Tag Archives: Endo

Front Page, In the Mix, J.League, National Team

Yasuhito Endo Desperate” to Continue Playing for Japan National Team

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There was not a hint of trying to do “an Ashley Cole” or follow in the footsteps of other players who announce their “retirement” from a national team when I asked Yasuhito Endo about his feelings on not being selected for Javier Aguirre’s first Samurai Blue squad…

“No, I have no intention of retiring from the national team set-up”, he said in Japanese after the Nabisco Cup quarter final 1st leg draw with Vissel Kobe on Wednesday night.

Endo was not too concerned with being overlooked for the Kirin Challenge Cup selection this time around as he understood that Aguirre and his staff wanted to see possible new faces, as opposed to players that were a known quantity.

I suggested that, after almost 150 caps, and with an aging body, the star defensive midfielder might want to slow down:
“No way, I definitely want to continue playing for Japan and I hope I am given the chance,” he retorted!

Gamba’s enigmatic number 7 continued: “I am sure that Aguirre is checking all options, including all of the new faces this time around. Perhaps some of them will not be selected again, others will prove themselves, while other players will be recalled later. I am hoping that I am one of those players”.

So, no desire to preempt his possible non-selection in the future by making a face-saving retirement announcement, then? I LIKE that! Whether he makes it into the squad again, or not – and there are arguments for both sides (his experience can help bring through new faces / his presence will hinder progress and the future is what Aguirre should be planning for?), the sterling service that Yasuhito Endo has given his country can not be underestimated.

The experienced player also noted that he’d like one final challenge and, finally, perhaps, a move overseas might yet be on the cards. I asked about a mooted move to Thailand rumoured last year, but he discounted that possibility: “The money is certainly available for a move to Thailand, but it’s not about the money. There are other things to consider, especially family. If I move, I’ll go where it suits my family because, even if it’s just a season, they would travel with me.”

Call me enamoured with a player who I have followed since his days at Yokohama Flugels, and watched regularly since he joined Kyoto (Purple) Sanga. Call me coloured by the fact that this star of major proportion agreed to do an exclusive interview and be the (co-, with Takashi Usami) cover star of JSoccer Magazine’s “Premier” Issue, but I, for one would be first on the plane to watch Endo’s debut if he decided to have a swansong overseas.

Jsoccer 1 COVER

Perhaps he will follow in the footsteps of his ex-Gamba (and Samurai Blue) team mate, Akira Kaji, and already the MLS Board (or however it is that they do their signings in USA) are wondering which team to allocate Endo to? I am sure he’d do any MLS team justice but I wonder if he’d allow a league to choose a team for him?

For those of you reading this and wondering why Endo never did make the move overseas long ago I can confirm that there was always interest from numerous clubs all over Europe but, in the first instance, when interest was peaking the player went down with Hepatitis C in 2006 and, again in 2008, just as he was due to join the Beijing Olympic team as an over-age player, he went down with a virus. This may well have put paid to initial possibilities of a move at his peak.

Staying in Japan didn’t hurt the player’s national team selection chances, thank fully and, who knows, a final “sayonara” year overseas might be on the cards!

The BEST of luck to you, “Yatto”, thanks for always being available to JSoccer Magazine, and JSoccer.com well before that!

Alan Gibson

JSM10 cover

Previews

J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 14:00 Kashima Antlers vs Vegalta Sendai at Kashima

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Team News
Kashima Antlers – MF Endo is suspended. DF/MF Yamamura still out injured.
Vegalta Sendai – Just DF Uemoto out injured.

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!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. October 27th – 19:00 Vissel Kobe v. Kawasaki Frontale at Home's Stadium

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Team News – Vissel Kobe – DF Lee is suspended. DF Iwanami will miss the game on Japan U-19 duty.
Kawasaki Frontale – MF Ohshima and FW Kazama will miss the game on Japan U-19 duty.

Head to Head – Five wins for Vissel, six for Frontale and two draws in 13 J1 games since 2005.

