At the bottom of J1, S-Pulse are down, and Montedio are all but gone, but mathematically in with a chance of survival as I write. Again, worth noting just in case there is any confusion, the relegation places are decided on the overall season/two stages combined table. Matsumoto Yamaga need to make up five points on Vissel Kobe, or six on Sagan or Albirex to reach safety. A tall order, right?

At the top of J2, Omiya Ardija appeared to have the Championship sewn up weeks ago but are now doing their best to lose it. Jubilo are just two points clear of Avispa Fukuoka with the top two going up to J1 without a play-off fight. Fukuoka seem to be the favourites of many now, while Cerezo Osaka have faded away in the last few games although are still well withing the play-off spots.

The play-offs will be 3rd-placed team v 6th placed, and 4th v 5th, over two legs, with a final play-off for a spot in J1 between the winners of those two ties.

Verdy have dropped a few points recently, while Ehime have also flirted with that 6th spot. Giravanz looked good for the play-offs earlier in the season but are not five points away, while the unlikely names of Roasso Kumamoto and Tokushima Vortis have risen into the frame, although it would be a huge surprise, but there are still 15 points to play for in five remaining games. Anythong COULD (and will?) happen.

At the bottom of J2 Tochigi are six points away from safely, although only two points away from earning a play-off spot – as opposed to straight relegation – against the 2nd placed J3 team. FC Gifu have flirted with wins but have dropped back into danger, just four points clear of Oita in that 2nd relegation (play-off) spot. With five matches to go Kyoto Sanga and Mito HollyHock are still well within reach of the lower teams, too.

At the top of J3 Yamaguchi Renofa are looking good for promotion as the Champions, while Machida Zelvia have pulled away from Nagano going for that play-off spot.

At the bottom of J3 we see the J.League Under 22 selection who, of course couldn’t be relegated anyway, although it seems will be replaced by an Under 19 team next season?! Fujieda MYFC are ten points clear of Y.S.C.C. although it should be noted that no teams will be relegated this season as the J3 expansion continues. With rumours of four (at least) “2nd XI” teams from J1 being added to J3 next season, including Gamba Osaka and Urawa Reds, interesting times are ahead! Not necessarily well-received times, though?!

 FC Gifu MINAMO

Giravanz Kitakyushu GIRAN

Mito HollyHock HOLLY-kun

Fagiano Okayama FAGI-MARU

Jubilo Iwata JUBILO-kun

Ehime FC IYOKANTA

Kyoto Sanga PURSA-kun

Yokohama FC FULIE MARU

J.League Mascot – Mr. PITCH!

 JEF United JEFFY

Thespakusatsu Gunma YUUTO

Kashiwa Reysol Rey-kun

Roasso Kumamoto ROASSO-kun

Omiya Ardija ARDY

Shonan Bellmare KING BELL I

Cerezo Osaka ROBI

Zweigen Kanazawa GENJI

Tokushima Vortis VORTA-kun

Albirex Niigata ALBI-kun

Urawa Reds REDIA

Tochigi SC TOKKY

Kashima Antlers SHIKAO

Tokyo Verdy VERDY-kun

Sagan Tosu WINTOSU

Shimizu S-Pulse PUL-chan

Avispa Fukuoka AVI-kun

Oita Trinita NEETAN

Vissel Kobe MOVI

Gamba Osaka GAMBA BOY

FC Tokyo TOKYO DOROMPA

Nagoya Grampus GRAMPUS-kun

Yokohama F•Marinos MARINOSUKE

Ventforet Kofu VAN-kun

Matsumoto Yamaga GANS-kun

Kawasaki Frontale FRONTA

 Vegalta Sendai VEGATTA

V-Varen Nagasaki VIVI-kun

Montedio Yamagata DIIO

NUMBER 1!!  Sanfrecce Hiroshima SANCCE

(c) HJK Helsinki

Thanks to the club for the picture and for their promised cooperation as we follow the progress of Atomu!

CEO John Tsatsimas was very pleased with the capture of the accomplished playmaker.

“We are very pleased to have been able to do this piece of business in the transfer window,” said Tsatsimas.

“Takahagi is a very experienced and talented attacking player who has the versatility to play in a number of positions in the front third.

“We had the opportunity to play against him in the Round of 16 in last year’s Champions League so we know firsthand the player’s ability and attitude on the pitch and we are very excited for him to join the squad.

