A couple of observations after three rounds. 1. Azul Claro is finally looking set for promotion. They have won three games straight and their home opener drawn a decent crowd of 1763. (Last year it was just 1215.) 2. Vanraure Hachinohe is doing very okay. They are w2d1 and their home opener attendance was a massive 3066 people—an all-time club record by far. If they sort out their stadium issues, a shot for promotion is totally viable. 3. On the other hand, Nara is failing straight away. They are yet to win a game, losing two and drawing one. This is kinda disturbing.
Mito scheduled a training match with a team I never knew so I decided to check into them. https://iwakifc.com Only in the second division of Fukushima league so 8th level in Japan, but huge investors and a push to go pro fast. This may be a team to watch.
FC Imabari, Suzuka Unlimited FC, Veertien Mie & Mitsubishi Mizushima in the final group of the regional leagues playoff. Who will be promoted? I like the Mie duo, but FC Imabari also a decent club.
Long time no see guys. Mie is by many lower league fans in japan considered a quite shady club, where the ownership are a quite shady business. However they seem to have gotten viewed by press in a good way because Suzuka always been one big mess as a club. In that sense these 2 clubs situation reminds a bit of Volca and FC Kagoshima a couple of years ago.Theonly difference is in the Kagoshima case you could say something negative about the ceo of FC Kagoshima (The now ceo of Kagoshima United) but in Mies case its the whole ownerships image thats not good. FC Imabari is owned by former national team coach Okada and has Deloitte-Touche as main sponsors, lots and lots of media coverage and a new J3 ready stadium is being build. If it wasnt for the mess up in the first round of the regional playoffs (which make me doubt a bit on them) I would say they were almost already ready for J3.
Indeed, if Suzuka is a good club they should already in JFL or J3 now, but as we know, the history of Rampole was not good (although Rampole was a better/fun name for a pro club). While Mie, they offer a new colour to the competition in Mie Prefecture and gained promotion to Tokai 1st Division quite fast. From the three, of course FC Imabari as the most established club. I guess one JFL ticket for Imabari while the other ticket can go to either Mie or Suzuka. I want to see a new prefecture in the map of J3. But as you said, Imabari was a bit lucky back then in the first round.
holy shit, the 3 matches are played in 3 days... edit: technical tournament question if anyone knows. What would've happened if, say, Imabari won the big cup-like tourney? I mean, since they were also the Shikoku winners, who would've taken up the other slot for the regionals? The 4th in the cup, or the 2nd in Shikoku league? Or.. neither?
by the way, the JFL finals are streamed if someone is in for some low level football http://www.jfa.jp/news/00011855/ Anyway, Imabari defeated Suzuka 2-1 and Mie defeated Mitsubishi Mizushima FC 2-1 too
Long time no see from me as well! The fourth in the cup. In case there's still some spaces left (because more than one regional champion got top-4 in the Shakaijin), regional leagues runner-ups are selected on rotation between the nine leagues: Kanto -> Kansai -> Kyushu -> Tokai -> Hokkaido -> Chugoku -> Hokushinetsu -> Tohoku -> Shikoku. Kanto was selected in 2010, Kansai in 2011, Kyushu in 2013. The next time there will be a vacancy, the Tokai League runner-up will be selected this way. Also there used to be a "JFA recommended team" spot in case of vacancies as well but I'm not sure if it's still a thing.
Imabari trashed Mie 3-0 and Suzuka did the same with Mitsubishi. FC Imabari is promoted to JFL! Veertien and Suzuka will fight for the remaining spot.
Definately prefer Suzuka, theres an ongoing scandal about Mie atm where they have been involved a bit too much in a election for the Mayor in Kuwana, this is totally no go for J-League.
Veertien should apply, or rather re-apply as they already did it back in 2013 when J3 was being formed.
How about Urayasu and Aomori? Are they ready to apply? They're already played a season in JFL and not a bad position especially for Aomori.
Another new club in Shiga that aim the J.League. While Mio Biwako & Lagend also still on their own. Cool logo though, and they also have a baseball club joining the independent Baseball Challenge League. http://www.shiga-united.com/fc/about