Football Commentary - March 03

Japanese Football: A 2003 Preview

The J.League kicks off its first stage of the 2003 season on Mar. 21.

Sanborn Brown & Alan Gibson can’t wait…

The year 2003 will see an important rule change and the return of several big names to the local game as the J. League kicks off its new soccer season this month. The rule change is that Japan will come in line with the rest of the world by eliminating the golden goal system. All J. League matches, except for the championship and Cup finals, will end after regulation time. Three points will be awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss, as in European football leagues.

First and foremost among the returnees to Japan is the "Black Panther," Patrick Mboma. The Cameroon international led the J. League in scoring in 1997 while at Gamba Osaka, and this year will be plying his trade for Tokyo Verdy.

With the dominant Edmundo having left Verdy to play for Urawa Reds next year, there was a gaping hole to fill in the team’s offense. Verdy has decided to fill it with the considerable muscle and charm of former Parma and Sunderland star Mboma who thrilled Japanese crowds with his flamboyant and physical playing style. Off the field too, Mboma was a big hit among fans. Whether the 32-year-old can fill Edmundo’s shoes is another story.

Another popular player is coming back to the Japanese game, though this time as a coach. Pierre Littbarski will be returning to Yokohama FC, the second division side he managed during the 1999-2000 season.

A member of Germany’s World Cup teams in 1982, 1986 and 1990, "Litty" ended his career in Japan, playing one year for JEF United and then a final season for Japan Football League side Brummel Sendai.

Division Two of the J. League begins the 2003 season on Mar. 15 and runs without a break through to Nov. 23. The battle for promotion to J1 will probably involve four teams. Recently relegated clubs Sapporo Consadole and Sanfrecce Hiroshima should be in the running. Brazilian goal machine and enfant terrible Will is returning to Sapporo this year.

After attacking Yokohama Marinos teammate Daisuke Oku at the end of a match for failing to pass him the ball during a 3-1 loss to Jubilo on Oct. 26, Will was awarded a quick pink slip to add to his two yellow cards for an afternoon’s work. The fiery Brazilian has since been picked up by former employer Sapporo. If he can focus on kicking the ball and not his teammates, he and Sapporo may make a quick return to the top division. from the League remains at J1 levels—¥70 million ($2.25 million)—for only one year. From the second year on, clubs receive only half that amount.

Moreover, live television broadcasts become a rarity, and a team’s fan base tends to wither if the prospects of returning to the big time are perceived as being slim. All of the above leads to sponsors’ fees drying up and the commencing of a vicious cycle from which it becomes harder and harder to escape. Other J2 teams to watch include Niigata Albirex and Kawasaki Frontale, both of which narrowly missed out on promotion last year.

In J1, the big question for titleholder Jubilo is can 35-year-old "Gon" (Masashi Nakayama) continue to produce up front with former strike partner Takahara gone to Germany. Japan’s lone goal scorer in the France 1998 World Cup is joined by a strong supporting cast, but the proverbial clock is ticking louder and louder.

Kashima is as always loaded with talent: eight former or current national team players are in the starting lineup, and two under-20 players warm the bench. In Saitama, Urawa Reds will have Edmundo paired up with fellow Brazilian and Best XI selection from last season Emerson leading the attack.

Urawa, the best-supported team in the league with average home attendance last year topping 26,000, looks set to terrorize opposing defenders. Second place finisher Yokohama Marinos will enter the 2003 season with three new faces: former World Cup coach Takeshi Okada at the helm, former national team striker Tatsuhiko Kubo up front and, from June, Brazilian great Cafu.

The 32-year-old Brazil captain will return to play in the Port City in which he led his country to the World Cup championship last June. The AS Roma wingback will receive $3 million for a 30-month contract.

Over in Kansai, Kyoto Purple Sanga finished in fifth place last season and went on to win the Emperor’s Cup. Gert Engels, the only foreign coach in Japan fluent in Japanese, has done a brilliant job in leading a group of young, unheralded players out of J2 to the pinnacle of the Japanese game. His best player, however, Korean Park Ji-Sung, has left to play in Holland to be replaced by another Korean, Ko Jong Su.

Osaka has two reasons to have high hopes for the coming campaign: last season Cerezo earned promotion to J1 for the coming season and, already in the top division, Gamba finished in third place. Vissel Kobe, however, barely missed out on relegation last year, finishing in 13th place. Well-traveled former Japan star Kazu "King" Miura is still on the roster, though seeing less and less playing time.