“With caps for Japan, plenty of ACL experience and at 28 years old we have found a player that is hungry for more success, something as a Club we are all striving for.”

Starting his youth career at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Takahagi joined the senior ranks and, aside from a one season loan to then J-2 side Enhime FC in 2006, was a consistent first team player who made over 250 appearances for the Club.

Takahagi has been signed on a short-term Champions League contract for the Group Stage and potential Round of 16 matches.

Text and image from: http://www.wswanderersfc.com.au/article/wanderers-sign-japanese-international/lx4qbv7x158d1cmwfje6wzml1#IrkPqG8BDBkQtwDA.99 ]]> http://www.jsoccer.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=3979 0 http://www.jsoccer.com/wp/?p=3952 http://www.jsoccer.com/wp/?p=3952#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2015 00:57:37 +0000 http://www.jsoccer.com/wp/?p=3952 See original at http://www.redbulls.com

After concluding the final contractual details, FC Red Bull Salzburg are officially able to announce the signing of Takumi Minamino.

The 19-year-old attacker is joining the Red Bulls from Cerezo Osaka and has signed a contract until 2018 (with an option of a further year). Minamino is regarded as a major talent in Japan, and he has made 62 appearances already in the J.League. His former Japanese club signed some international stars recently like Diegó Forlan and Cacao, but were this year relegated from the top flight after a difficult season.

FC Red Bull Salzburg have been tracking the development of the promising talent for the last year and a half. Sporting director Ralf Rangnick is delighted about the new signing, saying: “We have had our eyes on Minamino for a long time, and we are convinced that he has great potential. Playing in Europe is the next logical career step for a player like him, and we are very pleased that he would like to begin this journey with FC Red Bull Salzburg.”

The Japanese player is taking a range of performance tests today and tomorrow. He will then train with his new team-mates for the first time on Friday.

We were able to sit down before the Europa League match against Astra Giurgiu to get to know the new signing. We therefore have a short first interview with the likeable talent to present:


Red Bull: You are already well known in Japan, and a few big-name European clubs have taken notice of you. Why did you decide to join Red Bull Salzburg?

Takumi Minamino: I have seen a few Red Bull Salzburg matches, and when I got the offer, I was extremely keen straight away! I really like the intense, attacking way that Red Bull Salzburg play football. I truly believe that I can develop my ability as best as I possibly can in this team. I am looking forward already to playing with my new team, and I hope that we can be very successful together.

RB: What do you know about the team and the coach, Adi Hütter?

TM: I watched the Europa League match against Astra Giurgiu at the Red Bull Arena, and it stood out for me that the coach insists on playing a very intensive style at both ends of the pitch – in attack and defence. I was impressed by the dynamic way of playing and also that there were a lot of young players appearing in the match. That is exactly the style of football that I like, and I look forward to working with Adi Hütter.



RB: How would you describe the kind of player that you are?

TM: I am a rather attacking type of player, and I feel the happiest as an attacking midfielder. My best virtues are probably my dribbling strength, my speed, and I try to shoot a lot. I am playing for the first time in Europe and will try to get used to the playing style of Red Bull Salzburg as quickly as possible. It will be my first year in Europe, so I will also need to get accustomed to the new culture and the people in Salzburg. I am already really looking forward to the new challenge.


RB: A few days ago the club signed another top Asian talent. You have faced Hee-Chan Hwang already a few times in the Asian championship [under-17s]. Have you two been in contact beyond that?

TM: I don’t know Hee-Chan personally, but we have come across each other on the pitch. He is truly a very good player, and he is quite rightfully described as one of the biggest talents in Korea. We are sure to understand one another well.


RB: Salzburg is pleased to welcome many Japanese tourists to Mozart’s home city every year. Have you already been able to discover your new home city a little in your short time here?

TM: I have only been able to stay for one day in Salzburg so far, unfortunately, so I have not seen much yet. I really like the city and the atmosphere though. I was impressed by the river flowing through the centre of the city and the magnificent castle. I am already looking forward to exploring Salzburg when not busy with football. Perhaps we will get a lot of the Japanese tourists coming to our matches in the future, too.

GOALKEEPER:

Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba) – transformed a team that was known for leaking goals into a trophy-winning team with a tight defence.

DEFENCE:

Koki Yonekura (Gamba) – filled Akira Kaji’s shoes, and more. Created, scored, worked hard. Many years ahead of him, too!

