Rumours continuing to link Adelaide United captain Travis Dodd with a move to J. League champions Kashima Antlers won’t go down well with fans of the South Australian side.
But it’s the new reality now that Japan’s “Asian berth” rule has kicked into effect.
The forward-thinking Gamba Osaka became one of the first clubs to utilise the new rule, announcing on Christmas Day the signing of Korean international striker Cho Jae-Jin from K-League outfit Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Jae-Jin’s signing will have gone down like a lead balloon with fans of Shimizu S-Pulse, for whom the burly striker was a cult hero during a three-year spell at the club.
Nevertheless, Jae-Jin’s return to the J. League heralds a new age of progressiveness in Japanese football.
The A-League doesn’t necessarily need to be the big loser when it comes to Japanese clubs signing regional talent, because the “Asian berth” rule can work both ways.
Adelaide United have demonstrated as much, with United’s football director Michael Petrillo admitting this month that his club was interested in signing 26-year-old Japanese striker Yutaka Tahara.
Tahara was recently released by Japanese top flight club Kyoto Sanga, and although he doesn’t quite represent the cream of the J. League crop, he’s a step in the right direction.
Kyoto coach Hisashi Kato once made a startling admission to respected J. League columnist Jeremy Walker, revealing that Tahara had been left out of the Sanga starting eleven during Japan’s hot summer months because his penchant for guzzling sugary drinks had rendered him unfit!
Should Tahara make the jump to the A-League, here’s hoping that he steers clear of the Powerade.
More importantly, let’s hope that he’s the first of many Japanese players to make the switch to Australian football.
That might be easier said than done.
Yes, the money in Japan is decent – but it’s no where near what many Australian fans seem to believe, although speculating exact J. League wages is pointless given that it’s illegal to publish salaries in Japan.
Instead the reason that many Japanese players are reluctant to consider a move overseas has to do with their struggles to adapt to an alien culture.
The age-old route for young Australian players has been to move to Britain, where they are welcomed by a familiar language and diet upon setting foot in the Mother Country.
There’s no such route for Japanese players.
Many young Japanese lack the confidence to communicate in English, and those that do travel must grow accustomed to a diet radically different from the fish and rice-based cuisine they are used to in their home land.
These are by no means insurmountable obstacles, of course, but when faced with a choice of chancing their luck in an unknown land or continuing as a household name in Japan – to football fans at least – it’s no wonder that most Japanese players choose to play their club football at home.
His comments may have put a few noses out of joint, but I agree with the views of new Newcastle Jets high performance manager Ian Crook, who recently suggested that Australian teams should target players from the Japanese Second Division, or J2 as it’s known over here.
There’s plenty of decent talent in the upper echelons of J2, although Avispa Fukuoka fans could be forgiven for holding a grudge with the A-League, after both Crook and ex-Sydney FC coach Pierre Littbarski were sacked by struggling Fukuoka this season.
Whether Yutaka Tahara signs with Adelaide United or not, I hope that some Japanese players do consider making the move to the A-League.
The “Asian berth” rule is a fantastic idea, and it’s one well worth considering for the A-League.
The FFA would do well to officially put it on the books.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Mike Tuckerman: "...it would no doubt be easier for A-League clubs if the FFA implemented something like the 'Asian berth' rule." Assuming we are tied to FIFA's 6+5 rule, then we'd be able to have one extra visa player per club. Perhaps the fifth import can only be from an AFC member nation but their salary doesn't count towards the cap as a trade-off.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
It would be nice to have Winothai, Bambang AND Tahara in the A-League. There's no reason that we have to choose one over the other, although it would no doubt be easier for A-League clubs if the FFA implemented something like the "Asian berth" rule. As for Yutaka Tahara in Australia not generating public interest in Japan - I'm not so sure that's the case, Ben. I was watching "Challenge! Global Athlete" on J-Sports last night (yes, I was bored) and the episode featured Keisuke Honda of Dutch Eerste Divisie club VVV Venlo. Admittedly Honda is in a different class to Tahara, but there's no reason that the TV crews would be adverse to making a trip down to Hindmarsh Stadium to train the cameras on their man. Let's not forget that the Japanese press are practically omnipresent when it comes to beaming back footage of their globe-trotting heroes. (One of the "Challenge! Global Athlete" episodes last year was on the nomadic Kenji Fukada, now setting the Greek Second Division alight with Ionikos FC). Of course a move for Winothai would create a buzz of interest in Thailand, but equally plenty of football fans in Japan will keep an eye on Tahara should he move to the A-League.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Personally I'd love to see Bambang Pamungkas in the A-League. He was a real star for Indonesia at the 2007 Asian Cup and he's a natural finisher. I think he'd be a great buy for any club and like you say Ben it will be easier for him to adjust to life here coming from a SE Asian nation that already has a large community in Australia. I'd prefer us going after Bambang than Tahara. Budi Sudarsono is another player from the Indonesian Asian Cup team that could make a big impact here. Again looking from an Adelaide perspective, I'd like him on our books if we lost Diego.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
The J-League concept of an Asian berth is a good one and certainly I'd prefer to see one of our four foreign slots being allocated to a national from an AFC member nation. Whilst there is much talent in the J-League there is also overlooked talent far closer to home. Thailand's Winothai has the ability to step up and Phan Van Thai Em from Vietnam is another, just to name two. The SE Asians have far larger established communities in Australia which can lessen the cultural burden and the marketing value of these players is higher. Tahara playing in Australia will not generate the same media coverage or general public interest in Japan as Winothai would in Thailand.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Sam I think on face value Trinidad was an odd selection for the Glory. Prior to arriving in Perth the guy had been stuffing around in the Indonesian and Malaysian leagues for four years after playing in the lower leagues of Argentine football with Flandria for five years. I'm not sure how they would have found him, but he seems a very good pick up considering where he's come from.
