Perhaps a sign of getting old is when a player you have long admired is signed by a club you have taken note of, only for the majority of their fans to claim they have never heard of him.
Shinji Ono, one of the most talented Asian footballers of the past 15 years, will sign for Western Sydney Wanderers today.
Maybe a few words on the new man are in order.
With Japan losing 1-0 to Belgium after 59 minutes of a pressure-packed 2002 World Cup opener on home soil, Ono looked up and spotted striker Takayuki Suzuki some 40 yards away.
The then-Feyenoord midfielder proceeded to launch a pinpoint pass which dissected defenders Jacky Peeters and Daniel van Buyten and allowed Suzuki to get in behind the Belgian defence and poke home the equaliser.
Three minutes later, Ono left the pitch.
That pretty much sums up the career of one of the best passers of the ball to ever grace Asian football.
A monumentally influential player on the park – Ono was a key figure in the Feyenoord side which won the UEFA Cup – he is doomed to be the man whose debilitating injuries left him in the shadows of contemporaries Hidetoshi Nakata and Shunsuke Nakamura.
Perhaps that is why so many Wanderers fans were disappointed by the news Western Sydney would make Ono and not ex-German captain Michael Ballack their first ever marquee signing.
The majority of fans, at least from what I saw, complained that Ono simply wasn’t a big enough name compared to Ballack and that Ono’s signing would do little to boost ticket sales.
I think that’s a legitimate claim and it’s one I’m prepared to sympathise with.
But I have to draw the line at reading from some fans that the Wanderers have missed out on signing a ‘world class’ talent.
Shinji Ono was a world class talent.
On his day for Japan and for Feyenoord, Urawa Reds, Bochum and Shimizu S-Pulse his virtually unmatched range of passing, instinctive vision and superb dead-ball skills made him one of the most dangerous players anywhere in the world.
But was is the operative word.
Since returning to his hometown club Shimizu after an injury-riddled spell in the Bundesliga, Ono has rarely played more than 60 minutes per game.
At the start of this season he usually featured for no more than one half, before being frozen out altogether by S-Pulse officials.
Shimizu are keen to slash the wage bill in order to revamp their squad, hence the recent departure of Socceroos striker Alex Brosque and the impending exit of Ono.
But the worry for Western Sydney Wanderers – or at least it should be – is that even if Ono wanted to play full matches in the A-League, he simply may not have the physical capability to do so.
And with a history of knee injuries – not to mention a total of six major surgeries on a pair of porcelain feet – Ono is about as far from a sturdy, Ballack-like midfielder as you can get.
But that’s partly the point.
It’s not every day a player of Ono’s sheer technical skill is available to the A-League and when someone of his class pops up, they should be snapped up.
The Wanderers should be applauded for signing Ono, not criticised for ignoring Ballack.
But there is absolutely no doubt that signing Ono is a gamble.
If it comes off, the Wanderers should possess the key figure who steers them towards the finals.
If it doesn’t, it will be the sad final chapter in the career of a man whose brain should have made him the star Japanese player of his generation, only for his body to consistently let him down.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Hopefully he can play the creative midfielder role as what Wanderers need more than results or star power is a style of football that creates a sense of optimism for the future. Most accept that the first year will be a year of settling in for the Wanderers and someone like Ono can aid that process. This is a far more sensible signing than that of a player who needs to be supported or fed to create the magic required. As for fans, they should be turning up simply because they now have a club. The sheer novelty value will provide far more pulling power than any named player.
Matsu
Guest
How do you figure? He was released completely from S-Pulse, more than a week before the announcement that he signed for Western Sydney. His contract was terminated and he was paid a severance to eliminate any further contract obligations. Therefore when he signed for Sydney, he was unemployed. Last I checked, 500,000 is a little bit more than 0.
Matsu
Guest
I have been saying this for close to 15 years, and will probably continue to say it for at least another 5 or ten regardless of how well Kagawa, Kiyotake or Nagatomo mature. . . . Shinji Ono is the most complete, and most awesomely talented player Japan ever produced. Period. End of discussion. Mike was a bit unfortunate in arriving to the party after Ono's first serious bout with inury. I can recall the days when he still had a completely unblemished body, and so much sheer power that he used to dribble right through defensive lines. No, I dont mean through, as in zig-zagging between players, I mean straight THROUGH . . . . like what you can imagine would happen if Wayne Rooney stood 191cm and 88kg. Yet he could also float passes with such delicacy and precision they would land precisely on the blossom of a single specified dandilion, 50 yards downfield. The knee injury that he suffered immediately after the 1999 U20 World Cup (in which he was everyone's unquestioned top choice for player of the tournament before he got a cumulative yellow card suspension and thus missed the final) changed his game dramatically, and at the age of just 19 he had to teach himself an entirely new style of play, unlike the bull in the china shop he was at age 18. The fact that he managed to do so successfully - indeed, successfully enough to play for several years at a top level in Europe - is itself an amazing testament to his versatility and love of the game. As for the comment about Brosque taking Ono's spot, that never happened. Brosque played out wide, even when he was used in midfield, and was valued for his off-ball movement and his finishing. Ono played in the middle, worked as a passer and play orchestrator, and nobody had any illusions about his off-the-ball movement capabilities. Brosque himself became superfluous for S-Pulse with the rise of Genki Omae, Toshiyuki Takagi, Hideki Ishige and Kim Hyun-Sung - players who are younger and viewed as more skillful than Brosque, but none of whom would even PRETEND to be talented enough to fill Ono's shoes. Anyone who is worried about Ono not being a big enough "name" should just go out to the opening day match and watch him warm up. Personally, I would pay a full admission price just to watch Ono practice passing on the sidelines, and I know many other Japanese fans who feel the same way. The only concern, as Mike notes, is how much his body can take. As long as he is used by the team in a way that will maximize his value (ie - let him stand in the pocket and distribute the ball to teammates, so he doesnt run out of gas too quickly), Ono is sure to draw fans. Once youve seen a live exhibition of his artistry, youll be hooked on football for life.
