Japanese players overseas! Today with something old, and something terrifyingly new... Speaking of closed leagues: ⬤ AUSTRALIA: It turns out, there is life outside the W-League, and the entire soccer system is a pyramid scheme Two of the Japanese players in 2019 were playing in Victoria state, in the city of Geelong. Both are ex-Iga and Belle players - Tomoko Fukumaru (signed earlier at Beleza) and Kanna 'Yuna' Oda (who also appeared for Japan U23s) Fukumaru made the triangle graphic above, in her Japanese guide to Aussie soccer - there have been other players from Japan there, but for now I'd like to focus on these 2 as their story was interesting, and I'm also interested in the vast system of women's leagues that Australia has. For starters, these leagues have more of a 'full' season than the W-League, which starts late in the year. When both were playing for the club Geelong Galaxy, Fukumaru did some goalscoring herself, and Kanna Oda won the club's end of season award, 'Best & Fairest', after what looks like a great season for her personally, but one that ended in relegation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSvE0GxUCiE As was mentioned here earlier, Oda and Fukumaru signed for Alamein FC in nearby Melbourne for the 2020 season - but as you may have seen, the city has been affected especially badly by the Covid-19 outbreak. The March kickoff was postponed, and both players went back to Japan soon after https://note.com/obacanna/n/n7d1751918676 https://note.com/mal08/n/n5c8556b1e059 But it wasn't all in vain. After Australia, the two players have started a clothing company together, and Oda did a cool interview about being a footballer from Japan in Australia, and some big differences between the two. (They let kids play on the field?!) The most interesting part, if I had to pick a most interesting part, is probably this drawing: THERE'S ALSO A CAPTION (Move your mouse to reveal the content) THERE'S ALSO A CAPTION (open) THERE'S ALSO A CAPTION (close) 7. オーストラリア女子1部の アラメインFCの 尾田緩奈選手と 福丸智子選手です。 尾田選手と福丸選手は オーストラリアで戦うだけでなく、 サッカーを通して得た 7つの「想い」や「願い」を名前に込めた 「SEVENF.」というオリジナルブランドを 立ち上げ、女子サッカーの発展や 世界の貧しい子供たちへの寄付も されています。 困った時こそ「助け愛」という想いを 強く持つ尾田選手と福丸選手。 これからもお二人の活躍に 注目していきたいと思います。 右下にいるのは、 勝手に作ったキャラクターです…笑 ブランド名の「SEVENF.(セブンエフ)」の 「7」をキーワードに ナナホシテントウをモチーフに作りました。 体は、サッカーボールの五角形で、 ナナホシの斑点は、 「SEVENF.」の「F」になっています。 また、テントウムシを モチーフにした理由ですが、 テントウムシの名前の由来にもなっている 「お天道様に向かって飛んで行く」という 部分が、お二人の明るいイメージに リンクしていると思い、使いました。 左下は、キャラクターというか… オーストラリアといえば… コアラ…かな…と思い、描いたものです。 手に釣り糸の付いたトイレットペーパーを 持っていて、暇になると リフティングごっこをして遊びます。 #尾田緩奈 #福丸智子 #SEVENF #セブンエフ #女子サッカー #サッカーイラスト #イラストレーター #kannaoda #tomokofukumaru #illustagram #illustrator Photo shared by hito_tsuchiya on July 13, 2020 tagging @obacanna. Image may contain: text that says 'Alamein FC 福丸智子 & 尾田緩奈 Tomoko Fukumaru Kanna Oda w い 9 SEVENF Illustration by @sopeace25'. 7. Australia Women's 1st Division Alamein FC players Yuna Oda and Tomoko Fukumaru. Oda and Fukumaru not only fought in Australia, but also launched an original brand called "SEVEN F." with the seven "feelings" and "wishes" gained through soccer in their names, and the development of women's soccer and the poor world. Donations are also made to children. Oda and Fukumaru have a strong desire to "help love" when they are in trouble. I would like to continue to pay attention to the activities of the two of you. At the bottom right is a character that I made on my own ... lol I made it with the motif of Nana Hoshi Tentou with the keyword "7" of the brand name "SEVEN F.". The body is a pentagon of a soccer ball, and the spots on Nanahoshi are "F" of "SEVEN F.". Also, the reason for using the ladybird as a motif is that the part "flying toward Tendou-sama", which is the origin of the name of the ladybird, is linked to the bright image of the two people, so I used it. It was. The lower left is a character ... Australia