One of Australia’s most successful footballers is enjoying another record-breaking season as a key member of one of the biggest clubs in the region, not that many here have noticed.
Mitch Langerak recorded his 19th clean sheet of another hugely successful campaign, as Nagoya Grampus broke the long-standing record for the most clean sheets in a single J. League season in their 1-0 win over Oita Trinita on Sunday.
The Aussie custodian didn’t have a whole lot to do on a typically soggy autumn afternoon in Toyota, but his value to Nagoya Grampus was underlined by a terrible piece of goalkeeping from experienced counterpart Shun Takagi.
When Oita won an early throw-in on the halfway line, Yuki Kagawa opted to hurl it backwards towards teammate Yuto Misao on the edge of his penalty area.
With an air of predictability, Misao turned and passed the ball backwards towards Takagi, whose heavy touch forced a goalmouth scramble that was eventually turned home by Nagoya midfielder Sho Inagaki for the only goal of the game.
It was a ridiculous winner to concede but the sort of goal you see reasonably often in the J.League, and perhaps goes some way towards explaining why certain clubs are happy to expend an international spot on a foreign goalkeeper.
At any rate, Langerak did what little he had to do with his usual aplomb, as Nagoya broke the record Yokohama F. Marinos originally set for most clean sheets way back in 1995.
This is the club of Gary Lineker, Arsene Wenger, Dragan Stojkovic and Keisuke Honda, it’s worth remembering, to say nothing of one of the Japanese football’s genuine cult heroes in Josh Kennedy – whose goals fired Nagoya to their solitary J.League title in 2010.
StatsPerform journalist Sacha Pisani wrote a fantastic piece on Langerak during the week in which the Queensland-born goalkeeper admitted he’s enjoying his football more than ever.
It’s just a shame his exploits in Japan seem to have gone largely unnoticed by the majority of the Australian football public.
Perhaps Kevin Muscat can help change attitudes. The former Melbourne Victory coach is in the thick of it as his F. Marinos side tries desperately to reel in neighbours Kawasaki Frontale at the top of the table.
Just how difficult it is to win games in the Japanese top-flight was illustrated on Saturday night when bottom club Yokohama FC held their hated city rivals F. Marinos to a 2-2 draw at Mitsuzawa Stadium.
Muscat’s men did well to fight back from a one-goal deficit as they struggled to deal with the pace and penetration of Yokohama FC’s new fleet-footed Brazilian striker Saulo Mineiro.
Despite midfielder Kota Watanabe’s dismissal with 17 minutes remaining, F. Marinos looked like they were heading for a much-needed three points when Daizen Maeda slotted home a few minutes later.
That was until Saulo scrambled home in the final minute to give the Tricolore a bloody nose and Muscat another headache, as he battles to bridge the nine-point gap to table-toppers and defending champions Kawasaki.
It looks increasingly unlikely F. Marinos will reel in Kanagawa rivals Frontale, but we shouldn’t discount just how big a deal it is for Muscat to have followed his predecessor Ange Postecoglou into such a high-profile job.
It says a lot about us as a football culture that referee Jarred Gillett’s debut in the English Premier League was arguably our biggest football story of the week.
Gillett’s an outstanding referee who deserves his chance in the English top tier, but the coverage of his and Cam Devlin’s debut for Scottish side Hearts is a reminder of how in thrall we are to football from English-speaking parts of the world.
So be it, I suppose. I’m sure Langerak and Muscat have got better things to worry about than whether anyone’s tuning in back home.
But after Josh Kennedy and Ange Postecoglou blazed a trail for their fellow Aussies, it feels like we’re still no closer to understanding just how impressive it is to achieve success in Japan.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
rugby league is close to rugby union not exactly unique. AFL the great pretender, very close to Gaelic football, derived from the same source, a lot of the rules in the AFL and Gaelic football, where like those in 15th century Shinty which was the Scottish /Welsh/Gaelic equivalent of Irish hurling, so stickless hurling and shinty . And worse they had big mobs at it. Having a big mob hitting you with a stick to the head gets to you after a while and you play without it.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
referees are the worst aspect of the EPL, they allow too much . Yellow cards for obvious holding from behind now that is adding something they can learn from A-league. The A-league problem is inconsistency the EPL is it is too consisently on the wrong side of skillfull players.
