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The Japanese football thread

Discussion in 'World Football' started by Skelleto, Feb 23, 2023.

Discuss The Japanese football thread in the World Football area at TalkCeltic.net.

  1. Far East Footballer

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    Speaking of Japanese goal keepers, some football media were reporting that Celtic is interested in Kosei Tani, 22 year old Japanese goal keeper playing for Gamba Osaka. He is 190cm. J League 2023 season started last month, and he has been playing in all games (he is the first choice goal keeper for Gamba Osaka), so he is young but well experienced already. Now that J-league has 60 teams and many Japanese footballers are playing in Europe, I'm too busy to watch his games, though. He is playing for the national team too (the picture below was filmed when he was playing in Tokyo Olympics)

    Kosei Tani : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosei_Tani
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2023
  2. Far East Footballer

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    In 30 years of J-League history, the youngest top scorer age is 23 years old. In many cases, strikers younger than 20 or 21 are not given plenty of playing time in J-League (because Japanese footballers tend not to be physically ready till 20 and J-League clubs tend to buy well experienced Brazilian strikers in stead of using their young talents). This season, I want to see Mao Hosoya (21 year old Japanese striker) will make the youngest top scorer record of J1 this season. Last season, he scored 8 goals. To win the top scorer award, I think he'll need to score 3 times (around 24 goals) this season. I think it's possible, judging from his recent performance. This season, he has scored 3 goals in 4 games (3 J1 games and 1 League cup game) so far. I feel he is growing as a footballer rapidly now. The picture below was taken when he was playing for U21 national team last year (The number 11 is Mao Hosoya)

    Mao Hosoya : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Hosoya
    [​IMG]
     
  3. Far East Footballer

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    As I wrote, AFC U20 Asian Cup is being held now. Top 4 teams are qualified to FIFA U20 World Cup (it's held this May).

    Japan have already reached the semi final, by winning all games so far, so Japan will play in FIFA U20 World Cup!. It's fun to see Japanese teenaged talents in international matches. I think Kumata, Matsuki and Sano were especially impressive. Kumata has scored 4 goals in 4 games, being currently the top scorer of ongoing U20 Asian cup. Some football media were reporting some European clubs including Celtic are interested in Matsuki. Another young talent that I felt interesting is Niko Takahashi. He is 17 year old (the youngest boy of the current squad) full back playing for Barcelona's youth team. As far as I know, England, France, Brazil etc will play in U20 World Cup this May. I'm curious how good Japanese young talents are against those teams.
     
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  4. Far East Footballer

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    Compared to average J-League season, I think more playing time has been given to teenaged players this season so far and they are showing quality. The most impressive is, Tawaratsumida, 18 year old winger / attacking midfielder playing for FC Tokyo. He has been giving opponent defenders hard times with his dribbling this season. Recently, Japanese football media tend to call young Japanese footballers good at dribbling "Next Mitoma" and Tawaratsumida is one of them. He is 18 years old and I'm curious where he is playing when he is 25 years old (might be playing for a big European club). FC Tokyo has some other very potential teenaged players such as Matsuki and Kumata, so I think I'll watch FC Tokyo's games more this season (That said, Kumata won't be given a lot of playing time in that FC Tokyo have a good Brazilian striker).
    [​IMG]


    He joined the top team very recently, so there aren't many videos about him on Youtube yet. Anyway, he is 18 years old, but it looks like he is already one of the best players of FC Tokyo now (I've seen him in only a few games and it's actually too early to judge him, though)
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2023
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  5. Smithy

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    Kyogo and Hatate yet again don’t make the squad but an injured Daizen does


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  6. Far East Footballer

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    A lot of Japanese people (including me) and football media don't understand why Moriyasu didn't choose Kyogo and Hatate. Actually, in the press conference, Japanese football media asked Moriyasu why he didn't choose Kyogo and Hatate. A lot of people insist Kyogo, Hatate and Kosuke Nakamura (goal keeper playing for a Portuguese club) should have been called up for Samurai Blue.

    Keito Nakamura was selected for the first time. He is one of the top goal scorer in Austrian league this season and he looks very good. I'm curious how good he is playing for Samurai Blue. I'm sure he will move to a bigger club in a bigger league in this summer transfer window.
     
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  7. Far East Footballer

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    Japan was already qualified to U20 World Cup, so Japan changed the starting 11 drastically for the semi final and the semi final was 2-2 draw and Japan lost in the penalty shootout again (Japan is "traditionally" bad at penalty shootout!). Kumata scored a goal again (5 goals in 5 games). My favorite dribbler Einaga also scored a goal. I'm curious how many of the U20 members are playing in competitive European clubs in 2027.
     
  8. Far East Footballer

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    Most members of the newest squad are playing in Europe now and some are playing in Japan. Two young defenders playing in J-League as full back are called up for the first time. Both are 21 years old. In recent years (last 10 years), Japanese full back playing for Samurai Blue have been good enough to play in top leagues in Europe (many in Bundesliga, Nagatomo in Inter Milan, Tomiyasu in Arsenal, etc). In that sense, they might be good enough for Celtic too.


    Kashif Bangnagande (left back) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashif_Bangnagande
    [​IMG]

    He is playing for FC Tokyo and FC Tokyo currently has a lot of interesting teenaged talents such as Matsuki (19 years old), Tawaratsumida (18 years old) and Kumata (18 years old). I forgot his name, but a 16 year old boy was also given some playing time this season. So, I'll watch FC Tokyo's games more this season.






