But I guess the League needs some big NT names in home clubs to thrive. After all, it's just 2 years that things are going better in Japan: if too many players would go overseas, maybe big audience could lose interest for Nadeshiko League and that's not a risk worth running. And then I guess that, for the good of all the Japanese women's football, Nadeshiko League should remain quite high level, to create an environment for young players to grow that don't makes them too much embarassed when later they have to confront with opponents playing in Bundesliga or US League. If JFA wants to keep supporting the program that was so successful lately, Nadeshiko League has to grow in level, technique, competition: it's true that a "weaker" INAC would create a more tight competition, but taking away quality players from the League is not the right path; the League should grow from more clubs getting close to INAC's level, not from "weakening" INAC for the sake of it. A weaker INAC makes for a more competitive League at the domestic level, but for a more poor League by an international point of view. So, obviously Sawa, Ohno and Kinga will make the choices they feel are better for their own careers, but I am not sure if having quality players going away from INAC by playing overseas is healthy for the good of Nadeshiko League, both for "technical" considerations and from the point of view of the fans and the success of the domestic League (and an helthy League means more funds for Japanese football and a better enviromment to play football for women). It's true that more players going to play overseas equal to "freeing" more places for young talents to play in the domestic leagues, but I guess that's not the right way to give young players more playing time: the right way is increasing the base of clubs playing in the higher divisions, that's what JFA is doing, and you can increase the number of teams only if the leagues are successfull, and leagues are successfull if they keep their quality players, the most followed ones by the fan base. Just my two cents, but that's what I think about the subject.
That's very very interesting, and it also means mutual recognition by the two clubs that are arguably the best ones in the world in women's football right now.
Happily, the league have confirmed that these are the 26 teams which will compete next year, none have had to withdraw. (Sorry Bunnys, but you're down to second in the table following Sayama's relegation). Albirex Niigata FC Takahashi Iga FC Kunoichi INAC Kobe Leonessa JEF United NTV Beleza Okayama Yunogo Belle Sperenza Osaka Urawa Red Diamonds Vegalta Sendai AS Elfen Sayama Bunnys Kyoto Cerezo Osaka Ehime FC Fukuoka J. Anclas Hoyo Sukarabu FC Je Vrille Kagoshima JFA Academy Japan Soccer College Ladies Nittaidai Nojima Stella Kanagawa Parceiro Nagano Sfida Setagaya Shimizudaihachi Shizuoka Sangyo University Tokiwagi Gakuen The next issue will be which teams in the Challenge League will apply for, and receive, permission to be promoted. The teams which were accepted last year were: Bunnys Kyoto Je Vrille Kagoshima Parceiro Nagano Sfida Setagaya Shizuoka as well as these two of course: AS Elfen Sayama Fukuoka J. Anclas So, it's quite possible that this year could see a few non-qualified teams in the top 4. This season it was just Nittaidai but the JFA Academy and Tokiwagi Gakuen are always contenders.
Video of three news reports from Friday's game is up now, I'm in the video but fortunately I'm not really visible.
Yes, it's interesting but that's where it stops. Usually these partnerships don't mean much. There are plenty of J-League clubs that have partnership with European clubs. Still if some youth players go to OL and train for a summer with their youth team, for sure, it would be beneficial for them.
I hope there be a Mobcast cup next year with the southamerican winners of Copa Libertadores (yesterday my Colo Colo won the final against the brasilians of Foz Cataratas)
About Nadeshiko Japan being better than INAC, I don't think it's that clear cut. In fact some of INAC players think they are better than Nadeshiko - certainly Kawasumi said it before and she was speaking for other teammates as well. Partially because they play everyday together unlike natinal team. The back four - yes, Nadeshiko is probably better individually. The rest of the team? I think it's hard to pick which. I would probably pick INAC. Sorry, guys - I have to choose Ji Soyon over Miyama and their midfield combination is much better than Nadeshiko.
But I guess INAC lost so much finishing with the possible leave of Goebel-Yanez, then Nadeshiko would be better in that way too, and in football the most important are goals
Ha, you can't have an argument about this kind of thing, if you start talking about the future team you can argue they may signe even better striker... Anyway, the talking point was OL being more or less the same as the French national team or even better whereas INAC being worse than Nadeshiko.
