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.

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