This week I had the chance to exclusively interview former Sydney FC, and now J-League Shimizu S-Pulse midfielder, Alex Brosque. After a successful career in the A-League, Alex joined his Australian compatriot Eddy Bosnar at S-Pulse this season.
After just a few matches, Brosque has already established himself as a regular contributor, playing his first full 90-minute stint in the match against Sanfrecce last Saturday.
I had a chance to sit down with Alex for Rising Sun News and hear his impressions of Japan and his new club, in his own words.
Rising Sun News: First of all, thanks for agreeing to sit down with us to discuss your impressions of Japan, Asian football, and the J.League. You have had a very “eventful” time since you were signed by S-Pulse, back in February. I imagine your head is still spinning after all the things that happened in March, and only just now have been able to settle down and focus on football.
Alex Brosque: Yes, the earthquake and tsunami experience was a big shock to everybody. Really when you consider the extent of the tragedy, and how many lives were lost, I consider myself very lucky. I really feel for the whole country and everybody who was affected by this disaster.
RSN: To experience a major disaster, when you are so far away from home, has to have a pretty big impact. Were you in Shimizu when it hit?
AB: I was having lunch with my wife and daughter in Shizuoka station when the earthquake hit. The restaurant started swaying and I could see from the reaction of the people that it was serious. We were told that Japan has many earthquakes, so at first we thought it was just a normal thing, but it wasn’t till we got home and turned on the news that we realized how bad it actually was. We were glued to the news and could not believe what we were seeing. A few hours later we received a call that the games for that weekend had been cancelled so I spent the rest of the weekend with my family constantly watching the news and watching the disasters unfold.
RSN: I think everyone who watched the news was shocked, even those of us who have been through other quakes in the past, like the one in Kobe. I imagine you were pretty concerned for your family as well.
AB: It wasn’t until the nuclear reactor situation that I started to worry about the safety of my family. The Australian embassy was telling Australians to leave Japan, but since S-Pulse continued to train, that put us in a difficult situation. But the club was very good in keeping us updated with what was happening, and making sure we feel safe and secure.
After a few days we were given a week off, and the club allowed us to go back home. I am very grateful for their support during that time, and really, ever since I got here. The country is very beautiful and I have been very impressed by the people. They are all very polite and friendly and really go out of their way to help you.
RSN: Well Im glad that the drama is over and you can finally settle in, and start to experience life in Japan. Where are you living and what have your impressions been, so far?
AB: Since I came here in February Ive enjoyed every minute of it. My wife and daughter are having a great time and the experience so far has been very enjoyable for all of us. I live in the city of Shizuoka which is a small city when compared to Tokyo, but a very nice place to live.
RSN: Had you spent much time in Japan before you signed with S-Pulse?
AB: I visited Japan a few years ago to play in a champions league match against Urawa Red Diamonds and even though we were only here a few days I really enjoyed the experience and the country.
RSN: I remember that series well. Those were the “Glory Years” for the Reds. Its quite an experience to be in Saitama Stadium for a big match like that one.
AB: I really enjoy the atmosphere at the stadiums. But it is the same in smaller venues too. The fans are great, they are constantly chanting and supporting their team. I have been really surprised by the amount of passion they show for the whole 90 minutes.
RSN: How about the football? How does it compare to A-League, and to football youve played or watched elsewhere?
AB: Having played against Japanese teams in the past I knew what to expect in terms of the football. The big difference I noticed between the players here and back home is the speed in which they play.
RSN: Its interesting – I have heard that comment a lot, not only from other Asians but some European players as well. But then when Japanese players go to Europe, it seems they always comment on how the game is faster . . .
AB: There is a difference though. In the J.League you are forced to think quickly when you get the ball. Japanese players are all technically very good, but it is their speed of thought which makes the game faster. The opposition doesn’t give you any time on the ball. The players are very sharp and quick, with and without the ball, so you have to think and react immediately. In Australia I think the game is more physical than it is here, and a bit more tactical in terms of the team understanding and implementing a game plan. I think Australian players are tactically very good, and they always work hard for the team.