is ... a koala ... maybe ... I drew it. I have toilet paper with fishing line in my hand, and when I have free time, I play with lifting pretend. #Yuna Oda #Tomoko Fukumaru #SEVENF #Seven F #Women's Soccer #Soccer Illustration #Illustrator It is a noble effort to try and combine "Australia" and "Kawaii". Though I have many questions, mainly, "Why has the koala got loo paper on a fishing rod?" And what'll be terrifying...? ⬤ South Korea, WK-League: Today's the final, the final final, 2nd leg, the champion will be crowned on this night in Incheon, near Seoul. Gyeongju couldn't score in the home 1st leg, but they had some luck and there were also no goals for Incheon Red Angels. At 0-0 (1st leg), there's no away-goal rule, so any draw would bring extra-time and penalties, and we've seen them before. Asuna Tanaka's team were agonisingly denied in the 2018 final. Basically, anyone with heart conditions may want to watch something else. Final, 2nd leg Incheon Red Angels v Gyeongju KHNP - (KO: 09:00 GMT, 18:00 JST) www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUt8N_wRRDs
In many sports in Australia it has been a long tradition to let children play on the grounds at half time in various football codes. As an eleven year old I got to play Australian rules football in front of 28,000 people. I am glad football has borrowed from Aussie rules in this regard. Naoko Wada was playing in the equivalent league in New South Wales and looked like she was going to be one of the key players for her team until she returned to Japan. I am not surprised that Oda won best and fairest for her team, because Japanese players are technically so much better than Australian players.
This was the week of failed back-heel flicks (Shikari, Mori). Also, it was a week when we can thank the Ehime-JEF game, that had as much goals as the other four combined: we wouldn't have had much to chose from, without it (in fact I'm going to chose two of my top three goals from it). Without further ado: 1) Haruka Osawa in Ehime FC Ladies vs JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies (everything was good in this goal: Otaki's instinct-control with her head followed by her perfectly accurate assist, and Osawa's exquisite lob with the outside of her foot: it was by far best technically crafted goal of the day. Also I can't properly express how much I like watching Otaki move on the pitch: everything in her looks elegant and energetic at the same time; you know US fans nicknamed Alex Morgan "Baby Horse" for her particular way to run: Otaki sometimes shows similar moves); 2) Natsuki Kishikawa in Ehime FC Ladies vs JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies (this action was much more chaotic than the one of my 1st-place choice, but the finishing by Kishikawa was really high-quality, with that quick stop and volley. Once again, I can't help noticing the poetic looks of Ehime's field, with the fallen leaves near the corner flag ). 3) Hana Takahashi in Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies vs Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies (everything in this action oozed physical power: half Vegalta's team chased Takahashi, but she anyway managed to open herself a way from the midfield to the box and to find an angle for the shot. I am confident that Takahashi's NT career didn't end wit U-20). Honorable mention for Maika Hamano's impressive shot, but I usually don't like to reward goals that to my eyes are too much dependent on opponent's blunders. Although we still have another match-day to go, I am also going to name the "bonus" goal I'd like to take to the final round of our "Goal of the Week" competition; it's not just a reminder: unless something spectacular in the last match-day changes my mind, I am determined to select Yui Narumiya's 1st goal vs INAC Kobe Leonessa from the 12th match-day.