Sam
Guest
Kazama It's amazing where you can find some good players from. It just shows if you really search you can get a bargain out of nothing. A player from State League and Malaysian League. I have to give credit to Mitchell if he got them. Perth seem to play a nice brand of football even with supposed second tier players.
Kazama
Roar Guru
That last line should be: "...we've only just begun to see him realise that now with Perth Glory." Also, my memory is a bit hazy but I think Adriano scored one of the goals against Juventus. I remember him scoring in the tournament but I'm not 100% sure if it was that match.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Sam Adrian Trinidad came from the Malaysian second tier league (the Malaysia Premier League), where he was playing for a team called PLUS FC. PLUS FC was promoted that season and now plays in the Malaysia Super League. Adriano Pellegrino was signed from Metro Stars, who play in the top tier of South Australian state league football (the SA Super League). Adriano is a former Adelaide United and Adelaide City player, scoring one goal - a cracker against the Football Kingz in Auckland in a 3-1 win on 6/12/03 - in 27 NSL appearances. Adriano also represented the Australs (an Australian youth team) at an u20s tournament in Adelaide in 2002. The Australs lost the final of that tournament to Rangers on penalties after beating Juventus 2-1 in the semi final. IMO Adriano has always had a lot of potential but we've only just started to see him start to realise that now with Perth Glory.
Koala Bear
Guest
Sam, you are so right where are those players now ..? Are they getting games or are they just sitting on the bench as subs in case of a team regular player being stretched off.?. Fossie made those very same points you have done on TWG site .. Hopefully in another five more years the money in Australia will be higher than that of the lower leagues of Europe ... ~~~~~~~~~ KB
Sam
Guest
KB What worries me is that Travis Dodd will go to an oveseas club and sit on the bench. This won't benefit anyone: the club paying his wages, the a-league or Travis Dodd himself. He might be simply there for the money. What is David Carney and Nathan Burns doing? I wish these players would choose wisely before they go. If they do go I hope that the money the a-league clubs get from the transfer fee they invest wisely on youth development or overseas players. I don't know where perth Glory players Pellegriono or Trinidad came from, but they have definitely added something to the league.
Koala Bear
Guest
Ben Buckley needs to revisit the marquee player system to turn it into two or three marquee players or increase the salary cap, ethier way it is now evident its looking like a paltry cap at $2m+ .. Travis Dodd is a very exciting player; the HAL must try and retain these type of players.. But I know we can't stop these sorts of players searching for better deals abroad.. I know Travis Dodd would be a smash in the J-League, however, we can't really afford to lose such entertaining players so early in their Australian careers, without receiving a transfer fee for them .. Such players, should be on 5 year deals or some sort of 5 year option plan in their contract so a club can re-coupe back some of their investment.. ~~~~~~~~ KB
Kazama
Roar Guru
Mike, I am all for bringing players from Asia to our league. J2 is a professional league, so recruiting from there would be about right for our teams I think. The culture shock could be a big problem (I think Qu's family had issues with life here and returned to China because of them), but I'm sure the teams and the fans would do their part to make them feel welcome in our country. According to Wikipedia, Tahara has scored only 32 goals in 144 games for Kyoto Sanga. A goal every 4.5 games for a striker doesn't sound that appealing to me, considering that Dodd scores once every four games from midfield (30 goals in 120 games). If Adelaide are actively pursuing Tahara and, as alleged by Ross Aloisi during last night's game, a "German defender" does this mean that Diego is gone and Alemao will be on his way as well? Given that we've only got the four visa spots to fill, and that Cassio just re-signed and Cristiano is our leading scorer, I guess it spells the end for Diego and the inconsistent Alemao. I have a feeling that the Adelaide United team that takes the field next season will be vastly different from the current incarnation.