Hi, guys and welcome to 2020. My introduction to this year's thread will be maybe a little shorter than usual, because I am currently having a holyday overseas for the new year, so I've got not much time to pass on the internet. Anyway, the really important part is just having the shiny new thread available to post on it, isn't it? 2019 has been a year of ups and downs for Japanese football. The biggest letdown was of course the WWC, where we didn't even reach the quarter-finals. AFC U-19 title and Beleza's victory in the first Asian Women's Club Championship lifted our spirits up a little in this final part of the year. Now, for 2020, our eyes will be pointed to U-20 WWC and, especially, on Olympic Games at home, where we all hope Nadeshiko Japan will manage to medal. So, all ready and set for 2020 rollercoaster, guys? I'm soon going to ask a mod to lock the old 2019 thread, so make sure to start posting here!
Club average home attendance in 2019: (average att. in 2017) INAC Kobe - 3044 (2259) +35% Urawa Reds - 1790 (1865) -4% AC Nagano - 1708 (2421) -29% NTV Beleza - 1556 (1029) +51% JEF United - 1068 (945) +13% Vegalta Sendai - 1000 (1308) -23% Nojima Stella - 927 (1052) -12% Albirex Niigata - 906 (2058) -56% Iga FC - 861 (741) +16% Nittaidai FC - 541 (Chifure 686) - Nadeshiko League average 1340 (1437) -7%
Well, the numbers are not really encouraging. I wonder if the new professional league can really generate enough interest and change this, but I guess the actual potential game-changer would be an outstanding performance from our team at Olympic Games (that will anyway happen well into the season). You should see the bump NWSL had after USA won last WWC: outstanding numbers! I am not saying we could just plainly replicate them by winning Olimpycs, but it sure would help a lot. It's noteworthy that Urawa had a decrease in attendance, despite fighting for the title vs Beleza for most of the season. Also, Nagano supporters had been incredible during the first pair of seasons of their team in 1t Division, but now their decrease is only second to Albi's one: I guess their attendance started nosediving after Yokoyama's transfer in Germany. Beleza and INAC had good numbers, but they can support a whole league alone.
2020...Happy New Year everyone I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to all who contribute to these pages.As a 'minority' interest Japanese Womens football is not exactly sports page headlines every day in the press neither is it a big media favourite (excluding WWC's) so if the 'bug' has bitten you these pages are priceless. If like me you enjoy the feeling of companionship watching live games with 'fellow travellers' or you have news to share or if you just want to rant about Takakuras selections or a players performance these pages are unique. Opinions always vary in 'football land' but exchanges here are always respectful and tolerant and long may it remain so. Thanks to you all.. MN........NADESHIKO JAPAN FOREVER
They still are good players in my opinion, but they both had poor 2019 seasons. Yoko probably had her worst season of her entire career last year, so I did not expect her to be called up for Nadeshiko, or even be considered. She has not been good enough. To be fair to her she spent most of 2019 playing out of position for Nojima and now plays in Spain for a team that is very different to Nojima and seemingly expects her to play in a new position every match. But her 2018 year along with her 2017 were very good. I am not saying that her performances warranted a place in Nadeshiko, but I was really surprised that she was never called up for the "B Team" training camps. It seemed a little unfair. But Takakura does make some interesting decisions. I mean Naomoto barely played for Freiberg last season (four times in total), but got called up for Nadeshiko twice. Out of the three you mentioned I would say that Naomoto is still a good chance to play for Nadeshiko again. It is looking less likely for Nakada and Yoko. At least Yoko is trying something different by playing in Spain, so maybe if her performances improve she might get the selectors attention again. Nakada looks to be on the outer now at INAC, so I wonder if she will move to get more playing time.
Dear Lechus.....Am the very first viewer of Nadeshiko Japan 2019 Goals on your U tube Channel Nice one....cheers
Amazon has an original video called "This is Football". It has 6 episodes. The 2nd episode focuses on Women's Football by highlighting Japan and USA for the 2011 WWC. Very well done. Interviews with Obe, Takakura, Sasaki, Sawa, Miyama, Maryuama, Iwashimizu, and Kaihori. I tried to get video captures, but Amazon is too smart for that. Recommend watching it if you have access to Amazon!
Tomorrow's games: high school tournament first round The games you should check is Maebashi Ikuei vs Hinomoto and Jumonji vs Sakuyo. U18 Championship first round
Thanks for the suggestion! Oh, and happy new year, @TabascoT; long time no see: do you always keep reading us?
I watched it. It was not too bad. In the end it culminates with Nadeshiko winning the world cup, so who can complain about that on this thread?
