Tag Archives: Shinji Ono

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

Whatever Happened to … the Japan 1998 World Cup Squad

Leave a comment

1 GK Nobuyuki Kojima 17 January 1966 (aged 32) 5 Japan Bellmare Hiratsuka
Currently seen on Japanese TV commentating – from the studio, usually – on national team matches.

2 DF Akira Narahashi 26 November 1971 (aged 26) 29 Japan Kashima Antlers

3 DF Naoki Soma 19 July 1971 (aged 26) 50 Japan Kashima Antlers
Currently manager of Machida Zelvia.

4 DF Masami Ihara (Captain) 18 September 1967 (aged 30) 116 Japan Yokohama Marinos
Currently manager of Avispa Fukuoka.

5 DF Norio Omura 6 September 1969 (aged 28) 31 Japan Yokohama Marinos

6 MF Motohiro Yamaguchi 29 January 1969 (aged 29) 56 Japan Yokohama Marinos
Currently seen on Japanese TV commentating – from the studio, usually – on national team and J.League matches. Former manager of Yokohama FC.

7 MF Teruyoshi Ito 31 August 1974 (aged 23) 2 Japan Shimizu S-Pulse

8 MF Hidetoshi Nakata 22 January 1977 (aged 21) 21 Japan Bellmare Hiratsuka
Retired from the game at the top, after excelling in the game in Italy and England. Pops up now and again with various charity matches, or on TV in an interview from an exotic location.

9 FW Masashi Nakayama 23 September 1967 (aged 30) 27 Japan Jubilo Iwata
Currently seen on Japanese TV commentating – from the studio, usually – on national team and J.League matches.

10 MF Hiroshi Nanami 28 November 1972 (aged 25) 44 Japan Jubilo Iwata
Currently manager of Jubilo Iwata.

11 MF Shinji Ono 27 September 1979 (aged 18) 2 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Still playing in J2 at Consadole Sapporo.

12 FW Wagner Lopes 29 January 1969 (aged 29) 10 Japan Bellmare Hiratsuka
Managing/coaching in Brazil. Popped up with an ill-fated stint as Gamba Osaka manager, when working visa issues prevented him from actually doing the job he’d been signed on for.

13 MF Toshihiro Hattori 23 September 1973 (aged 24) 6 Japan Jubilo Iwata

14 FW Masayuki Okano 25 July 1972 (aged 25) 25 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
General Manager at Gainare Tottori.

15 MF Hiroaki Morishima 30 April 1972 (aged 26) 36 Japan Cerezo Osaka
Mr. Cerezo Osaka – an “ambassador” role at the club.

16 DF Toshihide Saito 20 April 1973 (aged 25) 14 Japan Shimizu S-Pulse
Managed (and played for) Fujieda MYFC.

17 DF Yutaka Akita 6 August 1970 (aged 27) 27 Japan Kashima Antlers
Managed Kyoto Sanga, currently seen on Japanese TV commentating – from the studio, usually – on J.League matches.

18 FW Shoji Jo 17 June 1975 (aged 22) 24 Japan Yokohama Marinos
Currently seen on Japanese TV commentating – from the studio and live – on national team matches.

19 DF Eisuke Nakanishi 23 June 1973 (aged 24) 7 Japan JEF United Ichihara

20 GK Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi 15 August 1975 (aged 22) 27 Japan Yokohama Marinos
Still playing in J2 at FC Gifu.

21 GK Seigo Narazaki 15 April 1976 (aged 22) 2 Japan Yokohama Marinos
Still playing in J1 at Nagoya Grampus

22 MF Takashi Hirano 15 July 1974 (aged 23) 10 Japan Nagoya Grampus Eight
Host of J

In the Mix, Previews

J1 Preview – Jubilo Iwata vs Shimizu S-Pulse at Ecopa Stadium – Oct.6, Matchday 28

Leave a comment

Team News
Jubilo Iwata – FW Kanazono is close to return, but not this week? GK Kawaguchi also back in training. MFs Matuoka and Baek are long term injuries.
Shimizu S-Pulse – Only FW Takagi is reporting injured and may be fit for the bench after a hamstring injury.

Head to Head – Very even in 22 meetings since 2003, with 9 wins for S-Pulse, 8 for Jubilo and 5 draws.

Match Preview – A strange one here, Ecopa Stadium chosen as the home venue – probably because Jubilo expect a big S-Pulse away following and can make more money at a bigger stadium, but Ecopa is more the home of S-Pulse in many people’s eyes! So, home advantage lost here, for Jubilo and, with S-Pulse seeing off Vegalta Sendai last week, and vaulting up to within a point of Jubilo, the “away” team will be all fired up for the win to help them move above their neighbours for the first time in months, and have them ready for a final six game tilt for the top 3. Excellent incentive for S-Pulse to win, of course, but also JUbilo will not want that to happen and will pull out all the stops to make sure it doesn’t. Nevertheless, with Kim finally among the goals last weekend, and Jubilo missing their influential Korean, Baek, the blue half of Shizuoka may well be disappointed at the end of the day!
With S-Pulse slowly weeding out some dead wood, as well as moving Shinji Ono on – with the blessing of the club – the team have plenty of leeway in looking for a new foreign signing to replace the departed Brosque, and plenty of youngsters chomping at the bit to join the revolution. A top 3 finish will buoy the team towards big things in 2013 – and an ACL place, of course – and a win here will push them closer to overhauling Vegalta Sendai for that spot. EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

Previews

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

Leave a comment

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.

Reports

Shimizu S-Pulse 1-0 FC Tokyo – April 28th

Leave a comment

S-Pulse came out of this with the win that I had predicted, even though they made it hard for themselves. The winning goal came after the home team found themselves down to nine men, when the two substitutes – Takahara and Takagi – combined, with Takagi blasting the ball from 15 yards or so with the keeper unable to move. Up to that point referee Nishimura had stuck to the letter of the law – not always a good thing, but a professional referee with a living to make can not be criticized for adhering to the rulebook – and a succession of orange shirts went into the book for varying offences, from kicking the ball away after the whistle that Franca picked up very early on (unnecessary, deserves to be fined) to the “take one for the team” cynical foul on the half way line from Shinji Ono. Brosque’s 2nd yellow card was another moment of madness when he intentionally delayed a quick free kick right under the referee’s nose and too his early bath.

Franca’s 2nd yellow card was a little more debatable, one of those that could go ewither way, depending on the referee, the opponents reaction, the crowd, and the view of the officials. Franca went up for the ball with arm swinging, caught his opponent in the face, who went down as if he’d been shot. The officials discussed it and a card was dispatched. Those go either way, today it went against S-Pulse. Until the goal (and his red card) FRanca had surely had the best chance as he found himself though on gaol with no defender in sight, but he delayed so much that by the time he was ready to shoot, he had defenders around him, and his shot was weak.
Tokyo sensed blood when S-Pulse went down to nine men but the home defence held out and then Takahara launched the counter attack that had Afshin Ghotbi and his bench dancing a jig, and gave S-Pulse maximum points!