On Tuesday 16th September 2013 the J League made a public announcement that is set to be the footballing news story of the season in Japan and even overshadow the result of this year's Championship. The J League has decided to return the J1 championship to a two stage format from season 2015 for the first time since season 2004. All the talk across social media since the news broke, has been about this controversial decision.
My opinion is clear. I much prefer to remain with the current single season format. I believe that football is a simple game and is played within a simple league system. I just believe that the champion should be the best team after playing everyone in the league home and away. As I said, simple.
The J League would like to introduce a two stage system which would climax in a play off series, the details of which are as yet unclear. The J league believe that this will increase viewer excitement and thereby attract more fans into the stadiums and more money into J league coffers. That may be true.
However I would argue that firstly this system will not find the best team of the season. Such a system is common to fans of North American sports such as baseball and basketball, but anathema to most European fans of football. It works in those sports, but I don't want to see it in football.
We just do not believe that it's a fair way to find the team deserving of the title champion. In many ways the excitement the J League hopes to create by installing the 2 stage format, is very contrived.
I wonder why the J League feels the need to do this, when it already has an exciting league in operation. Compared to the major leagues in Europe, the J league has provided a wider variety of champions. In fact the current champions, Sanfrecce Hiroshima are first time holders of the title. They now sit third with 9 games to go. So it's quite possible that the title will change hands again. Boring? In need of a drastic overhaul? I cannot say so.
Secondly I feel that it's far from certain that the new fans enticed along for the play offs will stay for the week in week out season's fixtures. They are most likely to turn up for the dramatic finale but won't be seen at the less glamorous matches. We'll see just how many more make it through the turnstiles across the land in 2015 if the J League do indeed go along with this proposal. Perhaps it is the case that any increase in numbers, however short-term, makes the changes worthwhile.
The ironic part of this is that if the 2 stage format was being used for this season, Omiya Ardija would be in with a shout of the title, having qualified for the play offs by finishing 2nd in the first stage. Well, actually we are in with a shout right now as we stand in 7th place, 9 points behind the leaders and 9 games left. An outside chance you might exclaim, but still a chance. 3 wins and other results go our way and we could be right up there. 3 losses and we could be hurtling to our usual 13th place finish. Not enough excitement for you?
Opinion is definitely divided, although the 'No' camp have so far been more vociferous than the 'Yes' camp. Japanese fans have been displaying banners around the stadiums on matchdays. Some fans went to J League HQ to demonstrate. Social networking sites are full of angry comments. But it seems that the J league have guaranteed themselves a big pay day from sponsors as long as they introduce this controversial format. A big fat pay day that they cannot refuse, even in the face of disgruntled fans.
I would love to see new fans come into the stadiums. It would be great to see the J League bringing in new plans to attract more supporters. But not this way. Not for me.
Here are my ideas to boost the domestic game. I'm sure you will have others. It's not rocket science.
I think it would be more constructive to look at ways of making the current cup competitions more exciting and dramatic. They seem tired and only burst into life from the semifinal stage. The group stage of the Yamazaki Nabisco cup is awful. A lot of work could be done to revamp these competitions.
A return to J1 fixtures taking place from Friday night through Saturday until Sunday evening would allow a greater number of people to get to games. I have been unable to attend a number of Saturday games due to work commitments. I'm sure many other workers find it hard to go along to games now they are all on Saturday.
The marketing of the J League could be so much better. I have only seen one poor piece of advertising with Gonchan. Why doesn't the J league utilise all the young, exciting players like Kakitani, Kudo, Yuya Osako to get the kids wanting to go and watch. Why not get some of the National team exports to Europe to do a bit of work on behalf of the league that helped them on their way to success in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and other leagues across Europe? If Winning Eleven can get cool advertising, why can't the J league?
Other things to consider would be ticket pricing, merchandising pricing, the choice of games on TV and the presentation of them, both in-studio discussions and match commentators.
So, I'm still hoping the J league reconsider their decision and I'm left wondering whether the fans feel so passionately against this proposal that they would go as far as a mass boycott and deny themselves their pleasure. To follow their team and enjoy the game of football. The people's game.
If they do, I'll join them for as long as it takes. But it won't mean I've forgotten the team or the club. That never fades.
And I will say this. In 2015 if the 2 stage format comes in. I will still be an Omiya Ardija fan, and I'll still follow them in the stadium and on the television. I can't give my football up. But it will be different. And I'm not sure if it will be the same.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See below various links to recent articles on this issue which are worth reading.
Andrew McKirdy of the Japan Times wrote this piece that sets out his concerns. You can find it on the Japan Times website at www.japantimes.co.jp/sports It's headline is "J League courting disaster with return to two-stage season."
Ben Maxwell and Alan Gibson discuss the topic on this latest J Talk podcast. You can find it at jtalkpodcast.blogspot.com.
Angus MacLeod has posted this balanced article looking at some of the reasons why the J League feels the need to change and possible future impacts. Find the article on Angus' website at Japanfooty.com.
Barry Valder, Shimizu S Pulse fan and blogger has his say on this divisive issue at his blog s-pulseukultras.blogspot.jp.
Most of the above articles share my opinion. I would like to post some articles here, which are in favour of the changes. But as yet I haven't found any. If I do, I'll be sure to reference them in the name of balance.
Thursday 19 September 2013
The J-Talk Podcast: The J-Talk Podcast - 2013 J1 Matchday (23 &) 24
Please find a link below to the J Talk podcast for matchday 23 and 24. I've linked it here as it contains another interview with Lucas Neill by Scott McIntyre, of SBS The World Game. The interview took place after our great home win over league leaders Yokohama F Marinos by one goal to nil. Lucas also talks about his thoughts ahead of Australia's match with Brazil which the Socceroos would go on to lose 6-0.
It's an interesting listen to hear his views, on the Ardija game, our team and how his early days at Ardija have gone for him. If you are an Squirrels fan, it's worth a listen.
