Football Leagues » J-League » Kashima Antlers left behind in J. League's shifting landscape
Kashima Antlers left behind in J. League's shifting landscape
Mike Tuckerman
Oswaldo de Oliveira is a mere mortal after all. That didn't appear to be the case when the Brazilian coach lobbed up at Kashima Antlers in 2007, steering one of Japan's most storied clubs to a dramatic league and cup double. As if to prove it was no fluke, de Oliveira promptly added two more league titles to the trophy cabinet and was named J. League Manager Of The Year in 2007, 2008 and 2009 for his troubles. The veteran tactician could do no wrong, or so it seemed, until an earth-shattering afternoon on March 11 shook the Ibaraki giants to their core.
Much of the post-Tohoku earthquake attention focused on Miyagi side Vegalta Sendai. Their Yurtec Stadium home was badly damaged in the catastrophic quake, and many of the club's players were directly affected by the deadly tremor. An outpouring of emotion swept Vegalta to the top of the table, yet amidst it all, Kashima Antlers were entitled more than most to question just why they had been forgotten. Structurally, Kashima Stadium suffered more serious damage than Vegalta's downtown Yurtec Stadium, while Kashima's most recognisable star struggled to overcome the grief of one of Japan's deadliest natural disasters.
The return of Mitsuo Ogasawara from a loan spell at Italian club Messina in 2007 coincided with Kashima's rise up the standings. The gritty midfielder had been a mainstay for both club and country at the time of his departure for Italy, although Ogasawara was cast aside from the Samurai Blue once former Kashima legend Zico stepped down from his post as national team coach. Nevertheless, Ogasawara was one of the genuine stars of the J. League, winning the 2009 Most Valuable Player of the Year award as he skippered a dominant Kashima to their third straight title. The Antlers finished a disappointing fourth in 2010 and critics considered the fall from grace a brief aberration, but it wasn't until the 2011 earthquake and tsunami struck that Kashima's frailties were painfully exposed.
A native of Tohoku prefecture Iwate, Ogasawara thought his parents-in-law had perished in the dreadful days after the devastating quake. "For those few days I felt they hadn't made it," Ogasawara told The Sydney Morning Herald in April. Never one to delegate responsibility, Ogasawara hired a small truck and drove to the ruined town of Rikuzentakata in search of his in-laws, whom he eventually found alive. What he saw on his travels deeply affected the veteran midfielder, so much so that coach de Oliveira had no choice but to drop Ogasawara from his starting line-up once the J. League resumed. For so long a key player in the Antlers midfield, Ogasawara appeared to be suffering post-traumatic stress-like symptoms and appeared incapable of influencing the outcome of any match.
Ogasawara has since returned to the Kashima starting eleven, however his understandable loss of form hasn't been the only problem for the struggling Antlers. The Ibaraki side released veteran striker Marquinhos during the off-season - ironically he signed for Vegalta Sendai before fleeing Japan after the earthquake - and Kashima are yet to uncover an adequate replacement. The lanky Carlao made little impact before being loaned to Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax, while teenager Igor Satori signed amidst much fanfare as the son of former Antlers star Alcindo, only to find the starting eleven a tough nut to crack. Shinzo Koroki and Yuya Osako started the season as Kashima's incumbent strike force, but the erratic form of 21-year-old Osako has seen workhorse Yuzo Tashiro start several games, following a year-long loan spell in the unglamourous surrounds of lowly Montedio Yamagata last season.
Kashima's struggles to mould an effective strike force have been matched by their shaky form in defence. Full-backs Daigo Nishi and Alex arrived from Consadole Sapporo and JEF United respectively during the off-season, and the pair have been rotated in and out of the starting eleven. The new faces might have brought extra competition for places, but they haven't stopped the flow of goals leaking past goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata, with Kashima possessing one of the worst defensive records in the league. Squeezed out of the team by the constant central defensive pairing of Koji Nakata and Daiki Iwamasa, Japan international Masahiko Inoha joined Croatian giants Hajduk Split over the summer, suggesting the Antlers could encounter further problems should one of their veteran central defenders pick up an injury.
The inability of Brazilian import Fellype Gabriel to perform in the midfield has been exacerbated by an over-reliance on playmaker Takuya Nozawa to create chances for the front pairing, with Kashima looking decidedly unbalanced all over the pitch. Indeed, were it not for Nozawa's goals and assists, the situation could look far bleaker for a team sitting twelfth in the standings at the beginning of August.
Despite a shaky first half to the season, Kashima coach de Oliveira is experienced enough to know there is plenty of time to catch up on the top half of the table over the long summer months. The Antlers recently took an important first step, beating Cerezo Osaka 3-1 in front of just under 29,000 fans at Nagai Stadium, with the large crowd turning out to farewell Cerezo playmaker Takashi Inui before his move to German club Bochum. The Antlers know a thing or two about playing in front of big crowds, but they've found themselves in the unusual position of losing most of their key games so far this season. Only time will tell whether de Oliveira can turn things around, however the Brazilian maestro will need to conjure some magic if the Antlers are to regain their footing any time soon in the J. League's ever-shifting landscape.
Copyright: Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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