RSN: I think both of those points are important to discuss a bit further, if you dont mind. Traditionally, the J.League has not had many Australians. Although there were some early experiments like at Sanfrecce under Eddie Thompson (with Hayden Foxe and Tony Popovic) and at Avispa Fukuoka when Pierre Littbarsky was coach (Mark Rudan, and two others who I cant recall…) Anyway, those were the exceptions to the rule.
Japan has typically used Koreans or Brazilians for their foreign player spots. But I think that is changing quickly. You are just one of several Aussies in Japan now . . .
AB: Josh Kennedy, Matt Spiranovic, Mark Milligan, and of course Eddy Bosnar, my teammate at S-Pulse, who has been here for a while.
RSN: And Jade North just joined FC Tokyo recently, as well. So clearly there is a trend emerging. In your opinion, what qualities do you think that Australian players can bring to their J.League teams?
AB: I think it’s always good to have different styles of player on a team. If you look at every nation that has developed a particular style of football, players from those countries have something unique to add to a league. Australian players are generally known for their fighting spirit and strong desire to win. I think it is always good to have these qualities in a team. I also think Australian players have a good tactical understanding, and they always work hard for their team.
RSN: I definitely agree with that. In fact I really hope some of the fighting spirit will rub off on Japanese players. After the Asian Cup final, in my match report, I was pretending to complain about Tim Cahill: “This guy is infuriating!!! He pushes, he shouts, he dives, he scratches, he shoves, he elbows, he complains, he tugs shirts, he tries to con the ref . . . DAMN I wish Japan had a player like that!” And though I was being a bit facetious about Cahill, I think those qualities of fierce, undying competitiveness are really admired by Japanese fans and coaches alike.
The fighting spirit and the desire to win that we see in players like Eddy, and Kennedy, and you as well – I think that is going to open the doors for more Australians to follow in your footsteps.
AB: Australian players all have different ambitions, and it depends on what stage of your career you’re at, but I think more players are starting to consider chances to play in Asia. When you are young you want to go to Europe and try your luck, because everyone wants to get to play in the best leagues in the world.
But for someone my age, you want to try and play at the highest level you possibly can, while you still have the chance. In that case I think it is better to look to Asia. I think the J-League is the best league in Asia, so for me to come here was a big step in my career and hopefully one I can succeed in.
RSN: What was it that brought you to Shimizu. Was it just out of the blue, or did you have an interest in the J.League before?
AB: Before joining S-Pulse I had heard of clubs such as Urawa Reds, Gamba Osaka, and Nagoya Grampus (because of Josh Kennedy) but apart from that I didn’t know too much else. I was happy and comfortable at Sydney FC, but having won a championship with them, it was like I already succeeded at that level.
Though it was not something I planned, when this offer came from S-Pulse I felt it was the perfect time for me to take the opportunity and challenge myself – to see if I could succeed in Asia’s top league.
RSN: So you only knew a few teams or players before coming here?
AB: Mainly just the ones we played against in the ACL. Since coming here, I have seen a lot more of the J.League though. I’ve noticed several players who are great to watch such as (Yasuhito) Endo from Gamba Osaka, Kengo Nakamura from Kawasaki and Shunsuke Nakamura from Yokohama. I am yet to see all the teams, but I’m sure I will get to see many more as the league progresses.
RSN: Thats right…. because of the earthquake, you have only had time to play a few competitive matches. But you have been in Japan for quite a while now. Are you starting to find “where you fit in” to the team?
AB: So far we’ve played 4 matches and I feel happy with how things are going. I’m enjoying training but still feel like I have a lot more to give. Hopefully the quicker I start to feel comfortable with my position in the team, the better I will play.
RSN: What is your role, for S-Pulse? Is your position basically the same as at Sydney, or did you have to make adjustments?
