Official 2021 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン（英語スレッド）

I could answer myself but I think this quote is enough.

 

Like the handball against Japan in 2012 final, right? Unfairness is unfairness, no matter what team you like.

Japan can blame anybody but the VAR. The defense today was not good, and that was the difference.

 

Perhaps when I get to rewatch the game on a screen bigger than my hand all doubt will be squashed and I will be able to congratulate the Swedes on a fine win.

 

Takakura's reign is over. She went into two tournamnets with the players she raised but ultimatelly her selection yielded no expected results. She will probably step down now but like it was with Hiroshi Ohashi resining after 2007WWC - the schematics for Japan future team were made by her. We can only hope that like it was when Norio Sasaki was taking over Ohashi, the next coach (Ikeda?) will build a gold medal team for 2023 WWC.

 

A very bitter loss. It will also be a historic watershed, since the entire women's football programme in Japan in recent years has been aimed towards producing a result at these Olympics. Surely it's the 'swan song' (as they say) for Takakura. The remainder of the old guard (Nakajima, Kumagai, etc) will likely soon go as well. Goalkeeping is an area that also has to be closely looked at.

 

Venegas was affraid to give the pen cuz it was Ilested who fouled Tanaka.
Ilested was already on yellow which means she would've been red carded if the penalty stood.

 

This is where I hate referees for not having the guts to make difficult decisions. A player who finds a way to get sent off in the first half usually is an idiot unworthy of sympathy if we follow the rules. Not sure that would have changed much with the result since Japan crumbled completely after the 2nd Swedish goal.

 

They might have been able to avoid the second goal all together...?

 

I started watching from the 70th minute. I actually haven't watched any of the goals but this is a very accurate show of where this Japan team is at. I am actually not too disappointed if they got a goal off of Sweden. I think it's the first time I feel this neutral about a loss and that's worrisome.

The only thing I'm "sad" about is I feel sorry for Iwabuchi. Everyone else looked like they didn't really mind losing tbh I really didn't feel that spirit I felt in the 2019 WWC.

I think this is a great wake up call, not just for the National team but for the WE league who seemed to be betting on Nadeshiko's success at the Olympics. The league has to be more active when it comes to PR and visibility. We aren't gonna have that huge boost to young girls starting football like we had in 2011 and it's not going to get better anytime soon. The JFA has two option: invest way more into the development of woso in Japan or just give up. They can't continue to just try and look like they're doing enough while just relying on the national team to do well.

I think we all agree that Takakura needs to go. I was supportive of her when she came in, and was probably one of the last people still supporting her before the olympics. I was okay with the loss in 2019 because I thought it was a build up to these Olympics but if this is the result after preparing 6 years for this one event then no matter how good a manager she may be it just isn't working. Although I will add that the players weren't impressive either.

Her interview after the match really highlighted the problem she faced. The interviewer asked "what went wrong" and she answered "I don't know". She did what worked for her at the youth level but when that didn't work she didn't have any other ideas.

Overall, not ideal at all but also not disappointed because this is a very accurate show of where we are at.It might sound harsh but I think this team preformed the best they could have and this is the right result for them.

 

Japan is a Very unbalanced team, unfortunately.

Too difficult for such teams to compete with world-class teams/players.

Yamashita is ok, we don't have better. (Ikeda - Hirao, please...)

Left-back doesn't exist. We are actually lucky, that for some reason Sweden hasn't put any pressure on that flank. Miyagawa is just not good enough for that level. Kitamura is not a left-back...So it's already a problem...

Kumagai-Minami is ok. I guess...Takarada instead of Minami might be ok as well...Miyake is just a reserve player at this point.

Right-back. Brilliant. I actually feel quite bad for Shimizu, the Nadeshiko team doesn't deserve that effort from Shimizu at all. Covering whole right flank by herself for 90 minutes, going up and down up and down, while Sweden plays time and time again through her flank as well, for 90 minutes. I am actually concered about Shimizu's health, she doesn't need to sacrifice herself like that for that team.

DM's/CM's. Miura - Sugita, brilliant, well done, would be instrumental going ahead.

Hasegawa, good. Not sure if her value went up after those games. Proved herself on that level, but hasn't done anything too special. Those 2 assists actually saved her overall performance.

Nakajima. Not good enough anymore, should stop playing for the National team, unfortunately.

Hayashi. Not sure about her, I guess should be getting those calls from the National team, looks like we don't have better options at the moment.

Kitamura, her versatility saves her job, not good enough left-back, not good enough CM, not even sure what position she plays.

Shiokoshi, not sure about her, I guess we don't have better.

Kinoshita, quite a bright future ahead of her, I want to see more.

Forwards...

Iwabuchi...She is close to that world-class level, but not as a striker. Maybe number 10, maybe number 9, I don't know, but she is not a striker...

Tanaka. Much better than Sugasawa on the International stage. She was running today for 90 minutes, trying to find space, much better for me than static Sugasawa.

