It’d be great to see more Aussies in the J. League

Columnist

By Mike Tuckerman, 19 Jul 2010 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: Eddy Bosnar, football, J League, Japan football, Josh Kennedy, mark milligan, Nagoya, Shimizu S-Pulse, Socceroos

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Australia's Tim Cahill wins the ball against Abe Yuki of Japan. AAP Image/Joe Castro

The same day New Zealand international Shane Smeltz was turning his back on Chinese side Shandong Luneng, Socceroos striker Josh Kennedy was doing what he does best – scoring for Japanese outfit Nagoya Grampus in the J. League.

Kennedy stooped to head home a superb cross from Japan international Marcus Tulio Tanaka with just under a quarter of an hour remaining in Nagoya’s 1-0 win over Omiya Ardija at a packed Omiya Park, as the lanky target man once again proved the difference for his side.

Kennedy is clearly enjoying his football in Nagoya, and why wouldn’t he, if the capacity crowds and constant adulation are anything to go by?

Of the nine games played in the Japanese top flight last weekend, four drew capacity attendances while the other five fixtures all saw healthy crowds pile through the turnstiles on a stiflingly hot summer weekend.

After a near-catastrophic drop in crowd figures during the mid-nineties, J. League officials have worked hard on marketing to ensure that local games are well attended, and Japan’s disappointing penalty shoot-out exit at the 2010 World Cup doesn’t appear to have quashed support for the domestic game.

Foreign stars like Kennedy and Shimizu S-Pulse defender Eddy Bosnar play their part, and how wonderful it would be to see more Australians ply their trade in Asia’s premier domestic competition.

The myth that the J. League is somehow an inherently inferior league is just that – a myth – and it seems to me that Kennedy’s team-mates at club level play to his strengths far more than his colleagues in the Socceroos ever have.

Both Kennedy and his in-form compatriot Bosnar – whose Shimizu S-Pulse side were held to a scoreless draw by Jubilo Iwata in the Shizuoka derby – have proved that it takes a battle-harded exterior to succeed in Japan.

Just ask Matthew Spiranovic, who wasn’t even in the squad as Urawa Reds went down to their hated foes Gamba Osaka in a typically frenetic clash that featured two red cards, an own goal and a Yasuhito Endo winner four minutes into stoppage-time – which arrived just seconds after Edmilson had equalised for the Reds!

Even J2 can prove a hard slog, with Mark Milligan’s JEF United thrashed 3-0 at home by northern outfit Consadole Sapporo in front of just under 16,000 fans at Fukuda Denshi Arena in Chiba.

Milligan’s dream of leading JEF United straight back to the top flight is already looking shaky, with local rivals Kashiwa Reysol streaking away in the division, leaving a promotion dogfight ahead of Milligan and his popular club.

It’s just a shame that access to Japanese football is so limited in Australia, although last weekend Setanta screened Kashima Antlers’ enthralling 2-1 win over Kawasaki Frontale, and will broadcast another fascinating clash between Yokohama F. Marinos and a fired up Gamba Osaka next time around.

Maybe it will simply take more Australians joining J. League clubs to convince fans both here and in Japan that there is a market for increased exposure to the Japanese game.

I’ll almost certainly be back in Japan before the end of the season, and I’m looking forward to watching some of the most technically adept and skillful teams in the region strut their stuff.

I regularly hear from fans that it will take “10 to 15 years for Australia to reach the level of the J. League,” but such a simplistic viewpoint fails to take into account the aspects of Japanese culture which make the league so unique.

The fanatical dedication to training, the emphasis on technical skills and the sheer loyalty of fans towards their clubs are all aspects that we can learn from in Australia.

What better way to learn than by a few more Australians heading over to Japan and experiencing it for themselves.

Follow Mike on twitter @Mike_Tuckerman

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The Crowd Says (53) | Page 1 of Comments

AndyRoo said | July 19th 2010 @ 9:18am | Report comment

Well I think Japanese football is fine and if Spiranovic was playing I would like to see Uruwa vs Nagoya.
However their is only so much football someone can watch, European champions league, A league, Asian champions league (aussie teams games) and the Socceroos is more than enough for me.

I tuned into a bit of the stream of Uruwa’s last game btoo see if Spiranovic was playing. Int hose few minutes their was about 15 close ups of Endo

It would be great if their was a program with a regular time slot that showed the most interesting games from an Australian persepctive. Probably just a pipe dream because of all the different TV rights involved but while I don’t have an interest in following the Turkish, Japanese or Coca Cola championship week in week out I wouldn’t mind seeing Galatasaray (Neil and Kewell) vs Jedi’s team, and then next week Bosnar vs Kennedy.

