Sorimachi is really mixing with the lineups I wonder how the game will look like considering both teams are ready for semis.
I know Chile will play with most of the reserves for this match. Bielsa has had a lot of problems in friendlies before because he usually sticks to one formation and one set of players...then the reserves start complaining that they got little to no time on the pitch. This is the only chance for both Chile and Japan to play all the reserves...I hope it doesn't lower the quality of the match too much.
Agreed, the pitch is horrible, a lot of the bounces were odd and it disrupted the passing game from both teams. The heavy rain didn't help either. During the 1st half the teams pretty much nullified each other. In the second half Bielsa put in three of the starters and that was just enough to break through the tight Japanese midfield.
How does the majority of Japanese population feel about having an ethnic Korean play for their national team?
he is accepted. even an argentine (or Spanidard?) forward plays for the U-23 team. lol. ah....and don't forget about irish robert cullen, 2005 J.League rookie of the year.
Chile won 2:0, but you have a strong team, for sure better than the adult japanase NT that I saw playing against Chile some months ago.
Not to get into a mess, but basically all Japanese came via Korea (some of them being actually Chinese or Mongols). According to recent DNA tests, the original Japanese, the "Jomon people" are only the Okinawans and the Ainu (Hokkaido) who have been displaced by people coming from the mainland from circa 300 bce. In the year 700 ce a great chunk of the nobility was of recent Korean origins, including the mother of a famous Emperor, and that of the first Shogun. I don't think this is a big deal for most Japanese today. The only one concerned with racial purity are the ultra-nationalists, who are attached to the Shinto Imperial legends. End of detour. Gora (M.A. in Japanese history)
Oh man Mizuno looked nervous and yes he missed. Things haven't gone his way this tournament, i'm a little bit dissapointed. Lets win the bronze medal game and aim for Beijing.
I'm sure there are always some idiots who make a problem out of everything, but those ones aside, never heard of anything about it. The bottom line is more to do with loyalty and performance on the pitch. For all practical purposes he's completely Japanese. I recall reading an interview with him and dad while back in a featured article, it was interesting. Years ago when Tadanari was still a little kid, his dad was cheering for Korea while his 2 sons cheered on Japan, and his dad commented on a changing era - in the end it was up to Tadanari to decide where his loyalties lie and he picked Japan without hesitation. It's fascinating, because the chances are that his dad probably has more issues with it than the Japanese people. Changing era indeed. Anyway... Chile game was good, I thought. I enjoyed especially the 1st half. Yeah ok so it was 2-0 defeat but hey. I like the gutsy play this lot puts up
Basically the same can be said of the full NT as well. Some of us may already have given up hope of ever finding such a striker for the NT.
Excellent performance by Japan. This is the best Italian Youth NT in years and Japan almost played up at the same level. Really, really good job, Japan!!
Really good game for Japan. What's amazing is that players like Morimoto are still very young and there is still so much more to come from them.
=== VERY OT, AND NOT SOCCER-RELATED, SORRY === Ok, I brought this upon myself... I have been asked (very politely) in private to point out how the above theories on the Japanese race are non conclusive. Well, I think they are, as they are supported by Archaeological evidence as well. Of course no historical argument about is 2,000 years ago or so is 100% sure, so I invite you, if interested, to do your research and to believe what you prefer. I do have my theories, and evidence piles up every year, but I don't hold the holy truth in the palm of my hand. With that said, I swear I'll never get into something that is not soccer-related. I do enough researching and discussion at work. PARENTHESIS CLOSED
That's a cheap flak amidst a humble display of impartiality! Seriously though, at times history is interesting precisely because we don't know what the truth is, whatever you may think of it. But hey Anyway. I don't have time to type in-depth detail right now so I'll keep it to the point. I really enjoyed this campaign (I know there's one more game left, but nonetheless). I don't remember if I wrote rave reviews of the last youth worldcup here, but well I did write one in my head and I can pretty much say the same thing for this Toulon tournament. Some members have changed, but ultimately it's the same gutsy play and chemistry, something I hadn't seen on Japan side for a long time (probably since Gon's era). The italians were great. I thought the previous opponents were fairly sloppy at times perhaps due to condition (ok, so chile was good), but this one was an eye opener. Yet, Japan held them 0-0 not through negative play, but a very positive one. There were scenes where some players were getting shunned aside, but mostly they were competitive and grinding down their mark or keeping the ball. In my eyes losing possession occurred mostly because of mistimed combination play. When out of possession Japan were like bunny rabbits all over the place swarming the ball, I'd wonder where they were all coming from. Defensively too, a bit naive at times, yet there was something of a sturdiness about them that made me feel comfortable watching. Forwards were very "forward leaning" as they should be, I might add. Dare I say they did better than the A team in all those departments. Obviously the A faces more experienced, physically grown opponents so such comparison is not fair, but you get my point if you've seen the games - there is such a vigor and hunger to crush the opponent in this Japan side, sadly I can't say the same for the A. I wouldn't go as far as to say Sorimachi's side already have the competitive edge, but rather a competitive spirit of a some sort. They just seem so... impetuous without losing technical ability, if you get my meaning. Oh, and I loved it when the microphone picked up the calls from the sideline "Tomaruna Tomaruna!!" (as in don't stop running) Overall I'd be glad to say - I'm a happy bunny right now.