The J-Talk Podcast: The J-Talk Podcast - 2013 J1 Matchday (23 &) 24: A 20 minute solo podcast that also includes Scott McIntyre's chat with Omiya defender Lucas Neill following Ardija's win over leader...
It's an interesting listen to hear his views, on the Ardija game, our team and how his early days at Ardija have gone for him. If you are an Squirrels fan, it's worth a listen.
The J-Talk Podcast: The J-Talk Podcast - 2013 J1 Matchday (23 &) 24: A 20 minute solo podcast that also includes Scott McIntyre's chat with Omiya defender Lucas Neill following Ardija's win over leader...
Thursday 29 August 2013
Lucas Neill interview on SBS The World Game
Below is a link to an interview with Lucas Neill done by Scott McIntyre of SBS The World Game.
Neill, Ardija's latest signing gives his views on Ardija, the J League and his personal ambitions all the way up to the Asia Cup in 2015.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/video/43632707507/Neill-maps-out-his-schedule
Neill, Ardija's latest signing gives his views on Ardija, the J League and his personal ambitions all the way up to the Asia Cup in 2015.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/video/43632707507/Neill-maps-out-his-schedule
Tuesday 20 August 2013
Tsutomu Ogura confirmed as Ardija's new coach
Tsutomu Ogura has been confirmed as Omiya Ardija's new coach, today August 20th 2013.
A brief statement and a profile of his career appeared on the club website. See the link below.
http://www.ardija.co.jp/news/detail/4184.html
A brief statement and a profile of his career appeared on the club website. See the link below.
http://www.ardija.co.jp/news/detail/4184.html
Sunday 18 August 2013
Welcome to Ardija to Lucas Neill
It's official. Lucas Neill has joined Omiya Ardija.
Here is a piece on it from Neill's management company's website.
http://www.inspiresg.com/neill-signs-in-japan
Interestingly, the writer suggests the Squirrels regularly provide players for Japan's national team. I don't remember us doing that at all in the time I have been following the club. In fact, I read that it had taken place only once and even then it was as a substitute in a friendly game.
Still, that's the role of agents, to generate interest in their player.
Clearly this move to Ardija is part of a strategy for Neill to make sure he is in Australia's world cup squad come next summer in Brazil. But what do the Squirrels get?
Well, hopefully we get a very experienced defender who our current crop of young defenders can learn from. Takahashi and Imai will be able to see him on the training pitch and during matches if Neill gets picked to play. Let's hope they take the chance to learn from him as it is very rare for Ardija's young players to come into close contact with a player who has represented his country almost 100 times, played in World Cups and played in England's Premier League.
If he gets on the pitch, the fans will see a committed, hard tackling performance from Neill.
But can he help arrest Ardija's six match losing slide?
His age, speed and fitness must be a concern. His name makes this transfer sound a bigger move than it is in reality. It's a short term move, which quite possibly will suit both sides equally. But it's not a transfer that will change the outcome of this season nor will it have much of an impact on where Ardija go next season and in the future.
Having said that, it could be a fun ride, and I wish Neill all the best for his time at Omiya Ardija and hope it goes well for him and for the team.
Here is a piece on it from Neill's management company's website.
http://www.inspiresg.com/neill-signs-in-japan
Interestingly, the writer suggests the Squirrels regularly provide players for Japan's national team. I don't remember us doing that at all in the time I have been following the club. In fact, I read that it had taken place only once and even then it was as a substitute in a friendly game.
Still, that's the role of agents, to generate interest in their player.
Clearly this move to Ardija is part of a strategy for Neill to make sure he is in Australia's world cup squad come next summer in Brazil. But what do the Squirrels get?
Well, hopefully we get a very experienced defender who our current crop of young defenders can learn from. Takahashi and Imai will be able to see him on the training pitch and during matches if Neill gets picked to play. Let's hope they take the chance to learn from him as it is very rare for Ardija's young players to come into close contact with a player who has represented his country almost 100 times, played in World Cups and played in England's Premier League.
If he gets on the pitch, the fans will see a committed, hard tackling performance from Neill.
But can he help arrest Ardija's six match losing slide?
His age, speed and fitness must be a concern. His name makes this transfer sound a bigger move than it is in reality. It's a short term move, which quite possibly will suit both sides equally. But it's not a transfer that will change the outcome of this season nor will it have much of an impact on where Ardija go next season and in the future.
Having said that, it could be a fun ride, and I wish Neill all the best for his time at Omiya Ardija and hope it goes well for him and for the team.
Lucas Neill - Gladiator
Here is a video I found of Lucas Neill on YouTube. I think the clips in the video demonstrate Neill's defencive style clearly to Ardija fans who might not have seen too much of the defender.
The question remains does Neill still perform at this level now at aged 35? We will see him at the Nack5 and be able to judge him on his performances.
Friday 16 August 2013
The J-Talk Podcast: The J-Talk Podcast - 2013 J1 Matchday 20
I made my debut appearance on the J Talk podcast last Monday. In fact it was the first time I had ever appeared on any podcast on any topic ever.
The J Talk podcast is a podcast which features discussion on all issues concerning Japanese football, including J1, J2, the newcoming J3 and the national team. It's hosted by Ben Maxwell.
So it was a bit of a daunting prospect and I was rather nervous beforehand. I hope that I did ok. I think my passion as a fan comes across well, especially since I was still in shock at the decision which had only happened 24 hours prior to the show's recording.
Information regarding the sacking and any reasons for it was scarce so the decision at that time still seemed slightly odd. Details that have come out in the press since then have cleared up the picture more than was possible at the time of the show.
Recording the show was fun and I particularly thank Ben and Angus who I was on the show with, for making me feel relaxed and welcome.
The part I feature in is the lead-off section and lasts just under 25 minutes. The link is below. Have a listen.