The J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup, to give it its full name, has changed format this season, with a season-long format adding a little spice to the competition, hopefully. Four groups will play a league-style opening round. With Kashima Antlers and Shimizu S-Pulse taking part in "Asian Champions League", two of the pools will have only three teams. In Groups A and B, which have four teams each, the top two will make the quarterfinal round. In Groups C and D, only one team will progress, with Antlers and S-Pulse making the last eight automatically.

Vissel Kobe are in Group A with Jubilo, Reds and Verdy, and their Group home games are as follows (note two at Universiade, not Wing):

15 Mar.14:00 Vissel Kobe v. Jubilo Iwata Universiade
9 Apr. 19:00 Vissel Kobe v. Urawa Red Diamonds Universiade
23 Apr. 19:00 Vissel Kobe v. Tokyo Verdy 1969 Wing Stadium

Both Gamba and Cerezo are in Group C, with JEF United:

08 Mar. 15:00 Gamba Osaka v. Cerezo Osaka Banpaku
9 Apr. 19:00 Cerezo Osaka v. JEF United Nagai
23 Apr. 19:00 Cerezo Osaka v. Gamba Osaka Nagai
2 Jul. 19:00 Gamba Osaka v. JEF United Banpaku

Kyoto are in Group D with Nagoya and Oita:

08 Mar 14:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Oita Trinita Nishikyogoku
16 Jul 19:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Nagoya Grampus Nishikyogoku

J.League 2003 First Stage fixtures in the Kansai area March and April:

22 Mar. 16:00 Cerezo Osaka v. Vissel Kobe Nagai
23 Mar. 14:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Gamba Osaka Nishikyogoku
5 Apr. 16:00 Gamba Osaka v. Jubilo Iwata Banpaku
6 Apr. 15:30 Vissel Kobe v. Kyoto Purple Sanga Kobe Wing Stadium
12 Apr. 15:00 Cerezo Osaka v. FC Tokyo Nagai
12 Apr. 19:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Kashiwa Reysol Kamioke Stadium
19 Apr. 14:00 Vissel Kobe v. Vegalta Sendai Kobe Wing Stadium
19 Apr. 15:00 Gamba Osaka v. Jef United Ichihara Banpaku
26 Apr. 15:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Shimizu S-Pulse Nishikyogoku
26 Apr. 15:00 Cerezo Osaka v. Urawa Red Diamonds Nagai
29 Apr. 14:00 Vissel Kobe v. FC Tokyo Kobe Wing Stadium
29 Apr. 19:00 Gamba Osaka v. Kashima Antlers Banpaku

May onwards....

5 May 15:00 Cerezo Osaka v. Jef United Ichihara Nagai
5 May 15:30 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Vegalta Sendai Nishikyogoku
10 May 14:00 Gamba Osaka v. Kashiwa Reysol Banpaku
11 May 14:00 Vissel Kobe v. Urawa Red Diamonds Kobe Wing Stadium
17 May 15:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Tokyo Verdy 1969 Kamioke Stadium
17 May 19:00 Cerezo Osaka v. Jubilo Iwata Nagai
24 May 14:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Cerezo Osaka Nishikyogoku
24 May 15:00 Gamba Osaka v. Shimizu S-Pulse Banpaku
5 Jul. 19:00 Vissel Kobe v. Gamba Osaka Kobe Wing Stadium
6 Jul. 19:00 Cerezo Osaka v. Tokyo Verdy 1969 Nagai
12 Jul. 19:00 Vissel Kobe v. Nagoya Grampus Eight Kobe Wing Stadium
13 Jul. 19:00 Gamba Osaka v. Cerezo Osaka Banpaku
19 Jul. 19:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Oita Trinita Nishikyogoku
19 Jul. 19:00 Cerezo Osaka v. Yokohama F Marinos Nagai
26 Jul. 19:00 Gamba Osaka v. Yokohama F Marinos Banpaku
26 Jul. 19:00 Vissel Kobe v. Oita Trinita Kobe Wing Stadium
2 Aug. 19:00 Kyoto Purple Sanga v. Kashima Antlers Nishikyogoku
2 Aug. 19:00 Cerezo Osaka v. Nagoya Grampus Eight Nagai

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