Very concise rundown (limited to 450 words) on the ACL for a magazine in Japan!

Basic, but brilliant? That’s one comment I had already!! A very swift / brief look at J2 teams and what they have to offer – comments, critique, omissions? PLEASE mail me!

Here’s my complete (yet, ever-changing) but brief all encompassing J1 preview. Will also be updating all the teams (even getting them in the right division) on jsoccer.com other pages! J2 on the way soon.

Shinji Okazaki may well return to S-Pulse without kicking a ball in anger for Stuttgart after it was revealed that S-Pulse – already in disarray after the resignation of coach Kenta Hasegawa and the mass exodus of players in the close season – are claiming 1 million Euros in payment. The claim is that Okazaki signed on Jan.31st, the day his contract ran out (not the day AFTER) so he had a double contract (illegal) and / or the 1 million Euros clause /fee has to be paid.Of course, if he had waited until Feb.1st he would have been too late to join anyway, due to the European transfer window!It”s about time some of these clubs stopped raping our clubs and taking our players for free, or very little! Whatever happens, this case will have huge consequences … either in improving contracts in Japan, or getting decent fees for players when they are whisked away.325,000 Euros for Kagawa? Come on!!!

Gamba Osaka’s Hideo Hashimoto ruptured ligaments in the right knee in a pre-season practice game against Kashiwa Reysol in Guam – the injury was repaired in an operation back in Japan and the hopes are that he will be back for the latter part of the season … perhaps by the end of August.

A quick minute with Vissel Kobe’s ex-Japan World Cup captain – exclusive to jsoccer.com …. more to come!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuYaOopompIVitesse v. Feyenoord – Yasuda (yellow 16) v. Miyaichi (red no.34). Japanese in Holland!

A story that needs looking into … news from Plymouth Argyle fans in England ….

Web sites, stadium directions, how to get tickets, for Vissel Kobe, Gamba Osaka, Cerezo Osaka, Kyoto Sanga.

A 60 Second Interview with Cerezo Osaka’s Ryuji Bando – exclusive to jsoccer.com – enjoy! And watch out for more from other players in the coming days and weeks leading up to the new season!