AB: At home I have always played up front, generally with another striker but since I’ve come here I’ve been used as both a left winger and a central midfielder – both different positions to what I’ve played in the past. When I came here I thought I would be used as a striker, but having played in midfield I’ve had to adjust my game and change my goals. Playing these positions has taken some time to get used to, but I think having been here and training and playing for a few months now, Im getting used to it alot more.
RSN: Well, you looked VERY comfortable in your 90 minutes against Sanfrecce (May 3). In fact, if not for a great save by Shusaku Nishikawa, you might have had your first goal in the J.League. You got a shot on net against Yokohama, as well, if I recall . . .
AB: I still feel more comfortable as a striker, so naturally if I get a chance to shoot Ill take it. I have played my best football up front. But for the moment I will continue working on my role, and whatever position I am played in, Ill try and contribute as much as I can to the team, and work hard for my teammates, the club and our fans.
RSN: S-Pulse made some big changes at the end of last year, so there are quite a few newcomers in addition to yourself – including coach Afshin Ghotbi. What sort of strategic concept does coach Ghotbi use, and how is it working both for you and for the team?
AB: The formation we play under Afshin is a 4-3-3, and a bit different from what I am used to. At S-Pulse there has been alot of changes but we had a long period (following the quake) to get to know our coaches style of play, and also get used to each other as players.
RSN: A 4-3-3 is different from the style S-Pulse used last year, too, so I guess the whole team has had to adjust.
AB: Making alot of changes in a club is always difficult. I experienced it last season with Sydney FC. We won the championship and the grand final the year before, but then we made alot of changes the next season and it took the team a long time to gel.
At S-Pulse, I think we still have a long way to go before we can play the way we want to, but I think we will get through it and have a good season. I have noticed a big difference in the way we play now compared to when we started pre-season, and I think we will continue to get better.
RSN: For the other players it is just a change of the playing style, though. For you its also a new country, and even a different language. Do you have any difficulties communicating with your teammates?
AB: Many of the players speak little to no English, so it is hard, sometimes, to communicate with them. But my translator has definitely helped, and having Eddie, who has been here for a while, also makes it easier. Shinji Ono speaks English well, and at training he is a good link between myself and the others. He has been a big help in communication with the other players. Sho Ito and Yuichiro Nagai also speak good English, and I’ve gotten along well with them. Also, while the other guys only speak a couple words of English, they all try to involve me in conversations when they can.
To be honest they are a great bunch of guys. I have enjoyed getting to know them and have been out to dinner with a few of them, so I feel like I am settling in as part of the team.
RSN: What goals has S-Pulse set for this year, and what are you hoping to achieve personally?
AB: Every team goes into the season wanting to win the championship and I think we’re no different. We had a very long and tough pre-season and have spent many sessions working on gelling our team as quickly as possible and I’m hopeful that we can finish on top of the j-league. I know it’s going to be tough as we do have a new team together and there are many great teams in the league but we will definitely give it our best shot.
Personally, being my first season in the J.League, I want to play in as many games as possible and hopefully get used to my new position in the team as quickly as possible. I would also like to chip in with some goals and also help create some goals for the team.
RSN: If you hit a few more shots like the one against Sanfrecce, Im sure you will manage that objective, pretty soon. Itll be even better if you can get it at Nihondaira (Outsourcing Stadium).
AB: So far the games we played at home were a great experience. The fans were excellent and really got behind us throughout the entire game. When we scored a goal it was such a great feeling, the whole team ran to the fans behind the goal and everybody celebrated. That was something I won’t forget as it was my first home game.
RSN: Well hopefully it wont be long before you are the one running behind the goal to celebrate. Good luck for the rest of the season, and I hope the Rising Sun News can interview you again in a few years, when we can discuss your long and productive career in the J.League.
AB: Thanks. Its a date.