Match Preview – Vissel Kobe halted a losing run with two draws in their last two outings but have dropped into relegation danger, finding themselves just three points from Gamba osaka in the 3rd relegation spot of 16th. They’Ve had some bad luck with injuries, and suspensions have not helped, but a decent group of young players need to keep hold of that J1 place in order for coach Akira Nishino to be able to build a new dynasty, as he did with Gamba osaka a decade ago. Whether the likes of Ogawa and Morioka are a match for the young Endo and Hashimoto, that Nishino had at Gamba, is another matter, but they deserve a chance, and to do that they need to win this!

Kawasaki Frontale may sit in 12th position but two fortunate wins in their last five games put them in a false position and it is only four points above Vissel… 39 points is usually enough to consider a J1 position safe but anything can happen and, with the form of the teams below them, combined with a defeat here today, they MAY find themselves scrambling for point on the final day – stranger things have happened. They changed their team manager after a few weeks of the season and they may well need to be doing that again before 2013! They are inconsistent, wasteful in front of goal, and deserve little from this season. EXPECT a WIN for VISSEL KOBE!

Archives, In the Mix, National Team, Reports

France 0-1 Japan (Kagawa) – Japan march on! Next up – Brazil.

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Japan soaked up some early pressure in a first half that they allowed France to run away with, but France failed to capitalize on their possession and Japan came back into the game in the 2nd half. While the winning goal could not be said to have come from an unlikely source – Kagawa – the genesis of the goal was indeed unlikely.

France took a corner late on, the ball broke free and centre back Konno sprinted up the field. As he approached the penalty area, on his right wing was left back Nagatomo, in front of him was right back Uchida! He slipped the ball outside to Nagatomo who pinged it across the goal into a crowd of players when all were expecting/hoping for the killer shot. But in that crowd was Kagawa, who finished smartly, falling as he connected with the low volley, and Japan took the game!

The result was excellent, some of the performance not so excellent, especially the 1st half, but any win against a top-ranked team can only bring more confidence to the team, and the squad.

Analyzing individual games it’s hard to point out any particular times when a Japanese player had a problem – which doesn’t say too much for the French team – but also, it’s hard to pick out any individual brilliance to comment on, apart from Kawashima, in the Japan goal, who did pull off a couple of smart saves in the closing minutes before Japan took the lead.

Sakai did enough at right back for us to not notice he wasn’t Uchida. Endo was his usual calm and collected self, spraying passes all over, while he also got in a couple of biting tackles when needed – he ended the game with the captain’s armband, after Hasebe went off – a fitting way to mark his record-equaling 122nd appearance for the Samurai Blue. Hasebe was as reliable as ever, but when replaced by Hosogai it was the right timing – if he doesn’t get to play more, or get a quick transfer, Hosogai may be getting that starting place soon.

Nagatomo beat the French right side with ease often enough, but his crosses came to nothing. On the right Sakai was less conspicuous in attacking mode. Nakamura, Kagawa and Kiyotake were up and down the field, working hard, but also creating space for each other and confident in the pass.

In central defence, Yoshida and Konno put nary a foot (or head) wrong, although the French attack could have done better with the possession they had, but forwards who can’t finish are the product of, among other things, defenders doing their jobs.

Zaccheroni gave Inui some time on the field late on, and the ex-Cerezo man – teaming up with Kagawa (and Kiyotake also in on the Cerezo connection) again – showed flashes of why he should be considered for selection again soon.

So, no individual brilliance, perhaps, from Japan, but a decent all-round performance in the end, and a win for Les Bleus Samourais!

Bring on Brazil!

Japan starting XI (4-2-3-1)

GK Kawashima
DF (R to L) H. HasebSakai, Yoshida, Konno, Nagatomo
DMF Endo,Hasabe
OMF (R to L) Kiyotake, Nakamura, Kagawa
FW 194cm Havenaar Mike

In the Mix, Reports

Nagoya Grampus DESTROYED by Rampant Gamba Osaka …

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J.League Matchday 22 – August 18th – Nagoya Grampus 0-5 Gamba Osaka

Gamba Osaka went into this tough away game at Nagoya on an unbeaten J1 run of three games – a great improvement on what had gone before – and knowing that a win, and results going well elsewhere, would go a long way to seeing them edge toward safety from relegation. The team were confident, and the fans were boisterous, but who could have predicted this result?!

