On Monday evening, at a five-a-side kickaround game in my neighbourhood, I caught up with a friend, a personality manager-agent with lots of footballers on his books. He’d just got back from Japan after having meetings with J-League clubs about one of his players.
The player was perhaps short of European quality but ideal for Asia; Japan was going to be an important rung on the ladder of his career.
In the short time he was there – it was a veritable whistlestop – my friend managed to catch a J-League match live.
He wasn’t that impressed. “I tell you, our A-League is just as good,” he said.
I was surprised; mostly because in the past I have seen myself the yawning gap in technical standards between our top respective J-League and A-League teams.
“Yeah,” he went on, “but football isn’t all about technical skills; it’s also about a bit of this.”
He threw out his elbow and mimed a popping sound. “Japanese players just don’t know how to handle it.”
Which, in truth, faintly appalled me but my friend was right. In the hour that followed I got muscled off the ball repeatedly by a player, an ex pro, who had no qualms using his body to stop me getting up the
field.
It happens every minute of every A-League game. Australians are very good, it must be said, at physical football. Our opponents, club and international, have long bemoaned our style of play, especially in the days before Guus Hiddink and Pim Verbeek.
Some of our storied players were, in virtual effect, thugs.
In the Asian football firmament, we are known as the tough guys. And because of this, our Asian rivals don’t like playing us. It’s never fun to be on the wrong side of the pitch when coming up against an Australian footballer.
I’ll be the first to admit I’ve long derided this characteristic of our national football character and craved the opposite – it is a major theme of my book 15 Days in June – but perhaps there is some mileage to be gained from it when it comes to advancing our progress as a football nation.
If Japan remains the technical benchmark for Asia (which, I’m sure we can all agree on is correct; only Korea comes close), and Australia flies the flag for biff, surely some sort of mutual benefit could be derived.
Leaving aside the obvious issue that we would be aiding and abetting our main World Cup rival (and vice versa) but keeping in mind the overall aim of raising the level of Asian football in general, I think
there is room for an exchange of wisdom between A-League and J-League clubs; specifically handing over some J-League players to A-League clubs to “toughen” them up and returning the compliment so that some of our less technically adept players can improve their base skills.
Short of being regarded as official transfers as such, it could be something that is treated as a quasi-exchange program, two-way traffic that takes place in the off-seasons of both leagues.
It is perhaps fanciful, as it would involve Australia ostensibly admitting we fall short of the Japanese when it comes to o jogo bonito, but the whole point of the exercise is our young players becoming better all-round footballers, and that is worth showing some humility for, is it not?
The Japanese have shown more than enough of that since 1945. Now it’s our turn.
The Round Ball Analyst
Guest
Cheers for the text last night Jesse, good to hear from ya. Unknown to me was that you'd written this, so my repsonse, stating my surprise at Adelaide's lack of physicality in the first period, was pretty much in keeping with the theme of this piece. Why I was so surprised was because that "physicality" had hitherto been a hallmark of their campaign, especially against Kashima. After surviving being pulled apart early, Adelaide simply had too much run and power for the Antlers. Thought that would be their mode last night, and we really didnt see it till Dodd got going a bit early in the 2nd half. Vidmar commented on the "timid" first half after the game, and I wouldnt be surprised if so many yellows leading into the game played a part in that. Gamba were really a class above last night, but it was hardly a surprise given Endo was pulling the strings, and we'd been witness to the following in April; http://roundballanalyst.blogspot.com/2008/04/two-and-half-minute-lesson.html
dasilva
Roar Guru
vincentin Holman has a decent scoring rate for his two previous club. It's almost 1 goal every 3 games. He has the ability to be regular goal scorer to the soccerroos He just stuffs up in the green and gold.
dasilva
Roar Guru
ok i got mix up I saw two youtube clips and one with KB referring to one shall not be name
dasilva
Roar Guru
Midfielder actually it's the same one. I didn't click on the link so I didn't know. I thought the one that must not be name was referring to nicky carle as that's what Jesse Fink called him in a few articles ago
Midfielder
Guest
Das Was it the goal I showed about 8 posts back or a different one.
Towser
Guest
Vicentin Technique Is best learned at an early age as you state. The physical muscular side of the game & tactics(although not too late on this one)can be learned & improved upon later & as you state the Japanese are doing this & I think in part we are helping the overall AFC nations in this respect,because I have seen it stated many times that Asian nations who are in the WC finals struggle with the physicality of European & Sth American sides. But unless our technique is improved given this scenario, we will be the ones left behind as I believe in future our physicality will become less of a factor in putting it over the rest of the Asian teams.
vicentin
Guest
dasilva - regarding Holman, I don't doubt he's scored a few decent goals but even donkeys can be mara-donkeys on their day...but they're still regular donkeys for 360+ days per year. Adelaide - fair point re fatigue, but from what I could tell (several drinks and distracted in conversation) Gamba didn't appear to be physically intimidated at all but technically (first touch, even shooting power) they were far superior. Good luck to Adelaide, it's theoretically do-able and I wish them the best... but it seems unlikely.
dasilva
Roar Guru
Holman actually scored a pretty good goal for his club recently A neat one two with the target striker and Holman shot a thunderous shot from outside the box to the back of the net. It was from the near post so you can argue that the keeper should have save it but it was a powerful strike. It was lot more difficult chance then all the chances he stuffed up with the Soccerroos. Why can't he score for the soccerroos and then score for his club? Adelaide They lost their physical advantage due to fatigue while Gamba had a week to prepare for the match. Tactically- well, lets just call it stage fright.