Original article by Ken Matsushima for Rising Sun News
Editor’s note: Brosque scored his first goal for S-Pulse, watch below
whiskeymac
Guest
appreciate the response. although as da silva says the blue samurai played with a lot of fighting spirit, in my opinion, to win the asian cup against us - whether they deserve the tag of blue geishas (screaming like school girls) when the tackles are flying in is yet to be seen by me, but as you rightly pointed out i dont know the Japanese team or players very well. hopefully that will change with more games against them by the roos. Ken, thanks again for the article and insight.
dasilva
Guest
I guess the reason why people believed that they do have "fighting spirit" is becuase Japan showed a fair bit of that to win the Asia Cup Australia had the more clear cut chances in that match and the goal keeper was man of the match and rise to the occassions nad the Japan maintain their concentration to score the winner They also showed a fair amount of fighting spirit to beat south korea in the penalty shootout even though the momentum was with South Korea when they scored the late equaliser
Matsu
Guest
Regarding your question on "fighting spirit", I think youve had very little exposure to the Japan NT if you think they have it. Japanese players have a great work rate, they run hard, and they "try their best". But the first time someone comes at them with studs raised and clear ill intent, they go running for the locker room with their skirts hiked up, whimpering like a frightened schoolgirl. This is the main reason why Japan still struggles against teams from West Asia, and particularly with Korea. Long-time fans are well aware - if a game is going to be won or lost based on who "fights for it" with greater intensity, you may as well blow the whistle and award the result to Japan's opponent, right away. Its true that this characteristic is gradually changing, but the players who do have a "Cahillian" or "Kewellian" streak of do-anything-it-takes-to-win competitiveness are definitely the exceptions, not the rule. And I think they stand out, because of it. For example, I really do not believe that Inter's Yuto Nagatomo is the best wingback Japan has produced, from a purely "technical" standpoint. In fact I can name a half dozen players in the J.League right now who have better technique and game-reading ability (and one or two who can match him for tireless running). But nobody else even comes close to having his ferocity on the pitch. The story goes that when he first was traded to Inter, most of the other players though he was just some marketing ploy, and didnt think he would ever even get a start. In the very first practice where he took part he took a ball and started dribbling up the flank. Marco Materazzi, apparently intending to put the newcomer in his place, charged in hard with a lowered shoulder and just slammed him off the ball. As he turned to dribble upfield Nagatomo bounced to his feet, charged in from behind, and plowed Materazzi down with a crunching two-footed tackle . . . . Whether that actually happened or not (probably not in exactly those details), the story reflects how Nagatomo plays. Materazzi has supposedly been his best friend ever since, and all the other Inter players show him respect. But I doubt you could find more than 3 or 4 other guys in the whole of the J.League who would have the competitive fire to do something similar. As for Alex's other comment, I probably would not have used the same words but I think I know what he is referring to when he says they are "tactical". Australian players have very good mental discipline. The coach tells them what to do in situation x, and where to be, and they can be counted on to be where they are supposed to be, every time. I think Japanese players have that sort of discipline as well, but Alex is right in noting this as a strength of Australian players - particularly by comparison to other foreign players in Japan. South Americans, especially, have a very hard time with this aspect (though its true, Japan doesnt get the top quality. The Brazilians and Argentines who DO have good tactical discipline usually end up in Europe).
whiskeymac
Guest
thanks for the update, always good to hear how aussies are doing and especially the growing influence in Japan - SPulse got him at a very reasonable rate if i recall the stories at the time. Wish him all the best, and wish the next lot of contracts are drawn up a little bit more dilligently - HAL clubs need the money! =) Am curious as to the comments regarding the attributes of japanese players lacking an equivalent "spirit" - i may have misread this but that was the impression i got in that both you and AB stated the aussies positive contribution was in bringing a certain "fighting spirit and the desire to win". I would have thought Japanese teams had this already (certainly in the NT it seems to be increasingly evident against the socceros!) - or are we saying they need more "mongrel" in them? Not so much fighting spirit, as fighting ability? =) Do you agree with the comments the aussie players have a greater tactical understanding? Where is that borne out? Wld it be fair to say, in your opinion, that the attraction of aussie players is not just that they bring a physicality to the sides, but do so at reasonable cost and with a reasonable technical standard?