep the peace, but if England play Japan in anything of any importance, it's 100% behind the three lions!
Good post there Shizuoka! like yourself, I have been living in Yokohama ever since moving here. (in your case Shizuoka) And I am all about my J-League club. I have been a Tottenham fan since I was a kid back home and have probably been to around 10 games in my entire life. Yokohama F.Marinos, however have gotten me through their gates waaaayyy more. For me Yokohama are my first team I support and I would root for them even if spurs came over and played against us! I understand exactly where you are coming from in your passion for S-Pulse. ...and I guess thats where my affection for the national team comes in. Marinos players occasionly scatter the NT and I cant resist the urge to support them when they pull on the blue of Japan. due to my general dissappointment with the England national side (supporting them has been a long, bitter and often painful journey) I find myself following the Japan NT more passionately. weird I know. But I actually went to the game in Manchester where Japan played England and I was very happy to sit in the Japan end and cheer them on! .....which still causes me to ask myself deep seated questions about my national pride to this day!!
Aye guys, I am with you. I am Italian (formerly a diehard Juventus fan--still a warm supporter) and I reside in Hawaii now, but I have spent seven years in and out Kyoto, following the local club (Sanga) as much as I could, from JFL to the Emperor's Cup, including three seasons in J2. I consider Kyoto my hometown, and I am longing to return... I think there are two reasons for people like us (if I may...) to love our Japanese club: 1 - With a couple of annoying exceptions, Japanese soccer is still naive, almost cute: basically it resembles the game we used to know when we were kids. In Europe, the numbers (=money!) are so huge that it is hard to call it a game anymore. 2 - The club becomes an embodiment of our love/hate for Japan. It makes us happy, and it pisses us off just as Japan does on daily basis. It is a very personal, sentimental relationship, and since we're gaijin there is a uniqueness in us being supporters of a Japanese club. I mean: it is VERY particular, so much different than being one of the many in the mass of Tottenham, Arsenal or Juventus' fans. When it comes to national teams, I really have confused feelings. Overall, I just hope Italy and Japan will play each-other only in friendly games that will all end 3-3... Take care, and best for the end of the season.
I've been in Saitama the same amount as Omiya have been in J1......got here when they went on their run in J2. 4 miserable years later I still call this place home
me too, the way avispa have been so dissapointing... i have a mansion in fukuoka, so i go there whenever i can! going in december and CANT WAIT... but the season will be finished
Hi!! I´m from Spain and I love japanese soccer, always I have had interest in a lot of things about Japan, and I am studying japanese for 4 years. I watch the j-league´s matches from 3 years and I´m a big fan of Kawasaki Frontale and Nakamura Kengo!! And of course I encourage to Japan in the World Cup and the Asian Cup. Last year I found this forum and usually I read it, but I hadn´t wrote anything yet. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu ^^
I read this forum, and am a fan of the Marinos. I wouldn't say I am a fan of the Japan National Team. I can't support any other team than the US&A, though I would say I follow Japan and Korea with interest. I lived in Yokohama and Setagaya Tokyo for a few years around the time the J-League started up. I try to watch games online sometimes, but I usually fall asleep. I used to follow YokoFoxes' old M.O.I.S.T. site but that looks like it's gone away. Marinos is probably my 3rd team behind the Galaxy & Watford. I got to see the Marinos/Galaxy friendly here in LA a few years ago. Japanese football has a lot of upside potential, and I see a lot of parallels with the advance of football there and here in the US. It's remarkable how different the playing styles are. I like Nakamura on Celtic a bit.
Thanks for the plug there Thoma Gol! yeah we have calmed down a little but actually our resident hand-made vest wearer 'Yoko-foxes' is in Singapore for the foreseeable future so its only the two of us at the moment. I am Brendan from Tricolore Pride by the way..