Gonda, coach Moriyasu, and chairman Tajima were also present…Moriyasu Japan held a “World Cup Launch” and photographed a “tipsy night.
Captain Maya Yoshida dines with acquaintances, holding a bouquet of flowers. The banquet was attended by volunteer members, including Kozo Tajima, chairman of the Japan Football Association.
Oi! Hey! Oi!”
The sound of men’s voices echoed in the quiet residential area of Shibuya Ward. The source of the noise was a nearby upscale Italian restaurant. Inside the restaurant are the members of the Moriyasu Japan team, who have returned to Japan after a hard-fought match.
On December 8, a consolation party for the Japan team was held at the restaurant. It was around 6:30 p.m. when the players began to gather. The players began to gather at around 6:30 p.m., and the well-dressed men with suitcases in tow began to arrive one after the other.
A large banquet was set up for the 15 players and Hajime Moriyasu, 54, who had returned to Japan, as well as association staff and officials. Nineteen of the 26 players in this year’s squad are from overseas. Many of the players are scheduled to resume league play in mid-December, so it was held the day after they returned to Japan.
About an hour after the meeting began, shouts like the one at the beginning of this article echoed outside the restaurant. The party was quite lively, but it came to an end around 9:30 p.m. Director Moriyasu and the players got into a pick-up truck and disappeared into the night.
Following the historical accomplishment, the players have been dragged out day after day. On another day, we spotted captain Maya Yoshida (34) in Tsukiji at night. Yoshida got out of the pickup truck and was holding a bouquet of white flowers in both hands. After meeting up with his friends, they enjoyed a three-hour meal at a French restaurant. It seemed to be a party to celebrate his friends, and one of his friends came out of the restaurant, carefully holding the bouquet given to him by Yoshida.
Yoshida moved on to Ginza. He met up with another man, and they went into a hideout-style bar together. On the way, many people shouted, “Oh, it’s Maya Yoshida! but Yoshida politely bowed his head.
The New Moriyasu Japan
After a short break, the Hinomaru Warriors are back on the field of play. Immediately after the defeat to Croatia on December 6, the Japan Football Association began to look ahead to the next World Cup.
On December 12, a meeting of the technical committee was held, and the majority of the members supported the continuation of the coach. If approved at the board meeting next January, the continuation will be official. The term of office is two years with an option to extend it for another two years,” said a soccer association official.
While expectations for the second Moriyasu administration are high, soccer journalist Yusuke Mimura says that the selection of assistant coaches will be key to its success or failure.
Yokouchi-san (Akinobu, 55), who has been the right-hand man since his days at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and Ueno-san (Yusaku, 49), who is known for his nurturing ability, are both rumored to be in line for the J-League coaching position. Who can be invited to replace them? While Mr. Moriyasu is excellent at managing players, he has issues in building tactics. Our long-cherished goal of advancing to the last eight will depend on whether we can bring in up-and-coming coaches from England and Spain, who are at the cutting edge of their respective fields.
The battle for the next four years has already begun.
From the December 30, 2022 issue of FRIDAY