    Riku Handa (right back) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riku_Handa
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  9. Far East Footballer

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    The 17 year old lad scored a goal today too!. It's his third goal of this season. He has played for only 169 mins this season, so more than one goal per game (=90mins). All three goals are fine goals. Japan have had some very tall strikers but they were not very skillful and they were not very good goal scorers. However, this lad looks skillful and he is only 17 years old and 191cm. I'm curious if he can play for a big club in Europe when he is 22 years old.

    Here is the video of his today's goal: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9Ia6RnGQI6o
     
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  10. Far East Footballer

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    Some beautiful goals were born in J-League today and I like this goal the most. The goal scorer is Toya Izumi. He is 22 years old but this season is his first professional season because he was playing for his university football team till very recently. As I wrote before, university football league is very serious here in Japan. As you may know, Hatate and Kyogo also used to play in university football league till they were 22 years old. Mitoma, a winger playing in English Premier League for Brighton was also playing for his university football team. I like his goal of today. Beautiful first touch - good dribbling - the world class finish.


    I didn't know much about him, but it seems he used to play for Japan's youth national team too when he was a teenager and some people say he was impressive in pre season matches too. Mitoma, Hatate, Mitsuta, and many were already one of the best footballers in J-League in their first professional season after graduating from university. I hope he will follow them.
    [​IMG]




    The goal looks very similar to this Mitoma's goal of this season.


     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2023
  11. Far East Footballer

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    He (= Mao Hosoya) is called up for U22 national team (it's Paris Olympic team). U22 Japan will have two friendly matches against U22 Germany and U22 Belgium this month. Another attacking player who is called up for U22 I'm interested in is Koki Saito. He scored a fantastic goal today for a Dutch club and it's his third goal in the last 3 games. Japan have a lot of very good wingers and attacking midfielders like Koki Saito. I want to see more very good center forward / strikers, instead of wingers now.

    Here is Today's fantastic goal of Koki Saito.



    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2023
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  12. Far East Footballer

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    U22 Japan v U22 Germany was held in Germany tonight. The result was 2-2 draw. Zion Suzuki was very goood.
     
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  13. Wllm Gold Member Gold Member

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    I stuck him on the player suggestions thread a while back. He looked good on wyscout but couldnt find a decent youtube compilation to post at the time. Not the tallest but he's got great agility and is quick across his goal and around the box.
     
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  14. Far East Footballer

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    Japan v Uruguay was 1 - 1 draw. It was a boring game but my favorite full back Yukinari Sugawara was very impressive. He was not called up for FIFA World Cup Qatar last year, so he is a new member for Samurai Blue. He is young, 22 years old and he is currently the best right back in the Dutch League. He scored 4 goals and 9 assists this season as a full back, which is very impressive. I think he will move to a bigger club this summer. The shirt number 2 in the video is Sugawara.
     
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  15. Wllm Gold Member Gold Member

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    We came up against him in the Europa League qualifiers last season. He played pretty well against us.
     
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  16. Far East Footballer

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    Another U22 Japan player I was interested in Kein Sato. He scored 1 goal and 1 assist in the game against U22 Germany. He is 21 year old, currently playing for his university football team, not a professional football club. I assume he will start playing for a professional football club in 2024 after graduating. I feel like supporting late developers. Playing for their university football teams usually means the players are late developers. I'm curious where he will play in 2026 (next world cup year), when he is 24 or 25 years old (I hope he is playing in Europe in 2026)
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2023
  17. Far East Footballer

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    FC Tokyo have a lot of my favorite young talents. As I wrote in this thread, AFC U20 Asian Cup was held this month and Naoki Kumata won the top scorer of AFC U20 Asian Cup. He is also playing for FC Tokyo now. J-League Cup games were held this weekend and Kumata scored a goal. He is 18 years old, very young but he looks very good!. Japan tend to have good wingers but not center forwards / strikers. Among Japanese teenaged center forwards, I feel he (Naoki Kumata) and Keisuke Goto are the most potential. Here is today's goal of Naoki Kumata.



    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2023
  18. Wllm Gold Member Gold Member

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    Early days into campaign but when you look at the state of Kawasaki so far this season you kinda realise how competitive the J League is. If you stand still in that league or get recruitment wrong you can very quickly get toppled.
     
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  19. Far East Footballer

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    Generally speaking, there aren't dominant clubs in J-League. No financially big clubs compared to the other clubs. So, good players are scattered, not gathered in some specific clubs. So, it's very difficult to guess which club to win each season. in 30 years of J-League history, more than 10 different clubs have won J1 League.

    Not only that, Champion clubs have got relegated too. For example, Gamba Osaka won J1 League. Following seasons, they were like 2nd, 3rd, 2nd and 3rd. Then, they suddenly dropped to 17th and got relegated to J2 League.

    All J1, J2, J3 and * clubs including top high school and university football teams are in Emperor's Cup. The winner of Emperor's cup is qualified to AFC Champions League. So, Emperor's cup is a serious competition. Last season, J2 club won Emperor's cup, defeating multiple J1 clubs. So, good players can be scattered even in J2, not only J1.

    J-League don't have a dominant club, which is actually making it a bit difficult for J-League clubs to win AFC Champions League. Korea, China and Middle East countries (such as Saudi Arabia) have dominant clubs like Celtic, which help them to win AFC Champions League. Speaking of AFC Champions League, a J-League Club "Urawa Reds" have reached the final of AFC Champions League and will play against a Saudi Arabian club in the final. Urawa is currently 6th of J1 League. So, in Japan, there aren't any dominant clubs like Celtic, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG. I like it in that any fans of different clubs can enjoy thinking "My club might be able to win J1 League this season or next season!".
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2023
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  20. MagicBallBhoy Gold Member Gold Member

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    thats the way it should be mate, you need to keep an eye on it and rich owners rich tv companies e.t.c. trying to buy success or make loads of money or it will kill your league and football as a competition