Sugasawa! Oh boy... She is very lucky to play in the Japanese league, where she is stronger and taller than everyone else, playing against weak defenders and goalkeepers. She is even fast enough for her size in Japan. Once she starts to play against world-class defenders, who are stronger than her, taller than her, faster than her, what does she bring to this team? Please, just retire her from the National team, take Kobayashi instead or Ueki and just move on...

Endo...She is ok because we don't have better wingers and we need one...Good left foot...

Momiki. Past her prime. Not sure how she ended up in this team, Kobayashi should've been picked up instead...

Overall, not a good enough team, just not good enough...

Unless all 11 players working hard as a team, Japan doesn't stand a chance to compete against world-class teams, because individually, Japanese players can't produce those individual plays because of their physicality first and foremost.

 

BREAKING NEWS....BREAKING NEWS

Shock announcement from coach Takakura after Nadeshiko Japans final game at the 2020 Olympic Womens Football Tournament

"It has been an honour to have been head coach of Nadeshiko Japan but now I feel I have to move on.....I have decided it is time for me to get as far away as possible from womens football for the foreseeable future so I have decided to join Manchester City Women"
Takakuras English agent is quoted as saying...."Takakura san just needed a complete break from womens football"

(the above is obviously not true.....she doesn't have an English agent)

Just needed to lighten the mood

 

One thing for sure. Japan has abundance of quality players coming through the pipes or those who allready are breaking into senior football. Like @Ponde_Ringu said above WE League needs to really step up and make na effort in their developement to match those playin in European clubs.

Concerning physicality JFA already implemented a new trend in selection of youths. Let's look at players like Stambaugh, Ueno, Takahashi, Takarada, Minami or Saihara - their numbers should rise in comming years.

 

https://www.nikkansports.com/olympic/tokyo2020/soccer/news/202107300001217.html

Takakura when asked about possibly losing her position. "It's not something I have a say in, I have my opinions but this is not the place to state them."

One JFA staff member "I can't say we caught up to the world under her but its hard to say what's best for the team at this point"

Keep in mind there are only 2 international windows (4 games at most) before the AFC tournament so if Takakura is getting replaced its gonna have to happen quick.

The article also points out the lack of choices inside Japan as the WE league clubs hired most of the reputable managers. Mentions U-20 head coach Ikeda and current national team coach Iwaizumi as candidates.

Not sure if I'm on board with Iwaizumi becoming manager. If we're going to make changes I want a completely new group of staff leading the team. That doesn't mean I'm completely confident that Ikeda will do a good job.

 

Enter Sawa Homare!



...just kidding of course who am i fooling

 

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210730/p2g/00m/0sp/093000c

Somehow Kumagai's comments at the end of this piece sound discouraging andvlike an excuse.

 

Takakura-san's misunderstanding is that she thought we can fight against strong teams with only players who are small but have technical supremacy.
Of course we need such players because that is Japan's strong point, but we have to take the ball in the first place and need fast and strong players especially for the back line. So almost two thirds of the whole players should've been such ones.

Do we have such players enough? I don't know.

 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/pickup/6400261

JFA to dismiss Takakura. Likely replacement is U19 head coach Ikeda.

 

It's been a while since I saw woso trending on Japanese twitter but ironically since yesterday's loss every big news about Nadeshiko seems to end up trending. Articles on Nadeshiko's result is also ranked in the top 5 soccer related articles on Yahoo News.

The last time most Japanese people watched this team play is in 2011 so a lot of people are understandably shocked by the result.

Not the type attention they wanted but maybe the type of attention they need.

 

I was unable to watch the match, but the result seemed to go the way everybody expected. The highlights I watched were terrible like all the highlights I have seen. Why cannot they show the build up play to the goals? But from the highlights I would say Shimizu had a bad game.

Anyway, did they play well or not? Did they play better than in the first three matches?

Japanese players are always going to be smaller than most opposition. It is just the way it is. By Nadeshiko standards this Nadeshiko team is pretty tall. Using good, technical, quick players who can pass and dribble is still the way forward in my opinion. Players like Sugita, Shiokoshi and Kinoshita spring to mind. It is all about moving the ball quickly at the right time and defending as a group.

It is always hard to tell what Japanese people will do, because as you know - being Japanese - hiding one's true feelings is an integral part of Japanese society ;-) I think she expected to be dismissed.

NB: This was edited because Takakura was dismissed while I was writing.

 

The title of article is misleading/inaccurate. Everything will be decided in August. Still, she will be possibly/most likely replaced.

 

They played very well as much as possible, and I thought they might win the game after the second half started, but didn't.
This would've been the current max power for them.
And Shimizu was one of the best players in the field. I can't blame her for the second goal.

 

I don't think "to be dismissed" or "解任へ" is an inaccurate title as its all but confirmed that she will lose her job. Yes the "official" decision will take place sometime in August but judging the reaction of the fans, JFA staff and the fact that the scouting team is on the move it's gonna happen 99%

 

Yukari Kinga had a lengthy but very thoughtful if not emotional post about the Olympics exit. Can someone confirm if Google Translate did a decent translation? If not anyone please clarify what were the true words conveyed? Thanks

https://www.instagram.com/p/CR-f_tspTis/