The J-Talk Podcast: The J-Talk Podcast - 2013 J1 Matchday 20: A 62 minute podcast with Angus MacLeod & Steve Fryer, Cesare Polenghi and Jon Steele. In Part 1 Angus, Steve and I discuss the situati...
The J Talk podcast is a podcast which features discussion on all issues concerning Japanese football, including J1, J2, the newcoming J3 and the national team. It's hosted by Ben Maxwell.
So it was a bit of a daunting prospect and I was rather nervous beforehand. I hope that I did ok. I think my passion as a fan comes across well, especially since I was still in shock at the decision which had only happened 24 hours prior to the show's recording.
Information regarding the sacking and any reasons for it was scarce so the decision at that time still seemed slightly odd. Details that have come out in the press since then have cleared up the picture more than was possible at the time of the show.
Recording the show was fun and I particularly thank Ben and Angus who I was on the show with, for making me feel relaxed and welcome.
The part I feature in is the lead-off section and lasts just under 25 minutes. The link is below. Have a listen.
The J-Talk Podcast: The J-Talk Podcast - 2013 J1 Matchday 20: A 62 minute podcast with Angus MacLeod & Steve Fryer, Cesare Polenghi and Jon Steele. In Part 1 Angus, Steve and I discuss the situati...
Japan Times Article: The President's Press Conference
Ardija's President, Shigeru Suzuki gave a press conference on Tuesday this week.
Here is a link to an article from the Japan Times that was in the August 14th 2013 print issue and online from August 13th 2013. It's a piece from the Kyodo news agency and quotes the Ardija chairman, Shigeru Suzuki.
The article suggests that Tsutomu Oguro will be the replacement for Verdenik. From reading this article it seems that Oguro will not be officially in place before the Sagan Tosu away game on August 17th 2013.
The chairman gives his opinion that the decision had to be made, because Verdenik had clashed with the coaching staff and lost the dressing room.
see below for the link.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2013/08/13/soccer/struggling-ardija-to-appoint-ogura-as-new-coach/#.Ug3R7tsCa8E.gmail
Here is a link to an article from the Japan Times that was in the August 14th 2013 print issue and online from August 13th 2013. It's a piece from the Kyodo news agency and quotes the Ardija chairman, Shigeru Suzuki.
The article suggests that Tsutomu Oguro will be the replacement for Verdenik. From reading this article it seems that Oguro will not be officially in place before the Sagan Tosu away game on August 17th 2013.
The chairman gives his opinion that the decision had to be made, because Verdenik had clashed with the coaching staff and lost the dressing room.
see below for the link.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2013/08/13/soccer/struggling-ardija-to-appoint-ogura-as-new-coach/#.Ug3R7tsCa8E.gmail
Questions for Mr Verdenik
At this time I would love to have an interview with Mr Verdenik. It would be really interesting to hear his views on all that has gone on at the club during his brief reign.
Unfortunately I am not a journalist and have no access to Mr Verdenik. Furthermore I have failed to bump into him around Omiya this week. I had rather imagined him wandering disconsolately among the shops, restaurants, cafes and department stores of Omiya these past days. All alone. A solitary figure in a fading grey baseball cap.
Well, never mind. Here is the next best thing. The following are the questions I would ask. Would you ask anything else?
1. Why did you lose your job?
2. What was the best moment of your managership?
3. Who is the best Japanese player at the club?
4. If you were still in charge, and could sign one player, who would it be?
5. What 's your favourite Japanese food?
6. If you could do one thing differently during your time at Omiya Ardija, what would it be?
7. Will you sign and sell the grey baseball cap on ebay?
8. Will you tell us what really happened between you, the players and Mr Oguro?
9. What do you think of the club, it's fans and it's future?
10. What are you going to do next?
Well, thank you Mr Verdenik for an amazing and unexpected run. I wish you all the best in your future. Wherever that may be.
Unfortunately I am not a journalist and have no access to Mr Verdenik. Furthermore I have failed to bump into him around Omiya this week. I had rather imagined him wandering disconsolately among the shops, restaurants, cafes and department stores of Omiya these past days. All alone. A solitary figure in a fading grey baseball cap.
Well, never mind. Here is the next best thing. The following are the questions I would ask. Would you ask anything else?
1. Why did you lose your job?
2. What was the best moment of your managership?
3. Who is the best Japanese player at the club?
4. If you were still in charge, and could sign one player, who would it be?
5. What 's your favourite Japanese food?
6. If you could do one thing differently during your time at Omiya Ardija, what would it be?
7. Will you sign and sell the grey baseball cap on ebay?
8. Will you tell us what really happened between you, the players and Mr Oguro?
9. What do you think of the club, it's fans and it's future?
10. What are you going to do next?
Well, thank you Mr Verdenik for an amazing and unexpected run. I wish you all the best in your future. Wherever that may be.
Thursday 15 August 2013
Verdenik sacking 2
Steve Barme, Omiya Ardija fan and regular contributor to both the J Talk podcast and Japanfooty.com has written a great article on the Verdenik sacking, which you can find a link to below.
The article appeared on the Japanfooty.com website on August 16th 2013.
http://www.japanfooty.com/the-omiya-u-turn#.Ug2ZFUixv1A.gmail
Follow Steve on twitter @AgentOrange2009 for lots of Ardija news and chat.
The article appeared on the Japanfooty.com website on August 16th 2013.
http://www.japanfooty.com/the-omiya-u-turn#.Ug2ZFUixv1A.gmail
Follow Steve on twitter @AgentOrange2009 for lots of Ardija news and chat.
Lucas Neill to join the Squirrels
Lucas Neill appears set to join Omiya Ardija later today according to The Guardian newspaper. This article was published on the Guardian's website on 14th August 2013.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/14/lucas-neill-move-omiya-ardija
Lucas Neill is a 35 year old experienced Australian defender. He has played for several clubs in the Premier League and made 92 caps for Australia.
