Official 2018 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン（英語スレッド）

I am happy that a young player (former captain of U-20 at WWC 2012) that had been on the verge of retirement, keeps going on with her career.

Oh. We will miss her wonderful FKs and middle-range shoots. I guess the move from JEF to Urawa didn't make her career take off the way she was probably hoping.

And with that, I guess Vegalta's idea of moving on the foreign market aborted. Signing Australian stars didn't really pay back (although their contribution for sure wasn't irrelevant). I wonder if they felt good in Japan: we didn't hear much from them (although actually we didn't look for info either). I remember that, at the time, American INAC's players (Bev, Becky) seemed to have an awesome experience in Japan: I wonder if Vegalta's Aussie players felt equally at ease.
About Cameron, actually I always saw her as a quite mediocre GK. She could make great saves, sure (sometimes not many GK in Japan can do), but she could also be easily surprised by harmless crosses from the sides turning into goals. I would have preferred Vegalta trying to develop some Japanese GKs than recur to her. For instance, Wasn't Rei Takenaka a reserve-GK at Vegalta for a long-time? Yes, she then found a starting place, but I guess she only flourished when she moved to INAC.

She has a brief stint, around 2012-2013, while playing in Albirex, when she seemed very good and even had some call in Senior NT. Then, it somehow went downhill from there. Frankly, I don't see her as really relevant in a JEF team that's packed-up with offensive players who are much younger and much more technical than her.

This could be the most interesting move of them all, if that "Overseas?" becomes "Overseas!".
Shiho Tomari was a sensation when she was playing alongside Yokoyama in Second Division and once (it was 2015) she even scored 6 goals (!!!) in a single game. Takakura has sometimes called her in Senior WNT (most notably for Tournament of Nations this year) but she never really convinced and she always looked a little rough around the edges. Thus, if there is a player who could benefit from playing overseas and maybe turn into a legitimate NT choice, this is probably her. On the other hand, I am afraid she isn't a big enough name to get interest from Frauen-Bundesliga or NWSL; she could end in some minor leagues (or some middle-ones). I am anyway very curious to see how this is going to end for her.

Out of the two Nishikawas in Div. 1, I guess this is the one who was another U-20 WWC prospect who didn't quite deliver in Senior football. I wish to her to become the next Yokoyama + Tomari in Nagano. (Brief worry: is Nagano still strong enough for Division 1, right now? ).

Oh, this is sad! Two historical Stella's players, who were there in the long process of promotion in Div.1, who stop with football. I guess Pao is quite young, but she actually didn't find much playing time this season, not sure if for injuries or technical choice.

Nice GK prospect once, now solid if uninspiring choice. I guess she can do well at Stella (their old Canadian GK went back to Canada long ago, didn't she?)

Wow, she was even captain of Vegalta this year, after some seasons ruined by injuries, I guess.
Is Orca trying to put a "promotion team" together?

If this is the same girl that Full Bloom Guidebook used to list as Takikawa (I am aware that "g" and "k" are very similar in Japanese), it should be a good signing: she scored lots of goals in Challenge League. On second thoughts, Nagano's offense should just be ok.

 

Oh, so she decided to retire? It's somehow a shame: she had maybe had one of her most brillinat seasons in Norway, before LSK-Kvinner decided to put her on the shelf mid-season.

Naho keeps being her friendly self. I can believe that Takara wanted to speak through her blog!

 

Can Kanagawa anyway stop Waseda? I don't think so: Waseda even kicked INAC out of Empress' Cup, lately.

 

Kawano always is on the score-board. I wonder if she's going to join some Nadeshiko League club anytime soon...

 

Knew Waseda would have made it.

 

The words "Iwabuchi" and "injured" in the same sentence always make me cringe!!!

 

Oh, my: I must admit I don't! What kind of monster have I become?

 

I hope she's signed by some club: apparently, she's looking for that in this England-tour and it would be a very good and farsighted choice for a young talent like her.

 

Just to bump up the stats of the thread in a pretty quiet month, I am going to give updates from overseas players in separated posts.
(Joking: I just feel it's more tidy this way and easier for me than having to write a whole big post at a single time ).

Aussie-W-League update:

- Melbourne City's appalling defense let them down once again, as they lose the derby vs Melbourne Victory by 1-2, after taking the lead in 2nd half.
Kinga (who missed a goal) played the whole match. Her team now regressed at 4th place, but at the moment it remains in a play-off-granting position.
Highlights: https://www.w-league.com.au/video/full-time-highlights-melbourne-victory-v-melbourne-city