Vegalta Sendai fans are a big part of the film, of course, and even I was interviewed among many others but, apparently I didn’t make the final cut! (I will be waiting for the “Director’s Extended Cut” with bated breath!).

I have heard from the director(s) that the film has finally been completed and has a tentative release date set for May.

 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

And why the cover? Of a player that hardly kicked a ball this year due to injury? A player who is not a star by any means? A player who is actually wearing the 20134 season shirt?

Well … why not!!? What a great picture it is! Of a true professional who will – next season – hit an age that is the same as the number he is wearing … and he plays for the team that is our main (or, hey, COVER) story… and, if, and that’s IF he announces retirement – – a fitting tribute indeedf

Yukio Tsuchiya – sterling service to Ventforet Kofu, Tokyo Verdy, Omiya Ardija, Kashiwa Reysol and Vissel Kobe.

Thank you !

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)

Yokohama F•Marinos v Ventforet Kofu
Sanfrecce Hiroshima v Vissel Kobe
FC Tokyo v Kashiwa Reysol
Gamba Osaka v Sagan Tosu
Omiya Ardija v Shimizu S-Pulse
Cerezo Osaka v Urawa Reds
Kawasaki Frontale v Vegalta Sendai
Tokushima Vortis v Kashima Antlers
Nagoya Grampus v Albirex Niigata

J2
Sunday – September 28th

Roasso Kumamoto v Giravanz Kitakyushu
Oita Trinita v V-Varen Nagasaki
Fagiano Okayama v Mito Hollyhock
Kataller Toyama v Avispa Fukuoka
Matsumoto Yamaga v Consadole Sapporo
Jubilo Iwata v Ehime FC
Montedio Yamagata v Kamatamare Sanuki
Thespakusatsu Gunma v Tochigi SC
Kyoto Sanga v Yokohama FC
JEF United Chiba v Tokyo Verdy
Shonan Bellmare v FC Gifu

Head to Head – 3 wins for Sendai, 2 for Tokyo and 3 draws stretched over ten years and just 8 meetings.

Match Preview – FC Tokyo haven’t won since their 5-0 defeat of bottom team Consadole four games back and have literally nothing to play for but their pride. They might gain a place if they win and S-Pulse lose but not a lot riding on this game for them. Having said that, they face a deflated Vegalta Sendai, who lost last week to a team seemingly headed for J2, and gave away the Championship. They will be deflated, depressed and away from home. They can not be caught by any of the teams below them so their position, and their prize money is already set. I am expecting a half-hearted performance from them today (if they were home it might be different) and A WIN for FC TOKYO!

Head to Head
4 wins for Antlers, 2 for Sendai and 1 draw. Just the last three seasons and a season in 2003 is all we have between these two teams.

Match Preview
Vegalta Sendai lost ground on Sanfrecce Hiroshima last time out and MUST win this to stay in touch, presuming that Sanfrecce don’t slip up against Urawa Reds – a big presumption, indeed. Sendai have two draws and two wins in their last four but it has not been enough to keep track with the top spot, so this is a must-win today for them. They have no suspensions and just Uemoto missing and really need to dispatch Kashima Antlers today.

Kashima Antlers fought out a hard-earned goalless draw with fellow strugglers Omiya Ardija after being victorious in the Nabisco Cup Final. Antlers are five points clear of relegation with nine points available to Gamba and Albirex so they will know they need at least another win out of their final three games to be sure of safety. They will not make it easy for Sendai. They are missing Endo through suspension, but have more than enough cover and Shibasaki is on a high – the man to be careful of? EXPECT a DRAW!

Head to Head – 2009 J2 since Cerezo won this match. In 19 games since 2003, Sendai have won 9, Cerezo 5, with 5 draws.

Match Preview – Vegalta Sendai know that the J.League Championship is, again, in their own hands. Repeated dropped points by all three top teams has left the title race close and, with four games to go, the top two teams are still locked together, clear of the chasing Urawa Reds. But Shimizu S-Pulse may yet have a say! Cerezo are in better form that Vegalta, and, barring ridiculous mathematical combinations of results, must be safe. So no pressure and a good game from them or no pressure, so they relax and give it away. Which Cerezo will turn up today?

Vegalta Sendai have home advantage and know they MUST win this, considering that their rivals for the title have Consadole Sapporo as opponents today. Akamine is in fine form and Wilson has found his touch again, recently. Surprisingly enough, Vegalta do not seem to have missed the in and out form (and injury) of Sekiguchi, who was touted as the next player to go overseas last season. Tehir deoth may help in the last few games. EXPECT a WIN for VEGALTA SENDAI!