If he joins on a 4 month contract as suggested, he will come into a side that needs to stem a 5 match losing run that has seen the Squirrels' defence conceded 11 goals.
Neill is a feisty, committed player who is certain to give his all each game if he can stay free of injury.
It could be an interesting 4 months for Neill and Ardija fans should he decide to sign the contract on offer.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/14/lucas-neill-move-omiya-ardija
Lucas Neill is a 35 year old experienced Australian defender. He has played for several clubs in the Premier League and made 92 caps for Australia.
If he joins on a 4 month contract as suggested, he will come into a side that needs to stem a 5 match losing run that has seen the Squirrels' defence conceded 11 goals.
Neill is a feisty, committed player who is certain to give his all each game if he can stay free of injury.
It could be an interesting 4 months for Neill and Ardija fans should he decide to sign the contract on offer.
The Squirrels sack Verdenik
Here is a link to an article written by Andrew McKirdy, who writes for the Japan Times on Japanese football. He calls Verdenik's dismissal ' a massive gamble.'
This article appeared online on August 14th 2013 and in print on August 15th 2013.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2013/08/14/soccer/omiya-taking-massive-gamble-with-verdenik-dismissal/#.Ug2QuuWOHUn.gmail
This article appeared online on August 14th 2013 and in print on August 15th 2013.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2013/08/14/soccer/omiya-taking-massive-gamble-with-verdenik-dismissal/#.Ug2QuuWOHUn.gmail
Monday 15 April 2013
Ardija make the news!
Omiya Ardija find themselves in a very strange position after only 6 games of the season. We are in the news! Usually the media aren't interested in the Squirrels so early in the season, or if they are, it probably means we are about to fire our coach. But this year is different. The Squirrels are flying high in the league, currently sitting in third place behind Urawa Reds and league leading Yokohama F Marinos.
Furthermore we are on a record-equalling unbeaten run in the league stretching back 17 games to September 1st last year, when we drew 1-1 in the derby match away to Urawa Reds. Just now I maybe feel I can get away with cheering, 'Come on you mighty Squirrels!'
Our coach Verdenik is now finally drawing interest from the press, with everyone eager to find out what he is doing right at Omiya. Prior to this, he was just that old man who always wears a grey baseball cap, never sits down in games and oh...he kept them up but they always do that!
Let's look at where we are this season, and there are two key points for me as an Ardija fan - the points and the performances.
Firstly, the points. I'm not getting too carried away with our league position, pleasing as it is. I'm far more delighted that we have 14 points after only 6 games and are well on our way to securing our J1 future next season. A J1 future will allow us to build on the groundwork being done now by the players and the coaching staff. This must be our first goal of the season. It cannot be denied though that we are in with a chance of getting our highest ever J1 finishing position. So far we have never finished higher than twelfth, eleventh place or better should be our second goal of the season. I'm also a firm believer in getting the points on board as soon as possible, so that when legs get tired, injuries occur, and suspensions kick in, the team will be in a better situation to handle any possible points drought that might come along, especially at the tail-end of the season. More positively, I think that Ardija fans are hoping that our current position will breed the confidence to continue the strong performances and avoid the usual down to the wire end to the season.
Now to the performances. The basic Verdenik system is clear. He has tried to build confidence in the team by maintaining the same formation and players as much as possible. This might sometimes seem negative, but I think it has allowed Verdenik to get his ideas across steadily and to merge the influence of Zlatan and Novakovic to the players who were at the club under previous manager Jun Suzuki. The formation is clear - 4-4-2. Kitano in goal, in defence Shimohira, Kikuchi, Takahashi and Watabe. The midfield is normally Watanabe, Kanazawa, Aoki and Cho Yong-Cheol. Upfront, when fit Zlatan and Novakovic.
I think Kitano is a very sound keeper, I've only seen a poor game from him when it was a very gusty, windy day, conditions which are tricky for any keeper. He has made some very important saves for us over the 17 games and I have a lot of confidence in him. Perhaps his performances are so good, because he knows Ardija have a very capable back-up goalie in Ezumi.
In defence the key man is Kikuchi. He often makes timely tackles which have helped to keep us in games and also marshals the troops very well. His partnership last season with Komoto was excellent, but his big job this season is to help youngster and new signing from J2 Tokyo Verdy, Shohei Takahashi fit in to the team and adapt to life in J1. The biggest question mark over Takahashi is his discipline, and this has been shown clearly in incidents in our games against Kashima and Cerezo, culminating in an unnecessary red card in the latter game. Some fans might be worried about Takahashi. However he is young and we need to give him some time to develop and not write him off as a bad boy just yet. His composure on the ball and his role in Novakovic's goal in the 3-1 win over Kashima, suggests he is a talent worth developing.
For me the rock of the midfield is Aoki. He does a lot of unselfish work linking between the defence and midfield, and also works hard to break up the opposition's attacks and cover any mistakes that might occur from teammates. He is also capable of finishing, as he did in our opener against Shimizu S Pulse. The midfield players have a very good understanding and the passing between them and linking with the forwards can be very nice at times. This season it has been improved on by the midfield being more assertive in matches, with the team taking the game to the opposition, rather than waiting for an opportunity to break and score on the counter-attack. Cho Yong-Cheol has had a fine start to the season, and though he still needs to keep improving his distribution, he seems to be a much better player this season than the one we saw last season. Does this have anything to do with the departure of Keigo Higashi to FC Tokyo?
And finally to the attack. Zlatan and Novakovic are Verdenik's prefered choices. Both have proved to be great purchases for the club and have played their role in the current run. Zlatan has an array of neat touches, holds the ball up well, and can finish well. His match winning goal against Cerezo Osaka last Saturday was a delight to watch as he flicked the ball over the defender's shoulder with his right foot and finished smartly with his left foot. A smashing goal to grace any football pitch in the world. Novakovic is a tall, powerful striker who gives Ardija a strong focus through the middle, but who can play a bit of football too as well as score goals. He did some very neat footwork down the wings during the opening game against S-Pulse. Yu Hasegawa is mostly used as a sub and has the ability to finish when he is on form. Perhaps he needs more of a run in the team to really improve. 22 year old Takamitsu Tomiyama is a great hope for Ardija's future. He has come into the side this season when either Novakovic or Zlatan have been injured this season and has repaid Verdenik's faith in him with some eye capturing performances and a fantastic goal against Kashima Antlers. He has strength, pace and a good shot on him.