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- whiskeymac said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:03am | Report comment
  
  yeah i agree. Asian Cup is interesting – not least when aussies play in it – but there comes a limit to the real interest levels i can maintain for all these comps. HAL comes first, then Arsenal (not EPL=) and the rest if and when they are on Tv become casual viewing fodder.
  
  in saying that, if the basic premise is that it wld be good to see more aussies in technical and well run competitons, then yesof course.
  
  It will be interesting to see how Davidson does – i know he is in portugal now, but wasnt he schooled in the JLeague? here is one guy who as an aussie has a strong JLeague pedigree and technique.
  
  Reply
Tom said | July 19th 2010 @ 9:18am | Report comment

Yeah, I’ve increasingly been thinking the same thing since watching the Blue Samurai in South Africa. If we can get more 16-21 year olds into the Japanese youth system they’d have a better chance at developing technically than they would in Australia, I think.

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- whiskeymac said | July 19th 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment
  
  Why the Japanese system perse? any system wld be good but some are better than others and theres some inspiration from some unlikely quarters, unlikely not leastbecause it comes from Hertfordshire and not fromt he oft lauded Barca, Paris, Berlin, Sao Paolo or, now, Tokyo set ups. There was a recent article in the Guardian called “Watford lead way for youth development” by Paul Doyle: “By merging education and football Watford’s academy has become the envy of Europe” and it is an interesting read. not least because Watford is (1) a bit of dump (2) a team usually only renowned for Elton John, Graham Taylor and stodgy football between the top flight and championship , and (3) was purportedly recently praised by ajax for their set up which was allegedly better than theirs.
  
  Now assuming this article is kosher and not a hoax then It seems this unfashionable club is in the process of becoming an impressive blue print for success, in youth development anyway (read LOCAL youth development with most players living within 12kms of Watford) by combining real schooling with training, diet and cross training at an early age – i only bring this up because if Watford can do it, so can we and the HAL clubs.
  
  Reply
  - AndyRoo said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:07am | Report comment
    
    I read that article and found it interesting too
    
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jul/17/england-world-cup-watford
    
    Reply
- The word police said | July 20th 2010 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
  
  It’s “Samurai Blue”. That is all.
  
  Reply
Mackey said | July 19th 2010 @ 10:05am | Report comment

I definitely think the era of the ‘must go to england’ train of thought for our youngsters is coming to an end and I agree Mike, it would be fantastic to see more Aussies playing their trade in Japan.
I always like to keep an eye on how the overseas boys are going and in the case of ex Roar favourites Oar, Zullo and Sarota going to Utrecht in Holland, I now have a team to follow in the Eredivisie! The same would apply to a J-League team should a Roar player go there. I’m sure there are others just like me!

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Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment

I disagree!

If anything we should be trying to stop players going to these leagues and try to make them stay in the A-league. I’d rather we had an all or nothing policy you either go to one of the top ten leagues in europe for a good transfer fee or you stay at home.

Japan, Norway, Korea, Poland etc are all mid-level to weak leagues and there is no point us sending players to mediocre leagues.

It should be top leagues or home nothing in the middle if you ask me or else the A-league will constently lose its best players and never get any better.

Im tried of hearing every twat complain that there isnt any A-league Socceroos well he is why, our best HAL players move to some dud league to get called up, most of the time they flop at Socceroos level because the league isnt much better then the A-league.

Kennedy is a great example of a player who was very good for the Socceroos when playing in Germany and has become a drop kick for the national team in Japan because the standard is not as high as people think it is.

Australia has something like 140 players overseas most if not all good enough to play in the A-league which most could potentially make our league actually good to watch.

However most of them are sitting on the bench or wasting their career in the CSL or some other league not much better then the A-league.

Australia shouldnt aim to export quantity but quality i’d rather us have 20 players overseas playing in top level leagues then a 1000 players playing in the J-league.

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- Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:21am | Report comment
  
  But is such a restraint on trade fair on the players? You can’t honestly tell someone that ” sorry son, I know you want to travel the world and experience amazing cultures and earn a packet whilst you’re at it, however unless you’re going to England you’re going to have to stay here in Australia. For your own benefit of course.”
  
  Personally I’d love more players to move around the world and to come back with broadened horizons. Japan isn’t just about the J-League.
  
  Reply
  - Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:41am | Report comment
    
    True but i am looking at this from a football persective not a happy la la land fairy view. I want Australia to win things and i want the A-league to grow. Im not saying we can stop players from going to these dud leagues im saying we shouldnt encourage it because its really just talent drain and we end up losing more then we gain.
    