Tsukasa Shiotani (Sanfrecce) – Burst onto the scene as a goalscoring defender who proved that he can play in a Japan NT back four, also. Hope Sanfrecce keep hold of him for a season or three more!

Daisuke Nasu (Reds) A rock between two hard cases (Moriwaki and Makino). Often the only glue that held those boys together. With the attacking tendencies (and referee/opposition-baiting tactics) of his co-defenders, he was the one that stood tall.

JaeSuk Oh (Gamba) Covered right back when needed, but mainly displaced Hiroki Fujiharu at left back, who had been ever-present for two seasons in the Gamba back four.

MIDFIELD:

Yasuhito Endo (Gamba) – The name is enough!

Gaku Shibasaki (Antlers) – Endo’s heir apparent in the national team and Ogasawara’s long-term replacement at Antlers.

Yasushi Endo (Antlers) – Chimed in with goals to back his flair and workrate. Deserves a shot at the national team, too?

Hiroyuki Abe (Gamba) – Unsung hero of Gamba’s attacking bunch. In particular, his early-season goals were important, but his overall workrate up and down the right wing is phenomenal. Another one who deserves Aguirre’s attention.

FORWARDS:

Takashi Usami (Gamba) – Simply changed Gamba’s season (along with Patric’s arrival) upon his return from injury about ten games in!

Yoshito Okubo (Frontale) – Goalscoring phenomenon, and a player everyone hates playing against their team!

Substitutes:

Akihiro Hayashi (Tosu)
Daiki Niwa (Gamba) Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo)
Yosuke Kashiwagi (Reds)
Yoshinoro Muto (FC Tokyo) Patric (Gamba) Yohei Toyoda (Tosu)

MVP for the season Yasuhito Endo (Gamba

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Official J.League Best XI 2014

(Nominees for the J.League Awards, Dec.9th:

GK – Higashiguchi (Gamba) Nishikawa (Reds) Hayashi (Tosu)

DF – Yonekura (Gamba) Nishi (Antlers) Nasu (Reds) Konno (Gamba) Mizumoto (Sanfrecce) Shoji (Antlers) Shiotani (Sanfrecce) Makino (Reds) Morishige (FC Tokyo) Yasuda (Tosu) Ota (FC Tokyo)

MF – Endo (Gamba) Shibasaki (Antlers) Kashiwagi (Reds) Abe (Gamba) Morioka (Vissel) Oshima (Frontale) Abe (Reds) Endo (Antlers) Nakamura (Frontale) Leo Silva (Albirex) Muto (FC Tokyo)

FW – Usami (Gamba) Okubo (Frontale) Patric (Gamba) Kobayashi (Frontale) Koroki (Reds) Renato (Frontale) Toyoda (Tosu)

Here’s the Kyodo News take on the match:

INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA – Japan launched its Asian Games campaign with victory on Sunday, the defending champion defeating Kuwait 4-1 in the men’s soccer competition.

Five days ahead of the opening ceremony of the 17th Games, Albirex Niigata forward Musashi Suzuki struck on either side of halftime for Japan, which was also boosted by a goal each from captain Ryota Oshima and Takuya Iwanami.

Japan’s next game is on Wednesday against Iraq. Japan beat the United Arab Emirates 1-0 in the final to snare gold four years ago in Guangzhou, China.

Nadeshiko Japan, who also won the title in 2010 alongside the men, play China on Monday in their first game of the competition.

Both teams came out cautiously for the opening half at Incheon Football Stadium, where the first shot on target by either side in the 43rd minute led to the first goal of the game.

Oshima, despite being surrounded by three defenders, found his way onto the end of a lob into the box before the Kawasaki Frontale midfielder hit the back of the net.

Kuwait came within a hair of equalizing through its captain in injury time, but Jubilo Iwata’s Ayumi Niekawa made a fine save from Alsanea Sami from point-blank range to keep Japan ahead going into the break.

Makoto Teguramori’s men got off to a fast start in the second half when from a 50th-minute corner, Suzuki pounced on a ball headed across the face of goal by Kashima Antlers’ Naomichi Ueda.

The Kuwaitis pulled within one 20 minutes later through Najaf Yousef to give themselves a chance of stealing a point off the holders, after Iwanami cleared off the line.

But Iwanami himself re-established Japan’s two-goal lead from close range in the 74th minute, and Suzuki put the game out of Kuwait’s reach eight minutes from time with his second of the evening thanks to the assistance of Shoya Nakajima.