Verdenik has shown the willingness to blood new players. This year Takahashi, Tomiyama and Imai have been given their chance and hopefully will get more opportunities in the future to shine. He has built a team that is hard to beat, but one that is not afraid to play attractive football and can score some great goals. Squirrels fans must be enjoying this.
17 games undefeated since drawing 1-1 with Urawa Reds on September 1st 2012, one game away from a J League record of 18 games unbeaten, and who is up next for the Squirrels? Yes, you guessed it a home derby match versus Urawa Reds. The scriptwriters are waiting. Which way will it go?
Go for it!
But the important thing is to not lose sight of our goals, and to keep performing well. Win, lose or draw on Saturday, we can rise to our highest finishing position in J1 and move the club forward. That is the real victory.
Furthermore we are on a record-equalling unbeaten run in the league stretching back 17 games to September 1st last year, when we drew 1-1 in the derby match away to Urawa Reds. Just now I maybe feel I can get away with cheering, 'Come on you mighty Squirrels!'
Our coach Verdenik is now finally drawing interest from the press, with everyone eager to find out what he is doing right at Omiya. Prior to this, he was just that old man who always wears a grey baseball cap, never sits down in games and oh...he kept them up but they always do that!
Let's look at where we are this season, and there are two key points for me as an Ardija fan - the points and the performances.
Firstly, the points. I'm not getting too carried away with our league position, pleasing as it is. I'm far more delighted that we have 14 points after only 6 games and are well on our way to securing our J1 future next season. A J1 future will allow us to build on the groundwork being done now by the players and the coaching staff. This must be our first goal of the season. It cannot be denied though that we are in with a chance of getting our highest ever J1 finishing position. So far we have never finished higher than twelfth, eleventh place or better should be our second goal of the season. I'm also a firm believer in getting the points on board as soon as possible, so that when legs get tired, injuries occur, and suspensions kick in, the team will be in a better situation to handle any possible points drought that might come along, especially at the tail-end of the season. More positively, I think that Ardija fans are hoping that our current position will breed the confidence to continue the strong performances and avoid the usual down to the wire end to the season.
Now to the performances. The basic Verdenik system is clear. He has tried to build confidence in the team by maintaining the same formation and players as much as possible. This might sometimes seem negative, but I think it has allowed Verdenik to get his ideas across steadily and to merge the influence of Zlatan and Novakovic to the players who were at the club under previous manager Jun Suzuki. The formation is clear - 4-4-2. Kitano in goal, in defence Shimohira, Kikuchi, Takahashi and Watabe. The midfield is normally Watanabe, Kanazawa, Aoki and Cho Yong-Cheol. Upfront, when fit Zlatan and Novakovic.
I think Kitano is a very sound keeper, I've only seen a poor game from him when it was a very gusty, windy day, conditions which are tricky for any keeper. He has made some very important saves for us over the 17 games and I have a lot of confidence in him. Perhaps his performances are so good, because he knows Ardija have a very capable back-up goalie in Ezumi.
In defence the key man is Kikuchi. He often makes timely tackles which have helped to keep us in games and also marshals the troops very well. His partnership last season with Komoto was excellent, but his big job this season is to help youngster and new signing from J2 Tokyo Verdy, Shohei Takahashi fit in to the team and adapt to life in J1. The biggest question mark over Takahashi is his discipline, and this has been shown clearly in incidents in our games against Kashima and Cerezo, culminating in an unnecessary red card in the latter game. Some fans might be worried about Takahashi. However he is young and we need to give him some time to develop and not write him off as a bad boy just yet. His composure on the ball and his role in Novakovic's goal in the 3-1 win over Kashima, suggests he is a talent worth developing.
For me the rock of the midfield is Aoki. He does a lot of unselfish work linking between the defence and midfield, and also works hard to break up the opposition's attacks and cover any mistakes that might occur from teammates. He is also capable of finishing, as he did in our opener against Shimizu S Pulse. The midfield players have a very good understanding and the passing between them and linking with the forwards can be very nice at times. This season it has been improved on by the midfield being more assertive in matches, with the team taking the game to the opposition, rather than waiting for an opportunity to break and score on the counter-attack. Cho Yong-Cheol has had a fine start to the season, and though he still needs to keep improving his distribution, he seems to be a much better player this season than the one we saw last season. Does this have anything to do with the departure of Keigo Higashi to FC Tokyo?
And finally to the attack. Zlatan and Novakovic are Verdenik's prefered choices. Both have proved to be great purchases for the club and have played their role in the current run. Zlatan has an array of neat touches, holds the ball up well, and can finish well. His match winning goal against Cerezo Osaka last Saturday was a delight to watch as he flicked the ball over the defender's shoulder with his right foot and finished smartly with his left foot. A smashing goal to grace any football pitch in the world. Novakovic is a tall, powerful striker who gives Ardija a strong focus through the middle, but who can play a bit of football too as well as score goals. He did some very neat footwork down the wings during the opening game against S-Pulse. Yu Hasegawa is mostly used as a sub and has the ability to finish when he is on form. Perhaps he needs more of a run in the team to really improve. 22 year old Takamitsu Tomiyama is a great hope for Ardija's future. He has come into the side this season when either Novakovic or Zlatan have been injured this season and has repaid Verdenik's faith in him with some eye capturing performances and a fantastic goal against Kashima Antlers. He has strength, pace and a good shot on him.