Line-up against Ivory Coast http://www.festival-foot-espoirs.co...atch-festival-foot.php?menu=festival&match=15 GK - Akihiro Hayashi (Ryutsu Keizai University) DF - Masahiko Inoha (Kashima Antlers) DF - Hiroki Mizumoto (Gamba Osaka) DF - Maya Yoshida (Nagoya Grampus) DF - Yusuke Tanaka (Yokohama F. Marinos) MF - Hajime Hosogai (Urawa Reds) MF - Kota Ueda (Jubilo Iwata) MF - Koki Mizuno (Celtic) MF - Tsukasa Umesaki (Urawa Reds) FW - Sergio Escudero (Urawa Reds) FW - Tadanari Lee (Kashiwa Reysol)
Well, what can you say? Drama once again. I'm going to be a little bit hard here but players like Umesaki, Morimoto (not to much playing time) and especially Mizuno are so dissapointing in this tournament. Those are players that can show so much more but doesn't. It's' really hard to see Mizuno break into the Celtic squad next season judging from this. But it's Beijing later this summer he can still take revenge. And the strikers, come on who is Escudero? I know he scored today but he is not good at all, Lee isn't that good either. Altough Japan finished fourth there's hard picking out some positive things, but i can give you one at least. MORISHIGE.
What a bizarre game. Conceded 1 early and from 20min to 70 min ish it was painful to watch as team work broke down on Japan's side. Then it started to rain and Escudero scored an equalizer and then somebody else (can't remember) put 1 in to give Japan 2-1 lead. The downpour was ok, but it seemed like the drainage wasn't doing its job and they were playing the last 15 min in a big paddle of water called "a football pitch". Dribbling left a vapour trail and rippling from the feet like a big ship sailing, and the ball would stop as soon as it hits the ground. And in stoppage time we conceded a goal in a big mess of nothingness and ended 2-2. Penalty kick ended 4-3 to Ivory Coast. Seolseol you can probably tell from my previous post, but I'm overall happy with this squad. I do agree though that there was nobody in particular we could hype about, so I can understand that, but on the other hand the attitude and physical resilience was something I wanted to see carry forward into this tournament and it did. Obviously these kids will learn more as they get older, but I hope they won't lose that spirit which is often lacking in senior games. I think sometimes players start off impetuous under 20 and it fizzles out when they get older, but I reckon this bunch wouldn't. I suppose we tend to look for one star player to emerge out of competitions like this, and in that regard I can see why some may be disappointed, but a side mostly made of 15 year-old J league showing this level of gutsy play at international level is pleasant to watch for me. Somehow I felt that we're on the right track to building a better future by raising the grassroots.
Overall it was a good tournament. Morimoto proved his quality in the Italy game. He'll be the first choice striker in the Beijing olympics. I'm also impressed with Escudero. He is a bit slow but rarely loses a ball. I won't be surprised if Sorimachi rules out Mizuno and Mizumoto.