    Reply
    - Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:52am | Report comment
      
      I feel you are looking at the wrong end of the equation. We should not be stifling demand, for demand provides greater professional opportunities for our athletes and hence more incentives for athletes to adopt football as a professional career. What we need to do is increase supply of good footballers to meet this demand. This way there are more footballers, playing in more leagues, which improves the prospects of the national teams.
      
      Stifling demand is counter intuitive, even in la la land.
      
      Reply
      - Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
        
        I think you’re missing the point and personally i think you’re a little bit dumb as are most football fans these days who think the J-league is actually good league.
        
        Its not!
        
        Here is why Goal Keepering is the worst i’ve ever seen in a profesional league, Defenders are weak and cant defend in the air and the strikers in the league couldnt score if there was a 30m goal in front of them. Like the rest of the delusionals in this country who think the J-league is a good league you have never actually watched a game. A good mid-field doesnt make a good league jus becase you can do a lot of step overs means very little if you simply cant shoot.
        
        Sending players oversea is a good thing but not to dud leagues fe if the player is 31 and is looking for a big cash pay out before his career is over but not at a young age.
        
        If we ever want to be taken seriously in the World cup we will need at least a starting 11 players that are playing at the highest level.
        
        Yes our players might not get as much money and perhaps they might not develop as good as they would if they have to stay home but trust me after 4-7years te growth pains will stop and Japan will be saying we should be sending players to Australia.
        
        The old NSL could put together a team that could match the best in the World i dont see why our A-league can’t exceed that level. Asian leagues wont ever get any better because no one wants to play there besides for big pay outs. Why do you think all the Arab nations are so bad at football but have so much money.
        
        Reply
      - whiskeymac said | July 19th 2010 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
        
        good points Ben but i think your measured reason and common sense are a lost cause here.
        
        Reply
- Towser said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:38am | Report comment
  
  I agree this is the long term aim,but were not yet in a position with the A-league to carry out the ideal. That being to send our top players to top level European clubs & bypassing the Belgium league etc. If they dont they are better off in another Asian league as this benefits us in my book as we play in the AFC. We need to keep strengthening our confederation as much as possible.
  It may never happen entirely,but what I find disappointing at times is that many football fans in Australia accept the status quo(ie the 140 players overseas business regardless of club & level) as how it should be.
  If you try to piss over the canal & it ends up in the middle of the canal,your just another bit of water,but if you can hit the solid concrete on the other side………..
  
  Reply
- AndyRoo said | July 19th 2010 @ 12:03pm | Report comment
  
  Not sure if Kennedy has gone backwards, I think it’s more he is expected to play as a sole striker so he struggles a bit whereas before we had the luxury of Mark Viduka so Kennedy played the role he is most suited too i.e. tall freak coming off the bench to give us a big aerial threat.
  
  I wouldn’t normally recommend Japan for a 25 year old with European potential but horses for course I think this worked out. He would probably be injured a lot if he stayed in Europe and Uruwa are big enough that theirs pressure on him to perform consistently.
  
  On the other hand there is Milligan, his career moves seem to have been for all the wrong reasons.
  
  Half agree, half disagree about the exporting of players.
  I was happy for Allsop, Sasa and Adam Griffiths to get a move and the A league teams to get some cash for guys that should be making way for our under 20’s. I am sure we had players move for money before but at least now it’s happening to leagues that are in our confederation so theirs some integration benefits.
  
  Players going to China or the MLS is solely for money and is pretty disappointing. It’s a shame we can’t get close enough in wages to keep them especially when we get duded on the transfer fee like the Jets did. In time hopefully it plays out that like Japan we only lose players to the big leagues in Europe.
  
  In the meantime take solace that Korea is like us in that they have players all over the place (like us their often the plus 1 in ACL squads) and their doing ok and just encourages us to keep pumping out the players. It also means that in some ways an A league career becomes more viable in that before it was all about getting to Europe if you wanted to set your self up. Now if you were a solid if unspectacular Socceroo you could build a profile in the A league and playing in the ACL or for the A league Roos and then cash in through either off season loans to a CSL team (like Bridges,Mackay and Coyne did) to top up your income or get a permanent move to Japan/Korea for a few years where they would still be available for the Asia Roos.
  
  Reply
  - Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
    
    I certainly make some good points and a structured arguement unlike other fans who blindly follow footballs so called ‘experts’ but i would say fe enough if you think Kennedy hasnt become a ‘worst’ player for moving to the J-league but he certainly hasnt become a better player.
    