Verdenik has shown the willingness to blood new players. This year Takahashi, Tomiyama and Imai have been given their chance and hopefully will get more opportunities in the future to shine. He has built a team that is hard to beat, but one that is not afraid to play attractive football and can score some great goals. Squirrels fans must be enjoying this.
17 games undefeated since drawing 1-1 with Urawa Reds on September 1st 2012, one game away from a J League record of 18 games unbeaten, and who is up next for the Squirrels? Yes, you guessed it a home derby match versus Urawa Reds. The scriptwriters are waiting. Which way will it go?
Go for it!
But the important thing is to not lose sight of our goals, and to keep performing well. Win, lose or draw on Saturday, we can rise to our highest finishing position in J1 and move the club forward. That is the real victory.
Wednesday 6 March 2013
S Pulse at home
As March 2nd 2013 dawned, excitement rose throughout the country as the new season of the J League was about to begin. Fans had exhausted themselves reading the endless previews and predictions, digested the main comings and goings in the squads, admired or been disgusted by the new season's kits, and mostly laughed at the often, frankly horrendous club slogans, it was time finally for the main event to begin.
Omiya Ardija's winter break had been relatively quiet. The main action being the loss of midfielder Keigo Higashi to FC Tokyo, and the return of the successful loanee, Komoto to J2 bound Vissel Kobe. The latter an admirable sign of loyalty to his home town club as he chose to play for them in J2 rather than fight out another season with the big boys as part of Omiya Ardija's defence. Kobe have rewarded him by making him captain I believe. His partnership at the back with Kikuchi had been a key part of the Squirrels' survival in the top flight, and so Ardija fans will be looking keenly to see how youngster Shohei Takahashi fits in after his arrival from J2 outfit Tokyo Verdy, where he played 111 matches and scored 9 goals. As for Higashi, he leaves the club after two seasons of promise which never seemed to be quite fulfilled. FC Tokyo are getting a player full of potential and young enough to have time to develop and fulfill it. Being a smaller fish in a bigger pond might suit Higashi at this point in his career and I expect to read good things about him in the future.
The first match out of the hat for Ardija was an Orange derby with the team from Shizuoka, Shimizu S Pulse. I was lucky enough to receive a pair of free tickets for this game and I found myself for the first time ever sitting behind the goal next to the away supporters. Whether they had not taken up their full application, or were never given the opportunity to, I don't know. In any case, I actually thoroughly enjoyed myself in these "extra" home seats. There were no queues to buy beer or for the toilets, and with 30 minutes to go, we could easily find a good seat to view the match from. Luckily at Nack 5 there is little sign of trouble between opposing sets of fans and the segregation barriers looked relatively flimsy but thankfully were not needed. A poor policeman was employed to stand there and stare at us all the game, which he did with due Japanese diligence, or perhaps he was a baseball fan!
Omiya started with Zlatan and Novakovic up front, Cho, Kanazawa, Aoki and Watanabe in midfield and with a defence of Shimohira, Kikuchi, Takahashi and Watabe. It was a very windy day, and the strength of the wind increased steadily throughout the match. In the first half Ardija attacked towards the away end and after a slow opening period, they started to make some nice breaks and showed some ability to spread the ball well between the midfield and attack. However real chances were few and far between and our first chance came from a mistake by Bare as he passed the ball backwards and Zlatan exploited the error to set up Novakovic, whose shot was too weak but the S Pulse goalie, Hayashi could only parry it to Zlatan, whose attempt was blocked by Hayashi. In the first half S Pulse seemed slow out of the blocks and their only real chance was a header from Ishige which was saved by the feet of Kitano. At half time I sat in my seat, thinking Ardija were fairly comfortable, well organised and starting to play some nice football. Yet the suspicion that S Pulse had not really started yet, was a worry.
At the start of the second half all the S Pulse team were out and in their team huddle before even one player from Ardija had made it on to the pitch. I am sure that Ghotbi's halftime teamtalk had been swift and urgent. Go and get out there and play like I know you can. Expecting an S Pulse onslaught as the gusting wind picked up in strength, fans of the Shizuoka team were at first to be disappointed though as yet again it was Ardija who put the better moves together and exposed some weaknesses in the flanks of S Pulse's defence. Cho, whose passing was not always perfect, but whose running on and off the ball on either wing was evident in the first 70 minutes of this match, easily got down the left wing on the 56th minute and turned the S Pulse defender to cross the ball towards Takuya Aoki, only for the hapless Jong A Pin to beat Aoki to the ball and turn it into his own net.
This goal suddenly brought S Pulse and the match blazing into life as Ishige hit the bar with an effort from outside the box. In the 65th minute, Ardija extended their lead, with another goal which came from the left wing, this time Novakovic was the player to turn the opposition's defence far too easily and be the provider, and there again was Aoki, and this time he made no mistake striking the ball home sweetly from just outside the box. 2-0 up with 25 minutes to go and chances still coming. It seemed as if we would be taking our first 3 points of the season at the first go. Novakovic's miss when through clear on goal from a Cho set up, and poor control from Cho himself when he was bearing down on goal, would in the end prove crucial. S Pulse finally turned up for real in the last 20 minutes and fought back to level the match through goals from firstly their main danger player, Ishige on the 74th minute and then Uchida in the 84th minute. S Pulse looked the stronger and fitter as both teams went for the winner, but neither team could and it ended 2-2. Takahashi should have done better with his attempted header to clear the ball for the first goal, and the second goal was a calamity as the free kick evaded the efforts of both the defenders and then Kitano to clear it.