Goal of the week contest. Choose three best goals from each round and award it with points: the best - 3pts 2nd best - 2pts 3rd best - 1pts 17th round highlights My pick: Takahashi vs. Mynavi.....3 pts Hamano vs. INAC...........2 pts Koyama vs. INAC...........1 pt Current standings: Takahashi..............8 pts Hamano.................6 pts Koyama.................4 pts Osawa...................3 pts Kishikawa..............2 pts Arimachi................1 pt voted by: KAPIJXM, unepommekun, blissett, Lechus7
Maybe some of you remember that former JFA Academy's Ran Iwai had recently transferred to USA, to Florida State University (the college team that in the past sported well-known players, by a Japanese point of view, as Mami Yamaguchi or Tiffany McCarty). Well, it looks like this week-end she was a starter in a 3-0 win that saw her team win the ACC Championship (the trophy for the Atlantic Coast Conference) over North Carolina. Some comments about her from the US boards:
Has Rumi Utsugi surfaced somewhere since her departure from Seattle? Her blog ends in December 2019, the official note from OL Reign was dated March 2020. She was injured for a long time in 2019 but should still be an interesting player that should do well for any club.
I remember seeing 宇津木 瑠美 (Utsugi Rumi) mentioned in JFA article involved with an off the field JFA/Nadeshiko project/promo (along with some other former veterans perhaps). Can't recall exact date. EDIT: it's from Dec 2019 https://www.iza.ne.jp/kiji/sports/photos/191220/spo19122015460054-p2.html (couldn't find original article)
Nadeshiko NT candidates members for training camp (November 23-29): GK: Ikeda, Matsumoto, Stambaugh DF: Sameshima, Kumagai, Matsubara, Shimizu, Seike, Miyagawa, Minami, Kitamura, Takarada MF: Nakajima, Naomoto, Ito, Mizutani, Hasegawa, Sugita Hina, Miura, Shiokoshi, Hayashi, Wakisaka, Endo FW: Takase, Hamada, Ueno, Tanaka
Now Takarada is even list as a DF? Does she play that posotion in Cerezo? Is it the first call for Mizutani and Shiokoshi? (And I don't remember if Miki Ito had already taken part to the previous camp). Also, I am happy that Takase get called: if you remember, it's a long time that I'd want Takakura to call her again, given her versatility (although I wasn't thinking at her for a FW role actually). Between Hamada and Otaki for another spot at the FW position, you all know that I would have chosen the latter, but admittedly Hamada scored more, although it's often in big, unbalanced wins vs bottom of the rankings teams (out of her 13 goals, 5 were scored vs Ehime, with a brace and a hat-trick; she had another hat-trick in a 4-1 vs Cerezo though, that sure aren't a "bottom of the barrel" team). Is it a first call for Hamada also? There's no doubt Takakura wants to see something different at this round, especially in offense.
The first call members are Hana, Mizutani and Hamada. Takarada mainly plays as a DF, and I think that was an important reason why Urawa was unable to score against Cerezo. She nullified Sugasawa's threats.
Oh, ok: you mean that Stambaugh had never been called in Senior NT before? Wow, I would have betted she had!
"Rules for contracts, registration and transfer of female professional soccer players" 【プレスリリース】「女子プロサッカー選手の契約、登録及び移籍に関する規則」が新設✅https://t.co/NsD1gZ2NG9男子同様に統一契約制度やトレーニング補償金制度が導入され、妊娠・出産への配慮も盛り込まれました!#WEリーグ #これは新しい日本のキックオフだ— WEリーグ|日本女子プロサッカーリーグ (@WE_League_JP) November 19, 2020 Kikuko Okajima will talk about WE League tomorrow at 6 (local) in NHK.
Some exciting names here. Didn't Matsumoto play with the Young Nadeshiko in 2016? Thought I saw her and Shiokoshi during some test games in Germany. Seems Shiokoshi earned the call. I am a little disappointed not to see Moriah, however I am surprised to see Ito (Miki ?). It seems she has been around for a long time. If I remember correctly she doesn't exactly fit Takakura's requirements regarding height...? Good to see Hana Stambaugh on the list.
Tomorrow's games: Nadeshiko League (all games start at 13:00) Urawa vs Nojima Jef vs Cerezo Beleza vs Ehime Iga vs Mynavi Inac vs Albi Challenge League Anclas vs Ange Violet 12:00 Cerezo Girls vs Speranza 13:00
It's an anime movie and TV starting next Spring. Yes, Nadeshiko League, WE League and JFA sponsored it.