Per Samurai Blue, the father of Japan U-20 & Tokyo Verdy youth GK Popp William is American: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/mobi-fehr-at-tokyo-verdy.1537661/page-4 Or, given Asian naming conventions, is it William Popp, which would make more sense in English? Popp William 94/10/21 187/78 GK Tokyo Verdy 1969 Youth http://football12.fc2web.com/U20JAPAN3.html On the Tokyo Verdy youth roster (with Mobi Fehr): http://www.verdy.co.jp/rearing/youth/yinfo/ユース・選手/スタッフ紹介.html Japan U-20 team photo: http://www.afloimages.com/imagedeta...up-International--U-19-Japan-0-4-3-0-U-1.html In action with the U-20s: http://nipponnews.photoshelter.com/...Rsa6iZXnezQ/I0000WSvgqUlWCoc/C0000IMw9xQyr3XQ
Google Translate: 32 GK William Pope Promoted from Tokyo Verdy Youth http://www.verdy.co.jp/club/player/
32 Popp WILIAM http://www.verdy.co.jp/itemview/template31_1_1377.html 32 William Popp Date of birth: 21.10.1994 Place of birth: Hino, Tokio Age: 18 Height: 1,90 Nationality: Japan http://www.transfermarkt.com/en/william-popp/leistungsdaten/spieler_246200.html
Made the bench on 6/22 & 7/3: http://www.transfermarkt.com/en/william-popp/leistungsdaten/spieler_246200.html
Popp has been called up to the Japan U-21s for the inaugural AFC U-22 Championship to be held in Oman during January. http://www.jfa.or.jp/national_team/topics/2013/689.html http://www.jfa.or.jp/national_team/topics/2013/689/20131211_u-21_member.pdf The tournament is relatively meaningless since the format will be repeated in 2015 to serve as the 2016 Olympics AFC qualifying tournament, but Japan is going with a U21 (rather than U22) squad in this iteration to prepare for the cycle.
Popp played 5 games on loan at FC Gifu (J2) in the 2016 season, and is moving to Kawasaki Frontale (again on loan from Verdy). Frontale finished 3rd in J1 last season and has 3 other goalkeepers on the squad, including South Korean international Jung Sung-ryong.
He ended up moving to Kawasaki Frontale permanently and is now on loan to fellow J.League club, the newly promoted Oita Trinita.
William Popp is now on loan at J2 club Fagiano Okayama, where he is the starting keeper. You can check out his match against fallen giants Júbilo Iwata on this stream, though teammate Carlos Duke isn't in the squad. He's now 25 - if he performs well this year there's a chance he could be recalled to Frontale to be groomed as the successor to Jung Sung-Ryong, the 35-year-old incumbent and veteran of 2 World Cups, 3 Asian Cups, and 2 Olympic Games who showed some signs of decline last season.
Popp had an excellent performance in helping Fagiano pull out a shorthanded away draw against Iwata, aided by a 90th minute goal-line clearance by ex U-15 USBNT and U-23 Japan MNT defender Mizuki Hamada. I guess that makes 3 Americans on Okayama's roster?
William Popp (ex-Japan U21) and Mizuki Hamada (ex-Japan U23) lined up for Fagiano Okayama vs. V-Faren Nagasaki, for whom NYC-born striker Cayman Togashi (ex-Japan U23) made a sub appearance. Carlos Duke (ex-Japan U17) has yet to make a matchday squad for Okayama this season. Nagasaki came from behind to win 2-1.
After a solid season in Okayama as one of the top keepers in J2, Popp will move on a full transfer to J1 team Oita Trinita, where he spent 2019 on loan and will be expected to compete for a starting position in 2021. After several seasons spent out on loan, I expected him to return to parent club Kawasaki and be groomed as the GK of the future, but the incumbent keeper returning to form and being named to the J1 Best XI meant that the timeline didn't quite line up.
J1 League runner-up Yokohama F. Marinos are set to sign William Popp after losing 2 of their 3 top goalkeepers this offseason. Popp spent the last 2 seasons at 2023 J2 League champions FC Machida Zelvia, where he had lost his starting spot toward the end of the campaign. With a big frame and solid ball-playing skills, Popp is expected to compete for a starting spot.