The main talking point toward the end of the game involved Jong A Pin again, who made a reckless challenge and a clear foul right on the edge of the penalty box. The freekick was given but the S Pulse defender did not receive any booking from the referee. Then Jong A Pin showed dissent to the referee by arguing with him over the distance the wall was and marking out the paces for him. Here, the referee rightly showed him a yellow card, but Jong A Pin should have found himself back in the changing rooms with 2 yellow cards to his name. The other S Pulse players behaved equally as poorly as they backchatted to the referee and delayed the free kick a noticeable length of time. Unfortunately the eventual free kick taken by Novakovic was poor and went directly into the wall. Earlier in the second half their South Korean midfielder was fouled just over the halfway line. The referee correctly gave a free kick. But Min Soo made an awful meal of it, waving around that he had been elbowed when replays clearly showed that nothing of the kind happened. When the referee immediately told him that he was wrong, the player bowed his head in apology. And so he should, attempting to get your opponent wrongly booked or sent off is one of the worst things to see on a football pitch and should be ironed out of the game. These kinds of behaviour from the S Pulse players do them and their coach Ghotbi no favours. It's a shame as their football is usually very pleasing to watch.
A draw then for Ardija. It seems so disappointing after letting a 2 goal lead slip. However there are some real positives to take from this game. The overall shape of the team worked for me, and if the players get sharper over the next games as we must expect them too, then things look positive for the Squirrels. The defence was looking reasonably stable until the final section of the match and Verdenik is a coach who can work well with Kikuchi and Takahashi to give their partnership a chance to succeed. Novakovic and Zlatan will want their finishing to be better, and certainly there is a question about Zlatan's fitness who was substituted in the second half. Cho looked lively on the wings and when he makes his passes and crosses more telling and perhaps make them a bit quicker to catch the runs of the front pair, he will go on to achieve much more now Higashi has left the club. Aoki in midfield had a fantastic match. He was my player of the season last year. Lots of his midfield work often goes unnoticed but it is so valuable as he supports both the defence and then the midfield as we push forward. His name will get noticed because of his involvement in both our goals, but it's his unselfish play elsewhere that is really of note.
As for S Pulse, in Ishige they have a very exciting player to watch, but their fans must be worried that he does not join the ever growing exodus of Japanese youth to European shores. In Bare, they have a striker who will give defenders something to think about and I would expect him to find the net quite a bit. Their defence does not look so good on this showing. Time will tell if this was a hiccup or the sign of a major weak point.
Next up for Ardija is a match against the other team from Shizuoka, an away trip to Jubilo Iwata as we try to avoid the curse of Maeda. The team that Jubilo Iwata and Japan striker Ryoichi Maeda has scored his first goal of the season against in the last 6 seasons has ended the season by getting relegated. It's a quite remarkable and unusual statistic, and unfortunately for Squirrels fans he didn't score in Jubilo's opening game, a creditable 1-1 draw away at Nagoya Grampus. Ardija fans will be looking for the team to get the defence into the form it showed in the last 11 games of the 2012 season, and for Zlatan and Novakovic to have the scoring boots on, oh and to keep Maeda quiet of course!
Omiya Ardija's winter break had been relatively quiet. The main action being the loss of midfielder Keigo Higashi to FC Tokyo, and the return of the successful loanee, Komoto to J2 bound Vissel Kobe. The latter an admirable sign of loyalty to his home town club as he chose to play for them in J2 rather than fight out another season with the big boys as part of Omiya Ardija's defence. Kobe have rewarded him by making him captain I believe. His partnership at the back with Kikuchi had been a key part of the Squirrels' survival in the top flight, and so Ardija fans will be looking keenly to see how youngster Shohei Takahashi fits in after his arrival from J2 outfit Tokyo Verdy, where he played 111 matches and scored 9 goals. As for Higashi, he leaves the club after two seasons of promise which never seemed to be quite fulfilled. FC Tokyo are getting a player full of potential and young enough to have time to develop and fulfill it. Being a smaller fish in a bigger pond might suit Higashi at this point in his career and I expect to read good things about him in the future.
The first match out of the hat for Ardija was an Orange derby with the team from Shizuoka, Shimizu S Pulse. I was lucky enough to receive a pair of free tickets for this game and I found myself for the first time ever sitting behind the goal next to the away supporters. Whether they had not taken up their full application, or were never given the opportunity to, I don't know. In any case, I actually thoroughly enjoyed myself in these "extra" home seats. There were no queues to buy beer or for the toilets, and with 30 minutes to go, we could easily find a good seat to view the match from. Luckily at Nack 5 there is little sign of trouble between opposing sets of fans and the segregation barriers looked relatively flimsy but thankfully were not needed. A poor policeman was employed to stand there and stare at us all the game, which he did with due Japanese diligence, or perhaps he was a baseball fan!
Omiya started with Zlatan and Novakovic up front, Cho, Kanazawa, Aoki and Watanabe in midfield and with a defence of Shimohira, Kikuchi, Takahashi and Watabe. It was a very windy day, and the strength of the wind increased steadily throughout the match. In the first half Ardija attacked towards the away end and after a slow opening period, they started to make some nice breaks and showed some ability to spread the ball well between the midfield and attack. However real chances were few and far between and our first chance came from a mistake by Bare as he passed the ball backwards and Zlatan exploited the error to set up Novakovic, whose shot was too weak but the S Pulse goalie, Hayashi could only parry it to Zlatan, whose attempt was blocked by Hayashi. In the first half S Pulse seemed slow out of the blocks and their only real chance was a header from Ishige which was saved by the feet of Kitano. At half time I sat in my seat, thinking Ardija were fairly comfortable, well organised and starting to play some nice football. Yet the suspicion that S Pulse had not really started yet, was a worry.
At the start of the second half all the S Pulse team were out and in their team huddle before even one player from Ardija had made it on to the pitch. I am sure that Ghotbi's halftime teamtalk had been swift and urgent. Go and get out there and play like I know you can. Expecting an S Pulse onslaught as the gusting wind picked up in strength, fans of the Shizuoka team were at first to be disappointed though as yet again it was Ardija who put the better moves together and exposed some weaknesses in the flanks of S Pulse's defence. Cho, whose passing was not always perfect, but whose running on and off the ball on either wing was evident in the first 70 minutes of this match, easily got down the left wing on the 56th minute and turned the S Pulse defender to cross the ball towards Takuya Aoki, only for the hapless Jong A Pin to beat Aoki to the ball and turn it into his own net.