“I’m glad I could score,” said Suzuki. “We didn’t start very well but gradually started to control the pace of the game. We attacked really well in the second half.”

“If we play like we did in the second half against Iraq I think we can do well. We need to get proper rest for the next two days and get prepared.”

Japan squad, as chosen by Javier Aguirre today, 15.30 for games against Uruguay and Venezuela.

Goalkeepers:
Eiji Kawashima (Standard Liege, Belgium)
Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Reds)
Akihiro Hayashi (Sagan Tosu)

Defenders:
Hiroki Mizumoto (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
Yuto Nagatomo (Manchester Un… uh, sorry Inter Milan, Italy)
Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo)
Maya Yoshida (Southampton, England)
Hiroki Sakai (Hanover 96, Germany)
Tatsuya Sakai (Sagan Tosu)
Gotoku Sakai (VfB Stuttgart, Germany)
Ken Matsubara (Albirex Niigata)

Midfield:
Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany)
Hajime Hosogai (Hertha Berlin, Germany)
Ryota Morioka (VIssel Kobe)
Takahiro Ogihara (Cerezo Osaka)
Gaku Shibasaki (Kashima Antlers)
Junya Tanaka (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal)

Forwards:
Shinji Okazaki (FSV Mainz 05, Germany)
Keisuke Honda (AC Milan, Italy)
Yoichiro Kakitani (FC Basel, Switzerland)
Yuya Osako (FC Koln, Germany)
Yusuke Minagawa (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
Yoshinori Muto (FC Tokyo)

What do you think? Who is missing? Who is a shock?

GK
川島　永嗣　ｶﾜｼﾏ ｴｲｼﾞ（スタンダール・リエージュ／ベルギー）
西川　周作　ﾆｼｶﾜ ｼｭｳｻｸ（浦和レッズ）
林　彰洋　ﾊﾔｼ ｱｷﾋﾛ（サガン鳥栖）

DF
水本　裕貴 ﾐｽﾞﾓﾄ ﾋﾛｷ（サンフレッチェ広島）
長友　佑都 ﾅｶﾞﾄﾓ ﾕｳﾄ（インテル・ミラノ／イタリア）
森重　真人 ﾓﾘｼｹﾞ ﾏｻﾄ（ＦＣ東京）
吉田　麻也 ﾖｼﾀﾞ ﾏﾔ（サウサンプトン／イングランド）
酒井　宏樹 ｻｶｲ ﾋﾛｷ（ハノーファー96／ドイツ）
坂井　達弥 ｻｶｲ ﾀﾂﾔ（サガン鳥栖）＊
酒井　高徳 ｻｶｲ ｺﾞｳﾄｸ（VfBシュツットガルト／ドイツ）
松原　健 ﾏﾂﾊﾞﾗ ｹﾝ（アルビレックス新潟）＊

MF
長谷部　誠 ﾊｾﾍﾞ ﾏｺﾄ（アイントラハト・フランクフルト／ドイツ）
細貝　萌　ﾎｿｶﾞｲ ﾊｼﾞﾒ（ヘルタ・ベルリン／ドイツ）
田中　順也　ﾀﾅｶ ｼﾞｭﾝﾔ（スポルティング／ポルトガル）
森岡　亮太　ﾓﾘｵｶ ﾘｮｳﾀ（ヴィッセル神戸）＊
扇原　貴宏　ｵｳｷﾞﾊﾗ ﾀｶﾋﾛ（セレッソ大阪）
柴崎　岳　ｼﾊﾞｻｷ ｶﾞｸ（鹿島アントラーズ）

FW
岡崎　慎司　ｵｶｻﾞｷ ｼﾝｼﾞ（1.FSVマインツ05／ドイツ）
本田　圭佑　ﾎﾝﾀﾞ ｹｲｽｹ（ACミラン／イタリア）
柿谷　曜一朗　ｶｷﾀﾆ ﾖｳｲﾁﾛｳ（FCバーゼル1893／スイス）
大迫　勇也　ｵｵｻｺ ﾕｳﾔ（1.FCケルン／ドイツ）
皆川　佑介　ﾐﾅｶﾞﾜ ﾕｳｽｹ（サンフレッチェ広島）＊
武藤　嘉紀　ﾑﾄｳ ﾖｼﾉﾘ（ＦＣ東京）＊

※「＊」は日本代表初選出。