Blasphemy! Anyway, I was of course only talking about on-paper strength; I agree that INAC might be a better team overall and they definitely play a more attractive brand of football. By the way, since we saw Canberra give Beleza some trouble, is there a reason why no Nadeshiko play in Australia? It's a popular target for studying overseas, is it not?
Oops... This picture is from yesterday's Frankfurt-Bad Neuenahr match (which Frankfurt won 4-1; Saki was subbed out after 79 mins).
I think the NT is superior in terms of quality because of the better back 4, it's glaring, and the presence of a striker such as Yuki Ogimi. INAC don't have a real 9, they would be much more dominating with one.
Who did punch Saki in the eye??? You just have to tell me his/her name... ... and I will be on a mission.
I quite agree with you, although "much more dominating" sounds funny for a team that made 52 points out of 54 available this season... But I understand what you mean.
Lyon are a good example of a domination even more shining. Not only they beat everybody, but it's almost impossible to score against them. Come to think of it I don't want INAC to become this kind of team and turn the L-League into a boring championship.
I saw the confirmation on Sameshima FB Support page and it came with this pic of the Shark which I hadn't seen before....
The girls' teams only go to U-15. I think the boys go older though, the most famous of all being Kagawa Shinji.
Here are the some of the post match interviews from both coaches after INAC vs OL. This is not the interviews they did on the pitch right after the match. I believe this is from press conference after the match. Hoshikawa Even though Nadeshiko Japan beat France at the Olympics, they couldn’t do anything against them. OL are the team with many of French national team players as well as Sweden’s Loata Schelin, so we knew they were a great team. The key was how we can play our own style against their pace and physicality. We did that in the first half but when they pressed we failed to do that. It is regrettable the players became mentally passive when they started pressing. It was a matter of time (for OL to score) when we stopped our football. We practice this situation often. But when the opponents are the world top players, our players showed weakness mentally. Once they equalized, we were better. Becky did well defensively but she wasn’t functioning in respect to keeping the possession of the ball. Q. Becky was going forward often. What was your intention about Becky pushing high up and what was the plan for covering the space behind? I thought, in our team, only Becky could stop Thomis. It worked well in the first half but after they went behind, Thomis didn’t follow Becky and stayed far up. So there wasn’t much point using Becky anymore. If she could adapt to the change of tactic, she would be better suited for today’s game. But she couldn’t adapt to that so changed to Takara as she is suited for keeping the possession. Q. Things to learn from this game. Nadeshiko could beat Brazil and France with only that kind of game plan (not controlling the game and just been defensive). I think it is critical moment for Japanese women’s football now. When other teams get better on possession than they are now, we will not be able to contain them just by defending. We’ll have to control the game. If we play defensively we just can not win the ball. Patrice Lair The quality from both teams were very good and it was a great game. INAC was far better team than the teams we have faced before. This was 8th game in November, and 8 hour time difference, so the condition was not perfect. So my plan was to sit back in the first half and press forward in the second half. We played in our own half most of the time, but after the break we showed our attacking ability. Q. Are there any teams in Europe that play like INAC – passing and possession style? No. European teams tend to value physical element of the game. Personally I prefer Japanese style which values the technical side of the game. You have a great team here in Japan. In terms of the style, they are like Barcelona, and there are many quality players. Japan’s national team beat the USA to win the world cup, but this team (INAC Kobe) are as good as them (Nadeshiko Japan). I’m very pleased that we beat such a great team today. Q. Lyon’s mental strength was very impressive. I always tell them to play with strong mind. I became the coach of Lyon three years ago and have not been beaten. If you don’t have the mental strength, you can not win a game like today. To keep creating chances, you need strong mind. And you have to do that from the training everyday. Q. It’s not official but do you think you are the best team in the world now? Since I became the coach of Lyon three years ago, this is the first time playing against such a great team. We have experiences in playing against teams such as Frankfurt and Turbine Potsdam in the Champions League, but this team is totally different. INAC Kobe's standard is exceptional. Beating such a great team itself is worth a title.