Today's result: high school tournament first round Mebashi Ikuei 0-1 Hinomoto Teikyo Nagaoka 4-1 Hiroshima Bunkyo Sendai Kitagami 0-2 Daisho Gakuen Ohtani Muroran 1-1 (PK 5-4) St. Capitanio Fukui 6-1 Kyoto Seika Takasaki 0-6 Naruto Uzushio Jumonji 3-0 Sakuyo Jumonji's Fujino Aoba(U17NT) was very impressive, physically strong. Kamimura 4-1 Hokkaido Bunkyo Meisei Tokoha Tachibana 1-1 (PK 5-6) Chinzei Utsunomiya Bunsei 0-5 Fujieda Junshin Ohsaka Gakugei 3-0 Tokiwagi impressive player; Ohsaka's #11 Nagata Seisa Shonan 4-0 Kagawa Nishi Nihon Koku 0-3 Tokaidai Fukuoka Kaishi Gakuen 4-4 (PK 6-5) Shugakukan Seiwa 0-0 (PK 4-5) Kobe Koryo AICJ 0-1 Shutoku U18 Championship Jef 17-0 Kumamoto Ehime Mikan 0-1 Nagoya FC Vitoria 5-0 Akita L.F.C. Vicsale Okinawa 0-4 Urawa Cerezo 10-0 Ohita Trinita Mynavi 0-5 Menina Solfiore FC 4-0 Lira Consadole Albi 0-2 Inac
tomorrow's games: high school tournament second round The games you should watch are Hinomoto vs Jumonji and Seisa Shonan vs Fujieda Junshin. U18 second round
3.15 am Hinomoto 0 Jumonji 0 4 3 pens Unepomme....I recall complaining about TBS coverage last year now I find I miss the 'cutaways' to the moms and dads and the various choirs that we had last tournament. Good game for a goaless draw Sleep required bye
Today's result: high school tournament second round Hinomoto 0-0 (PK 4-3) Jumonji Kamimura Gakuen 1-0 Teikyo Nagaoka Daisho Gakuen 6-0 Ohtani Muroran Fukui 0-1 Naruto Uzushio Fujieda Junshin 3-0 Seisa Shonan Tokaidai Fukuoka 0-0 (PK 5-3) Kaishi Gakuen Kobe Koryo 0-4 Shutoku Chinzei 0-0 (PK 2-4) Ohsaka Gakugei U18 championship second round FC Vitoria 0-4 Urawa Jef 5-0 Nagoya Cerezo 0-0 (PK 6-7) Menina Solfiore FC 0-0 (PK 3-1) Inac
Tanaka's first goal for Huelva 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/RnOzkJPObW— Señor E. Blake (@psicolopa) January 4, 2020
I read that she scored a goal, so thanks for posting. But it looks like she got injured because she was subbed in injury time at the end of the first half. I hope she is alright, because this goal might just give her the boost she needs.
Tomorrow's games: high school tournament quarterfinals Kamimura vs Daisho Naruto Uzushio vs Ohsaka Gakugei Hinomoto vs Fujieda Junshin Tokaidai Fukuoka vs Shutoku U18 championship semifinals Jef vs Urawa Menina vs Solfiore
I like Solfiore's name. Although it's a made-up word, not really existing in Italian, it could be roughly translated as "(The) Only Flower" or "Sun Flower".
In fact, in this beginning of the year, I have been a little sloppy in my usual international updates. Now I try to make up for that. It's a fact that many European leagues are currently on break: Serie A Femminile in Italy will resume on the 11th of January, Division 1 Féminine in France on the 18th of January and Frauen-Bundesliga in Germany (now even missing Hikaru Naomoto and Shiho Tomari!) on the 14th of February! Let's not even talk about ÖFB Frauen-Bundesliga in Austria, that will resume on the 20th of March! So, there are currently just two leagues underway with Japanese players in them: Aussie-W-League and Liga Femenina in Spain. Down Under, there was a matchday played on 29th of December, but Kinga's Melbourne City was the only one of the 9 teams that was resting that day. Another matchday is underway in this week-end and Melbourne City already played, on Thursday: They won their away game vs Brisbane Roar by 0-2, with Yukari Kinga on the pitch the whole game, and they keep the lead of the league (although Western Sydney Wanderers, three points behind, have a match in hand to them). Highlights (that, for some reason, I am again not able to see): https://www.w-league.com.au/match/b...rne-city-fc-women-w-league-02-01-2020/2032880 In Spain, as already posted by @frohike, Sporting Huelva had a brilliant 1-3 away win vs Grenadilla Tenerife, with Tanayo scoring the second goal with a header, and they now climbed in 11th position (maybe the best placement they had so far in the season?). Let's hope Yoko's injury is not very serious: @pierre bezukhov had mentioned that she's very seldom injured for long. Crossing fingers. Same result, an 1-3 away win, but against Espanyol, still sadly last-placed in the league. Ayaka Noguchi on the pitch for the full game. Deportivo Abanca will play tomorrow, in the late afternoon, in Valencia. And that's all, folks, for this round of updates.