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football
Guest
Press release by the Western Sydney Wanderers due later on today: Lyall Gorman to clarify the latest transfer rumours surrounding it's most recent signing. Due to a case of mistaken identity WSW would like to apologise to Australian media outlets and fans for the misunderstanding. Contrary to earlier reports WSW will not be signing Shinji Ono but can confirm the signing of Yoko Ono instead. Ms Ono is due to arrive later in the week and has been quoted as saying she is "really,really excited" about her new career move. L. Gorman and WSW would like to apologise for any confusion. XXXX - Smurfs ;-)
Stefanov
Roar Pro
I rate this signing very highly! That 2002 Japan generation were some of the best footballers to ever come out of Asia. Ono was part of that golden generation, playing a key role. The guy is all class. He is coming from the J-League which is a class above, he is not a 'glamour' name as such, but a very 'unique' marquee. He will no doubt have a cult following, he will win respect from the mainstream fans. A big name Asian marquee player can only be a positive for our league, any extra exposure is a winner in my books. Konichiwa Shinji Ono!
dean
Guest
Fuss I wasn't refering to Harry last season I was refering to harry being one of the best aus footballers ever produced but he didnt reach his full potiental because of injuries which is similar to Ono
Realfootball
Guest
On the Ballack issue, worth reading: http://www.westsydneyfootball.com/_/wanderers-club-articles/ballack-the-truth-why-he-is-not-coming-r156
midfield general
Guest
I think I saw a glimpse of Brett Emerton in Feyenoord shirt ...wonder what he thinks of the Ono signing.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
MVFC played 27 matches last season. Harry played 25 & missed 2 when he was on duty with the AUS NT. He missed 1 of those AUS NT matches with a hamstring injury, but didn't miss a single MVFC match. In fact, H played 2098 minutes in those 25 matches, which equates to an average of 84 minutes for 25 matches. Only Archie Thompson played more minutes for MVFC last season.
Tim
Guest
And its official http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/wswanderersfc/news-display/Shinji-Ono-to-Join-the-Wanderers/49460
Tim
Guest
Huh? Didn't he miss a few games with a hamstring injury, plus was ruled out of a Socceroos clash?
Tim
Guest
No, I'm saying given his history, it is a big risk. Just like signing Harry Kewell was a big risk, fortunately one that somewhat paid off. Ask any doctor or physio about the risk multiple operations on the same parts of your body pose to your ongoing fitness. Anyway, has he actually passed the medical?
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
So, Tim, are you saying you have better information than the medical staff & football scouts at WSW? I'm willing to give the experts, who have access to much better data than myself, the benefit of the doubt on which player is better value for money. I'd laugh if Tony Popovic tried to tell me how to run my business, so I reckon Poppa knows a bit about assessing a player's capability of playing in the HAL.
Tim
Guest
Three surgeries on the right foot, three on the left foot and one on the left knee, not played in the national team since 2008 and not been the same since the ops. He even makes Harry Kewell look robust. BIG RISK! Ballack would of been a better for a variety of reasons - I don't buy the dressing room argument.
phutbol
Guest
if true thats a very reasonable wage. Wasnt aware he was that fragile, but apparently Ballacks only managed about 50% of total games in the last 2 seasons as well... going to happen with older players one would think.
neo
Guest
I thought that Ono was a star especially during Urawa days. His vision is second to none. Stop comparing Ballack with Ono. Ballack costs 1.6m and Ono is at 500k, that's 1/3 of the price. WSW is a new club and do not yet have deep pockets of a billionaire to support and don't say FFA. Just a few months ago, getting Ono would've been unthinkable. I for one want to see him in action, just to see his skills.
Nelson
Guest
Interesting. He's taking a significant pay cut to come here.
Nelson
Guest
Exactly, Mike. Ono started 9 times this season out of his 13 games, and was on the field at the same time as Brosque save for when Alex was suspended. Mike's concerns about injury are warranted, but for Aljay to say that Ono's spot was taken by Brosque is simply ignorant and wrong. As far as I am aware, he had an injury earlier in the season that kept him out for a few weeks, but the reason he hasn't played since July 28 is due to Ghotbi's preference rather than fitness.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Let's just say he has an extensive passing range. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df2IltAVLFI
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
The deal has been done - Shinji Ono is now a WSW player ... FoxSports News has just Tweeted @FOXSPORTS_NEWS Japanese star Shinji Ono signs a one-year deal with @wswanderersfc with reports $500k a season and option of a second year.#Aleague #FSN