    He is still one dimensional, only really scores with his head i personally think he has become slower and that fact that he is a top goal scorer is testament to how bad the defending in the J-league is.
    
    Reply
    - Gibbo said | July 20th 2010 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
      
      “i certainly make some good points…”
      
      and you dont mind if you say so yourself!
      
      Reply
Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:03am | Report comment

I’m looking forward to the first Australian coach to lead a J-League club.

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- Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:44am | Report comment
  
  LMAO dont hold your breath its probably never going to happen
  
  Reply
  - jupiter53 said | July 19th 2010 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
    
    Eddie Thomson was coach of Sanfrecce Hiroshima from 1997-2000 in the J League.
    
    But I guess technically he was Scottish.
    
    Reply
    - Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 19th 2010 @ 6:55pm | Report comment
      
      I thought of Eddie and it is a tough one as his formative years in football were in Scotland however his coaching career started, and predominantly stayed, in Australia (Sydney City was it?).
      
      It would be interesting to see if Vidmar would be able to land a J1 or J2 gig following his ACL adventures and his past association with Hiroshima (via the aforementioned Eddie). The same may be said for GA if he has a successful stint in Gosford.
      
      Reply
Nelson said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:28am | Report comment

I agree it’s a good destination, though possibly not if one had some European aspirations – I’m not sure how noticed players would get there unless they truly stand out. But it’s closer to home, same time zone, and – believe it or not – has a better cost of living than here in Oz.

I was going to be in Yokohama for this weekend’s game v Gamba, but a change of plans put paid to that, unfortunately. But I will be over there a month later and see the F.Marinos v Niigata, and I’ll try to sneak in another game if I can…

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Roger said | July 19th 2010 @ 11:29am | Report comment

I strongly believe Australia’s future is in Asia, and we should be building the Asian leagues as opposed to the European leagues. The J-League, K-League, and A-League all have the potential to become big, and the more talent we have here, the better they will become.

I think it’s time we looked to Asia.

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clayton said | July 19th 2010 @ 2:02pm | Report comment

I would like to see more Aussies playing in Japan. Excellent grounds, fast play, good technique, appreciative big crowds …

Some of the guys that are doing the hard slog in smaller Euro leagues in front of 5000 fans or whatever … it must be tough, a real grind.

“Is it a good league”? Is an interesting question … I have been impressed with what I have seen of it, but not everyone likes the J-league. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder etc etc.

Anybody know any good rankings/comparisons of football leagues around the world?

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- AndyRoo said | July 19th 2010 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
  
  Good topic Clayton.
  
  I would like too see how the J league compares to say Belgium.
  
  Belgium used to a be a good destiantion for Aussies so imagine if we had that level of quality on our doorstep and scouting direct from the A league.
  
  Reply
Machine said | July 19th 2010 @ 2:04pm | Report comment

Davstar, players main motivation when they move to tinpot leagues is money. Who here in there right mind thinks that moving to china or Romania is a good lifestyle change? No one! But what’s the bet they get more money! And when you have a career that last 15 years or so you generally chase the money if your not good enough to play at the bigger leagues.
What we need to do is grow our league here and offer simular money that’s on offer at the lesser leagues then we will see our stars staying home or moving on to bigger and better euro leagues.
It takes time and money and if things keep progressing as they are now id say a good 10 or so more years are needed.
so as it stands we will be seeing guys like Milligan running around in japans second division as he gets a much better pay day.

Reply
- Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
  
  no joke still dont want to see more players in the J-league thats why we shouldnt be encouraging self money driven moves now should we?
  
  We should be supporting moves that will help both player development, national team progression and domestic league stability and improvment.
  
  Reply
- Towser said | July 19th 2010 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
  
  Thats the bottom line Machine money. There is no logical reason apart from moolah for players to remain at Chesterfield & the like or the Scottish lower leagues or Romania for that matter or J2.
  The chances now of playing for the Socceroos in an Asian Cup qualifier are far greater in the A-League & I dont believe that as far as professional development goes that sweating it out at Chesterfield in 2 degrees at a Perry park standard stadium will further your career.
  Erik Paartalu I’m sure would have been far more impressed playing at Suncorp the other night than at his previous club Greenock Morton.
  
  Reply
Art Sapphire said | July 19th 2010 @ 2:55pm | Report comment

Keisuke Honda is an interesting case here. He played in the for J-League for 3 years, until he was 21.

