By Mike Tuckerman
May 22nd 2009 @ 2:33am
Sayonara Japan, time for me to come home
Urawa Reds captain Nobuhisa Yamada (6) proudly shows off the championship trophy after the club clinched the Japanese professional league championship at Saitama, near Tokyo, on Saturday November 2, 2005. The Reds beat Gamba Osaka 3-2 on the final day of the season in front of 62,241 spectators. Brazilian-born midfielder Robson Ponte (10) joins the teammates in center. AP Photo/Kyodo News
It’s been a steep learning curve, this move into Asia. Just ask the Central Coast Mariners, whose debut Champions League campaign has been a sobering experience. Former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold won’t have too many fond memories of our first foray into the Asian Cup either.
And the Newcastle Jets briefly looked set to do a Sharjah FC on us – threatening to pull out of their final Champions League game over unpaid bonuses.
But the news last week that Melbourne Victory have signed Thai defender Surat Sukha from Chonburi FC could mark a turning point for the Australian game.
When his twin brother Suree was giving the Socceroos a torrid time at the 2007 Asian Cup, I was high up in the press box at Rajamangala Stadium wondering how long it would take for Australians to appreciate the talent on display in Asia.
I think we’re on our way now.
Hopefully Melbourne’s signing of Surat works out for both club and player, with Australia representing the Thai international’s first overseas destination.
Should Surat prove a success, it will hopefully open doors – and minds – to the untapped reserves of South-East Asian football to the north.
On a different note, I was pleased to read this recent piece from resident J. League expert Jeremy Walker on how the Japanese can learn from Australia.
Too often I see J. League fans complain of Australian teams being overly physical – as if A-League sides should tone down the one clear advantage they hold simply because it inconveniences the Japanese.
As much as I’m a fan of Japanese football, I must admit that bone-crunching tackles are few and far between.
I’ve been lucky enough to experience the Japanese game in my capacity as Soccerphile’s J. League correspondent for three years now, but like all good things my time in Japan must come to an end.
Lured by the prospect of what should be the most enthralling A-League season to date, I’ve decided to pack my bags and come home.
I’ve seen everything Japanese football has to offer, from around seventy J. League games in J1 and J2, to three League Cup finals and an Emperor’s Cup final. Throw in an Asian Cup, two FIFA Club World Cup’s and numerous Asian Champions League fixtures and I’ve had a pretty good run.
I’ve even found time to attend the odd K-League game, while one of my most enduring memories is of Masaaki Sawanobori’s sold-out testimonial in 2007 – when another of Japan’s ageing dinosaurs in Kazu Miura got on the scoresheet.
I’ve seen some great players in Japan, none more so than Kashima Antlers’ brooding midfield maestro Mitsuo Ogasawara.
Ogasawara is hands down the best player I’ve seen in the J. League, and who knows what kind of difference the enigmatic talent would have made had he been able to run out against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium in 2008?
And while Akira Nishino has done a tremendous job in converting Gamba Osaka into one of the most exciting teams in Asian football, it’s hard to look past Kashima’s Oswaldo de Oliveira as the best coach in the country.
When he arrived from Brazilian club Cruzeiro in 2007, the likeable de Oliveira did so with Kashima having finished sixth the previous season – and not having lifted the title since 2001.
Despite not celebrating his first win as Kashima coach until Round 7, de Oliveira managed to steer Kashima to one of the most dramatic title wins in J. League history.
He lifted the Emperor’s Cup to boot, and Kashima backed that up by winning the J. League the following year for good measure.
If de Oliveira was Japan coach instead of the inert Takeshi Okada, I have no doubt that Japan would prove a far tougher opponent for the Socceroos at the MCG on June 17.
At any rate, I’ll be at that game – with a head that respects Japanese football, but with a heart that will always call Australia home.
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Brett McKay said | May 22nd 2009 @ 8:44am | Report comment
great article Mike, safe trip home..
Tom said | May 22nd 2009 @ 9:14am | Report comment
http://jeremy.footballjapan.co.uk/.
I think that post you’ve referred to might be there.
Ryan Steele said | May 22nd 2009 @ 10:24am | Report comment
Guess we won’t be discussing football over a bowl of ramen, when I’m back in Tokyo, after all.
Hope you have a great trip home and settle back in well. Might bump into you at the Japan game.
Mackey said | May 22nd 2009 @ 10:25am | Report comment
Looking forward to a beer upon your return Mike. And some pennywise tatto spotting.