Saffi
Roar Rookie
Wow, all those games I abused Jarred Gillet, and all along I was just helping him develop his skills. ????. I follow the J League because of the Aussies over there but yes, few even know how big a deal it is.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Wilkshire played in Russia remember when the crazy russian fans came to read them the riot act at training. Why they kept him as well when he got older he was such a liability in defence. Croatia the bottom teams are worse than the A-league. Austria no better than the A-league in the bottom half. Greece was Australias big breakout league, you had Patikas, Kalantzis who become big names with long careers, Hristodoulou from West Adelaide who left early and not well known here the same . Katholos, Yankos went and had short stints and then came back after being let go are better known. Viduka in Croatia, Okon and Farina in Belgium, in the days when the players en masse first started going to Europe it was big news even in those small leagues. Even players going to Malaysia and Singapore it was a big step up paywise and made the news in the 90's.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Look to India, but also other countries in SE Asia where racism is legislated, certain ethnic groups preferred, legally, over others for university places, government contracts and that sort of thing.
Nick Symonds
Guest
It's a bit like the A-League. If people don't watch Asian football then it wont get coverage, but if it doesn't get coverage then people wont watch it in the first place. It's a chicken and egg problem.
Brian
Guest
I don't watch the Croatian, Austrian, Belgian, Greek or Russian leagues. That is the point. If we had an Australian doing well in those leagues I doubt it would get much attention. From memory Vukovic starred in Belgium, Jeggo has done well in Austria there maybe others but they all got scant coverage just like Japan.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
A lot of European leagues are weak when you look at the standard outside of the top few teams. The top team is artificially inflated by the Champions league money. Russia Greece Japan Belgium Austria Croatia is the order I would rank the leagues. Greece has only 14 teams , the depth in Japan with 20 teams and then the second diviison has 22 is deeper.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The extensive highlights package show the opposition goal keeper under the pump and Langerak making one good save and the ball is hardly at his end. Its not like Brisbane Roar and Jamie Young.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Adelaide were out played most of the match in key areas, pretty much a lucky win over what is a sub standard NPL side that had players missing due to work commitments. AUFC should be in the top 8 this season but that's about it.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
what were you expecting to see? tiki taka? non stop attack? etc given the following: *most a league clubs have at least played 2 matches this pre season, this was adelaides first *3.5 hour flight into perth on the actual day of the match *4 new signings only got into the state less than 2 weeks ago *several first XI players already out injured. *players playing out of position due to the above point *spongy pitch *swirling wind throughout Athena are a very good side, was always going to be a tough match given the above mentioned circumstances that interstate people dont know or take into consideration before forming an opinion wins a win, we'll take it and keep marching on in the cup
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
predominantly yes, but some are 6'2+ colossus's like yoshida and tomiyasu
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
whats that saying about assuming?...........making something out of yourself? dont always assume :silly:
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
have been to japan once, was meant to go a second time but covid ruined that and i agree, it was gaijin this, gaijan that when i was there. its a systemic issue unfortunately that will never change in our life times
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
you're misinterpreting what im saying to chris - its a direct comparison between the leagues he mentioned, thats all like i said its perspective, it all depends on how you want to rate/grade
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Brisbane Broncos owned by an American, News Corp AFL Adelaide Crows wasn't it, playing in China pursuing business and sponsorship $. Not sure where the NRL sits with gambling sponsorship at present, but Sportsbet seem to have a lot to say on game days.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Yep Melbourne & Footscray are suburbs of Melbourne, no!!!!
Winter
Guest
It's also great timing compared to the seasons start that was originally planned for October and just after afl grand final/finish of the afl season. Maybe they didn't get the memo that the season opening has been moved to November.
Maximus Insight
Guest
The Melbourne suburbs of "Melbourne" and "Western"
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
all British Commonwealth, the old Empire