He transfered to VVV Venlo on a free transfer at the start of 2008. He then played for 2 years – 68 games – at the small Dutch club. His talent then became apparent to the bigger clubs and CSKA shelled out 5.4 million Euro for him in December 2009. That’s what you call a nice little earner for Venlo. CSKA in the meantime know they are sitting on a good thing and latest estimates have him valued a 9 million Euro.

So the moral of the story. There is no need to head off to Europe until you are 21 and unless you guaranteed first team football when you get there. The J-League might be comparable to some leagues in Europe but you still have to prove yourself in leagues like in Belgium or Holland before the big boys take you seriously.

Finally, I have checked and Spiranovic has actually played some football. 5 full games in the J League Cup which Urawa now have been eliminated from but only 1 full game in the J League. Lets hope he breaks into the first team squad by seasons end.

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- Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
  
  This is perhaps the dumbest comment i have read in my life there is no golden age to go to europe. Try asking Harry kewell or Dukes when they moved to europe.
  
  Or ask Messi when he moved from argentina to spain?
  
  Reply
  - Art Sapphire said | July 19th 2010 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
    
    Can you read Davstar??
    
    I said there was no point going over if you are under 21 “unless you are guaranteed first team football.”
    
    Kewell and Dukes were playing first team football because they were exceptional.
    
    What’s wrong with youngsters today
    
    Reply
    - Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 19th 2010 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
      
      I don’t know, we’re all copping a blast of vitriol today. Girlfriend trouble perhaps?
      
      Reply
      - Art Sapphire said | July 19th 2010 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
        
        It better be, Ben, otherwise I’d be worried
        
        Reply
    - Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 3:42pm | Report comment
      
      Messi was part of a youth academy not ‘guaranteed’ 1st team football
      
      C.Ronaldo left to Portugal to England played a bit of reserves before he become a regular at Man United
      
      Dukes, Honda and Kewell both were not guaranteed anything! they worked hard and stood out. You obviously have no idea what your on about. For a unproven player to be ‘guaranteed’ 1st team football is to give a monkey a loaded gun a stupid and unnecessary risk.
      
      Moving oversea is a risk there is no ‘guarante’ in anything thats why is called a ‘risk’ players should move when they’re ready not at the magical age of 21.
      
      Reply
      - Art Sapphire said | July 19th 2010 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
        
        Davstar -
        
        1. I watched Dukes play for the Knights. I wasn’t at the airport to wave him off when he boarded Tudjman’s plane. But, he arrived in Croatia as Tudjman’s boy and was guaranteed first team football for Dinamo Zagreb.
        
        2. In my initial post, I was refering to young players who have cracked it into the A-League.
        Kewell’s case is irrelevant as he went over to Europe when he was younger. Same applies to any teenager that leaves Australia without playing at the highest form of football this country can provide.
        
        3. Lastly, when Man Utd signed Ronaldo as an 18 year old for over 12 million pounds back in 2003 it was not for him to play reserve team football.
        
        Sure you can raise your opinion davstar – but dismissing my comments as the dumbest comment you have read in your life says more about you than me.
        
        Reply
        
        Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 7:10pm | Report comment
        
        It was a dumb comment no offense you’re clutching at straws to say players at the age of 21+ should go overseas because Honda found success is stupid and the fact you don’t have a structured argument to defend it other than you think it’s a idea proves it.
        
        Players develop at different speeds if you’re old enough your good enough. It’s not my fault you can’t acknowledge you’re wrong.
        
        You have to understand you can learn how to play anywhere but learning how to read the game and understand complex play can only really be learnt at top level football, because it is where you are forced to make decisions in a fraction of a second. Thus is why not many HAL exports have managed to succeed in europe because they cant adapt to the speed thinking required.
        
        Art Sapphire said | July 19th 2010 @ 9:12pm | Report comment
        
        davstar – You used some examples to critique my points and I in point form defended my position. I never stated that “all” players have to follow the same path.
        
        Football’s a game of opinions. I like your passion for the game, but you write before you think. Football teaches you that you are never ever always correct.
        
        If you can’t take that on board then stick with 442.
        
        Davstar said | July 19th 2010 @ 9:50pm | Report comment
        
        Fair point Art ill take that one still think you’re wrong but ur last comment made a fair point even tho i couldnt find the reply button to put this under it.
  - Towser said | July 19th 2010 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
    
    No golden age no set rule agree,players make their own choice,but there is a matter of our clubs gaining the most mileage out of a player they developed,therefore protecting Australian interests. Harry & Dukes left in a different era,much has changed since then.
    More money from transfers means more to be ploughed back into youth development & promotion for an A-League club. & after all as fans thats what we all want.
    
    Reply