vicentin
Guest
Well, when I watched the game last night I thought that Osaka certainly matched it with Adelaide physically but were technically and - on the night, tactically superior. For whatever reasons elite Australia athletes do seem to naturally have that drive and physicality to their game but the reality is you don't pick up the technical stuff so well when you get older. Why not work on the technical then at a younger age - strikes me that the Japanese are stepping up in terms of the physical stuff but the technical is well entrenched so its not like they lose it when they choose to get physical. Also regarding players like Riquelme, Messi, Aguero, Totti etc including the Voldemort of Crystal Palace, these guys are the equivalent of street-fighters if you try to get the ball off them. Interesting quote from Maradona but I suspect he just wants his de-facto son-in-law to get more of the limelight... Frankly football isn't socialism but a combination of the individual and the collective and the key for those individualistic players is to not become predictable - there's always a bit of tweaking around the edges to be done but for god sake spare us from a team of Holmans...or Germany for that matter. I notice that those short-arses Spain won the Euros and I don't think it was just on muscle. cheers
Koala Bear
Guest
Slippery Jim, I thought it was absolutely disgraceful and have sent an irate email for that particular jersey never to be returned to the "Bridge".. :D Actually I thought afterwards it could be forwarded to White Hart Lane and changed my demand to help out an old football buddy Redknapp... :D ~~~~~~~~ KB
dasilva
Roar Guru
Slippery Jim Another example in why it is possible that Nick Carle put too many touches on the ball. Before I got shot down by Alan Nicolea for quoting from Cruijff that Messi put too many touches on the ball and is not a team player and then he started going on about how great Maradona is for some strange reason Perhaps a better quote "Sometimes Messi plays for Messi. He feels so superior that he forgets his team-mates. It's Deportivo Messi (a one-man team). If he played with (Sergio) Aguero or (Juan Roman) Riquelme it would be better for him." From Maradona himself
Millster
Guest
D... D... D... rogba.... hmmm I seem to have picked up a nasty cough SJ, has me royally doubled over....
Slippery Jim
Guest
Talking of UCL, KB, how about Gerrard's dive the other day KB, to win that penalty that earned them a valuable point? Is Chelsea the only club left in world football that is pure as the driven snow?
Koala Bear
Guest
Slippery Jim, now that you have mention him "winky" did you see this morning how he just loves playing in the "Chelsea's reserve strip" and contributes his assist to Giggs scoring his vital goal against Celtic .. Yes indeed, I can't believe the number of "Reserve Team Chelsea Strips" that Big Phil has let out this year (for a nominal fee of course) to the other EPL teams, Liverpool another, with aspirations of winning the UCL (big ears) to make some head way in the UCL ... They have all said it creates fear in the opposition.. Anyways back to TPHSNBN he is my Art Deco definitely no minimalist in that regard... I think big Phil will spot him soon enough.. :D ~~~~~~~~~ KB
Slippery Jim
Guest
Consider the same quote posted twice above not as accidental, but as repitition for emphasis ;)
Slippery Jim
Guest
KB, you have me on a technicality (although I am dubious as to how watertight our furry woodlands creature friends acronym would be in football court, since he used a 'H' to represent 'Who'...) While we are on the subject of you know who, the Winky World Player (FIFPro) AKA Christiano Ronaldo claims to have learned from his selfish ways and no longer tries to beat opponents just for the sake of it. ''I have always played the way I do. It is natural,'' he said. ''If you want to be good, you have to practice, not just in training but games as well. That is my style of football. ''But I am different now compared to five years ago. Then I was dribbling but not doing anything for the team. ''Now I have more experience and I feel more mature. I do things for the team. So, sometimes I dribble, sometimes I don't.'' Ronaldo has already had enough faith in his ability to believe he could become world number one. But he accepts in his early days he spent too much time playing to the gallery and not enough on making sure United benefited from his rare talent. "I have always played the way I do. It is natural," he said. "If you want to be good, you have to practice, not just in training but games as well. That is my style of football. "But I am different now compared to five years ago. Then I was dribbling but not doing anything for the team. "Now I have more experience and I feel more mature. I do things for the team. So, sometimes I dribble, sometimes I don't." Interesting eh? He had too many touches before, but he became more of a mature, balanced team player and boom! FIFPro world player (even if he is a horrible individual). Good advice for you know who, wouldn't you agree, who lacks the raw talent of the Winky One, yet has similar problems with his game according to Pim - ie too many touches...perhaps a bit more team play and he can rise to the level of the Socceroos again?
Koala Bear
Guest
The Bear, my fellow SFC and Chelsea supporter and good friend who also must not be named; said, it's an acronym that gives a subject, in this case a footballer, credibility and respectability .. :D ~~~~~~~ KB
The Bear
Guest
KB, and all, TPHSNBN is using equal amounts of skill and muscle. Very pertinent. Graciously, The Bear
Midfielder
Guest
KB I deserved that lol
Koala Bear
Guest
Midfielder, Jess on our behalf please allow me to show a video of the player who must not be named.... :D http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=vLQqKz7buNE ~~~~~~~ KB