This goal suddenly brought S Pulse and the match blazing into life as Ishige hit the bar with an effort from outside the box. In the 65th minute, Ardija extended their lead, with another goal which came from the left wing, this time Novakovic was the player to turn the opposition's defence far too easily and be the provider, and there again was Aoki, and this time he made no mistake striking the ball home sweetly from just outside the box. 2-0 up with 25 minutes to go and chances still coming. It seemed as if we would be taking our first 3 points of the season at the first go. Novakovic's miss when through clear on goal from a Cho set up, and poor control from Cho himself when he was bearing down on goal, would in the end prove crucial. S Pulse finally turned up for real in the last 20 minutes and fought back to level the match through goals from firstly their main danger player, Ishige on the 74th minute and then Uchida in the 84th minute. S Pulse looked the stronger and fitter as both teams went for the winner, but neither team could and it ended 2-2. Takahashi should have done better with his attempted header to clear the ball for the first goal, and the second goal was a calamity as the free kick evaded the efforts of both the defenders and then Kitano to clear it.
The main talking point toward the end of the game involved Jong A Pin again, who made a reckless challenge and a clear foul right on the edge of the penalty box. The freekick was given but the S Pulse defender did not receive any booking from the referee. Then Jong A Pin showed dissent to the referee by arguing with him over the distance the wall was and marking out the paces for him. Here, the referee rightly showed him a yellow card, but Jong A Pin should have found himself back in the changing rooms with 2 yellow cards to his name. The other S Pulse players behaved equally as poorly as they backchatted to the referee and delayed the free kick a noticeable length of time. Unfortunately the eventual free kick taken by Novakovic was poor and went directly into the wall. Earlier in the second half their South Korean midfielder was fouled just over the halfway line. The referee correctly gave a free kick. But Min Soo made an awful meal of it, waving around that he had been elbowed when replays clearly showed that nothing of the kind happened. When the referee immediately told him that he was wrong, the player bowed his head in apology. And so he should, attempting to get your opponent wrongly booked or sent off is one of the worst things to see on a football pitch and should be ironed out of the game. These kinds of behaviour from the S Pulse players do them and their coach Ghotbi no favours. It's a shame as their football is usually very pleasing to watch.
A draw then for Ardija. It seems so disappointing after letting a 2 goal lead slip. However there are some real positives to take from this game. The overall shape of the team worked for me, and if the players get sharper over the next games as we must expect them too, then things look positive for the Squirrels. The defence was looking reasonably stable until the final section of the match and Verdenik is a coach who can work well with Kikuchi and Takahashi to give their partnership a chance to succeed. Novakovic and Zlatan will want their finishing to be better, and certainly there is a question about Zlatan's fitness who was substituted in the second half. Cho looked lively on the wings and when he makes his passes and crosses more telling and perhaps make them a bit quicker to catch the runs of the front pair, he will go on to achieve much more now Higashi has left the club. Aoki in midfield had a fantastic match. He was my player of the season last year. Lots of his midfield work often goes unnoticed but it is so valuable as he supports both the defence and then the midfield as we push forward. His name will get noticed because of his involvement in both our goals, but it's his unselfish play elsewhere that is really of note.
As for S Pulse, in Ishige they have a very exciting player to watch, but their fans must be worried that he does not join the ever growing exodus of Japanese youth to European shores. In Bare, they have a striker who will give defenders something to think about and I would expect him to find the net quite a bit. Their defence does not look so good on this showing. Time will tell if this was a hiccup or the sign of a major weak point.
Next up for Ardija is a match against the other team from Shizuoka, an away trip to Jubilo Iwata as we try to avoid the curse of Maeda. The team that Jubilo Iwata and Japan striker Ryoichi Maeda has scored his first goal of the season against in the last 6 seasons has ended the season by getting relegated. It's a quite remarkable and unusual statistic, and unfortunately for Squirrels fans he didn't score in Jubilo's opening game, a creditable 1-1 draw away at Nagoya Grampus. Ardija fans will be looking for the team to get the defence into the form it showed in the last 11 games of the 2012 season, and for Zlatan and Novakovic to have the scoring boots on, oh and to keep Maeda quiet of course!
Monday 18 February 2013
Omiya Ardija 2013 J League fixtures
March 2013
2nd March Shimizu S Pulse HOME
9th March Jubilo Iwata AWAY
16th March Albirex Nigata HOME
30th March Kashima Antlers HOME
April 2013
6th April FC Tokyo AWAY
13th April Cerezo Osaka AWAY
20th April Urawa Reds HOME
26th April Kashiwa Reysol AWAY
May 2013
3rd May Oita Trinita AWAY
6th May Sanfrecce Hiroshima HOME
11th May Vegalta Sendai AWAY
18th May Shonan Bellmare HOME
25th May Ventforet Kofu AWAY
July 2013
6th July Sagan Tosu HOME
10th July Nagoya Grampus HOME
13th July Yokohama FM AWAY
17th July Kawasaki Frontale HOME
31st July Sanfrecce Hiroshima AWAY
August 2013
3rd August Kashima Antlers AWAY
10th August Cerezo Osaka HOME
17th August Sagan Tosu AWAY
24th August Kashiwa Reysol HOME
28th August Kawasaki Frontale AWAY
31st August Yokohama FM HOME
September 2013
14th September Albirex Nigata AWAY
21st September Vegalta Sendai HOME
28th September FC Tokyo HOME
October 2013
5th October Urawa Reds AWAY
19th October Oita Trinita HOME
27th October Nagoya Grampus AWAY
November 2013
10th November Ventforet Kofu HOME
23rd November Shimizu S Pulse AWAY
30th November Jubilo Iwata HOME
December 2013
7th December Shonan Bellmare AWAY
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)