Ben of Phnom Penh said | May 22nd 2009 @ 10:57am | Report comment
I’ll be in Japan (Kyushu in the main) in July though I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to see mighty V-Varen Nagasaki take to the pitch as I’m required back here in sunny Phnom Penh. If you’re passing through Fuku’oka on your way home let me know.
Thanks for all the work you have put in to expanding Australian understanding of the footballing cultures to the North and your insights into the J-League in particular. I assume you shall continue to do so once you return from the land of the rising economic concern.
Keep the faith; we will wear down the Asian nay-sayers yet!
Pippinu said | May 22nd 2009 @ 11:52am | Report comment
Here is a question for everyone – did Surat have to take a pay cut to move to the Victory?
By the way, the current issue of 442 has a great piece on Arnie – I recommend it to everyone.
Greg Russell said | May 22nd 2009 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
Mike, thanks for your excellent work in Japan, and I know how you feel about leaving. I worked in Germany for three years. Early on in the piece, Ottmar Hitzfield proclaimed that this young Australian kid he’d signed up was “technisch perfekt”. I was hooked: Ned (Zelic) and Ottmar were my men, Dortmund was my team, and German football became my life. Fifteen years later, and I think I may just about be over it. Good luck with the come-down from parting ways with your Japanese love!
Mike Tuckerman said | May 22nd 2009 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
Funny you should mention that Greg, I was a regular on the Südtribüne at the turn of the century – although by that time a certain Ned Zelic was plying his trade with 1860 München.
Tom – thanks for that link. The actual piece I was referring to is this one; http://jeremy.footballjapan.co.uk/2009/04/japan-can-learn.html
Grant said | May 22nd 2009 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
Great stuff Mike, safe travels home, and even though it’s in the opposite direction, I hope we can catch up at the end of the year.
clayton said | May 22nd 2009 @ 4:25pm | Report comment
been following the column for a while …
looking forward to seeing your take on the a-league.
but i am a nitpicker at heart. umm, yes. there has been a learning curve with this new path into asia. but there has also been an a-league club in the ACL championship game, and another a-league has gone through to the east group knockout stage.
it hasn`t all been pain.
Mike Tuckerman said | May 22nd 2009 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
Far from it, Clayton.
And Newcastle landing a spot in the knock-out stages of the Champions League suggests that Australian football is heading in the right direction. I reckon they’ll give Pohang a real good shake in a one-off game at “the Steelyard.”
Simmo said | May 22nd 2009 @ 5:23pm | Report comment
It’s easier for the Aussie sides to get a run of form once they hit the knock-out stages – they’ll be playing in-season
jimbo said | May 22nd 2009 @ 11:07pm | Report comment
Mike,
thanks for sharing some of your footballing memories from Japan and you must be bringing home some wonderful experiences.
I loved it over there when I worked there and look forward to it every time I visit.
Even that night at Aussie Stadium when SFC played the Urawa Reds brought back some wonderful memories for me.
It started opening up a whole new way at looking at world football and where Australia belongs in it now we are part of Asia. I hope the ACL will continue to expand and all the other leagues learn and grow from the way Japanese football has progressed so far.
Good luck back home and look forward to reading more of your sports insights.
ohtani's jacket said | May 23rd 2009 @ 12:35am | Report comment
Where do you live in Japan, Mike?
clayton said | May 23rd 2009 @ 7:48am | Report comment
i don`t think i have ever seen Ogasawara in the NT. is he on the outer with okada, have trouble with international football, or something else i haven`t thought of?
do you think there are any currently unused players who would make the blue samurai better?
Mike Tuckerman said | May 23rd 2009 @ 10:16am | Report comment
Thanks for the kind words, all.
ohtani’s jacket – Shizuoka
Clayton – Mitsuo Ogasawara was capped 53 times for Japan between 2002 and 2006. He fell out of favour with the JFA along with the rest of Kashima Antlers after Japan’s first round exit at the World Cup in Germany.
ohtani's jacket said | May 23rd 2009 @ 11:08am | Report comment
Shizuoka’s a nice place. All the best for the move back home.
The Bear said | May 23rd 2009 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
Welcome back home. Do you have an A League team yet? I hope you get to write some on the pending AFC Cup.. regardless if Australia makes the cut, lol.
Midfielder said | May 24th 2009 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
Ditto what Bear said Mile.
Greg said | May 26th 2009 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
Thanks for the great work in Japan Mike. Your articles were consistently top shelf. I hope in years to come our games against Japan are recognised in the same way as our Rugby matches against the All Blacks. You were there at the beginning.