http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotoku_Sakai NY born, plays in J-league. Young defender. No idea if he'd want to play for the US though. He's been called into Japanese camps before, but still doesn't have a cap. If anyone knows anything more please post!
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? Does he play left back? EDIT: This says he's a righty. Doesn't mean he can't ever play for the US but we have depth at RB so it's not as pressing. http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/spieler/103310/gotoku-sakai/profil.html
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? Interesting find. I'd like to know a little bit more about him. I wonder what kind of prospect he is ------ if he's any good. The J-League is a respectable league. If not for the few foreign spots available (usually occupied by Brazilians) I'd love to see a Yank or two there. We already have Marques Davidson, a Japanese-American, currently playing for Albirex Niigata. EDIT helps to look. I didn't even realize he's at the same club, Albirez, as Davidson!
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? Apparently Davidson is a free agent. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jun_Marques_Davidson
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? So what is being a regular on an 8th place J-League team at 18 equal too? Being an 18-year old regular on some team in MLS?
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? Probably closer to being a regular on a middling MFL team. But that's just a semi-educated guess.
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? I've never seen the guy play, just ran into his profile by accident on wikipedia. I've watched some J-league tho, and it's a very technical very attacking league. I think a J-league defender would be a good pairing with a more physical epl or mls defender. Of course, that's a gross generalization, but assuming this kid is good he could probably offer something for the usmnt.
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? Japan does not to allow dual-citizenship for adults and the US cooperates with this policy (ie they share information so Japanese authorities can enforce it; very very few people are able to elude this). When he turns 20 he will have to give up one passport. It doesn't sound like it will be his Japanese one. http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7118b.html
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? Yeah, I have a couple half-Japanese friends, I believe they also choose what Surname to use if their parents were separated before they turn 18.
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? Started for Albirex Niigata last weekend: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=297939&league=JPN.1&cc=5901
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? FYI: Sakai played for Japan U-19 last November in the qualifiers for the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship. Those are official matches (in Asia and Europe, these are the same as our U-20s -- their focus is on their 2010 continental championships when the age cohort is still 19), so Sakai is provisionally cap-tied to Japan.
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? Transfermarkt has him with 22 games played thus far this season in J. League, for a total of 1734 minutes & 1 assist: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/gotoku-sakai/leistungsdaten/spieler_103310.html He has also gone the full 90 in 2 league cup matches. 19yo & they indicate he plays fullback on either side, though he is right-footed.
Re: Gotoku Sakai Cappable? I changed the thread title for those that want to follow his club career. If you'd like to discuss his US eligibility/potential, please discuss in USA Men - or we can move this thread over and start fresh on club activity.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIOJ4wFe8_Y"]YouTube - 100828 J?????????????????gotoku sakai Kisho Yano albirex[/ame] Very long video on him. Looks like an interesting player. Also seems like he is played at primarily left back. Almost all the highlites are of him getting forward.
He is an extremely versatile player. For the Japan U-19 team he played left wing, but when he played for the U-16's he was a striker. He also was a goalkeeper at one point.
I know these are highlights, but you know it when you see it and this dude looks like he has it. I really wish I had known he was playing vs Kashima cause I was watching that game. Definitely gonna check out the next one.
ya Japan are really building their country's soccer system very well. Wish we had those guys in charge of American soccer.
Sakai's brother was promoted to the top team. His name is Noriyoshi he's 17 and a FW He hasn't played for any of Japan's youth sides yet.
Interesting. Wonder if he was also born in NYC. If so, you've just discovered another YA. And a promising one, too--on the 1st team of a J-League side at age 17.
He was born in Japan, but was born right after Sakai's family moved to Japan, so he might have dual citizenship.