Gamba had the better of the opening exchanges including Sato forcing a fine save from Narazaki in the Nagoya goal when the Gamba fans were already on their feet celebrating!

But it was heading toward half time when the breakthrough finally came. An Endo corner was headed point blank at the keeper by a defender. Narazaki made the snap save, but the ball fell to Leandro who, in classic poacher mode, controlled, and blasted home from close range with his left foot to open the scoring in the 38th minute. It was soon 2-0 – and the home team were down to ten men – from an Endo penalty kick, after Masukawa had made a hash of controlling the ball, lost out to Sato, the Gamba forward advancing into the area and being brought down by the Grampus defender. Masukawa took an early bath, Endo doubled the score from the spot.

Leandro just missed adding to the score as half time approached, his 20 yard strike coming back off the bar with the keeper beaten. But the score was increased in the 68th minute, a short Endo corner was returned to the influential no.7 and his deep cross found Konno at the far post to head home – his first J.league goal for Gamba – and it was 3-0, Gamba cruising, and, moments later, it was 4-0 – a low, hard Futagawa cross deftly flicked past the helpless keeper by Sato to take his goal tally for the season to 10.

Yet it was not over for Nagoya, who must have been hoping for a final whistle sooner rather than later and Paulinho, on as a substitute minutes before, rounded out the scoring with another close-up finish from a low cross as Gamba ran rampant on the wings. Nagoya Grampus 0-5 Gamba Osaka and Gamba made it two wins, two draws in their last four games as the journey to mid-table consolidation, or beyond, continued apace.

More importantly, perhaps, for the Gamba defence was that clean sheet. After dropping points against the likes of Urawa Reds and Sagan Tosu, while dominating those home games for long periods, perhaps the winning mentality has finally returned. Not a moment too soon! Gamba moved to within two points of Ardija (who won) and Cerezo (who lost), and above Albirex. Bring on Consadole Sapporo next week!

Gamba Osaka – Fujigaya, Iwashita, Niwa, Konno, Fujiharu, Myojin, Endo (Omori, 81), Futagawa (Takei, 71), Kurata, Sato, Leandro (Paulinho, 71)

Previews

PREVIEW – Shimizu S-Pulse v. Kashima Antlers – May 3rd

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S-Pulse to Stop Antlers Revival!

Team News
Shimizu S-Pulse – Alex Brosque and Jymmy Franca are suspended.

Match Preview
Eight yellow cards and two reds last time out and Shimizu S-Pulse (P8 W5 D0 L3 GD +1) still managed to take maximum points from FC Tokyo. Today they will be missing Franca, no big loss, and Alex Brosque – a bigger blow to be sure. Supersubs from the nine-man win over Tokyo, Takahara and Takagi may be called on to start this time and S-Pulse will be hoping to continue their fine run against a Kashima Antlers (P8 W3 D1 L4 GD +1) who have now won three games in a row after a dire start.
The mix of youngsters and experienced players is beginning t blend well for Shimizu, although Shinji Ono still appears to be carrying an injury and will be hard-pressed to comlete a full game.
Kashima scored five against Gamba Osaka in their last game, although they had big help from a dire defence and goalkeeper, but the likes of Koroki and Osako will be brimming with confidence after getting on the scoresheet, after a bad start fr the team as a whole. Influential midfielder Endo, who outplayed his famous namesake in the Gamba midfield last game, is living up to potential shown over the las few years and will be a key player for the team as the older heads like Motoyama and even Ogasawara gradually fade away and are replaced by the new generation.
Despite being weakened through players carrying injuries, and suspensions, EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

Head to Head
Ten wins for Kashima, four for Shimizu and eight draws over the years. Kashima won last time out but the four before that produced three of those eight draws.