The Future of the Japanese National Team Supported by the New Trend of Players Transferring Overseas without Going through the J-League
Thinking about the overseas transfer of Japanese players (3)
In the previous article, “Makoto Hasebe and Keisuke Honda Paved the Way for ‘Overseas Moves Even for Non-Competitive Players'”, we introduced how Makoto Hasebe, Keisuke Honda, and others challenged overseas before becoming established members of the Japanese national team, and were followed by players of their generation.
In the 1960s, the number of Japanese players moving overseas increased dramatically, and the starting lineup for the World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium in Rostov in Russia in 2006, with the exception of Gen Masako (30, Kashima), was all from European teams. This trend accelerated after the inauguration of Moriyasu Japan in August 2006.
The first time in history that all the starters were from overseas was in the final of the 2007 Asian Cup (UAE) against Qatar (Abu Dhabi), with goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda (34, Shimizu=Portimonense at the time), defender Hiroki Sakai (33, Urawa=Marseille at the time), Takehiro Tomiyasu (25, Arsenal=Sint-Troiden at the time), Yoshihiro Yoshida (25, Arsenal=Sint-Troiden at the time), and Shunichi Gonda (34, Shimizu=Portimonense at the time). Sint-Troyden), Maya Yoshida (35, LA Galaxy=Southampton), Yuto Nagatomo (37, FC Tokyo=Galatasaray), Tsukasa Shiotani (35, Hiroshima=Al Ain), Gaku Shibasaki (31, Kashima=Hetafe), right midfielder Ritsu Doan (25, Freiburg=Groningen), left midfielder Genki Haraguchi (25, Freiburg=Groningen) The lineup included left midfielder Genki Haraguchi (32, Stuttgart=Hannover at the time), top midfielder Takumi Minamino (28, Monaco=Salzburg at the time), and forward Yuya Osako (33, Kobe=Bremen at the time).
It is no exaggeration to say that a mood spread among the players at that time that “only those from overseas could make the national team.
The Japan Football Association also took action. In October 2008, after the COVID-19 crisis, a European office was established in Düsseldorf, Germany. Director Naoki Tsumura, 45, who had supported the national team since 2007, when Ivica Osim was in charge, was assigned to the office, and the association began to build a pipeline with Japanese clubs in earnest. Mr. Tsumura said, “Just before the World Cup in Russia, Mr. Nishino was asked to help the national team.
Until Akira Nishino (68, current commentator) became coach just before the World Cup in Russia, there had been a succession of foreign coaches, so it was enough to use their contacts and connections to conduct inspections and visit clubs. However, after Mr. Moriyasu, a Japanese national, became manager, we had to establish a base in Europe in order for our activities to proceed smoothly. So we started working toward opening an office in April 2008, but due to the spread of corona infection, we had to delay the start of operations by half a year.
With a European office, not only the German team, but also players from neighboring Belgium and the Netherlands can consult with us if they have any problems, and it is also easier to receive support in case of injury or illness. When Itakura Koh (26, Borussia MG) was injured just before the World Cup in Qatar in 2010, he visited here every day, which must have been a reassuring factor for his early return.
In addition, from ’22 to ’23, the club became a “temple” for players like Chase Henry (19, Stuttgart II) and Shio Fukuda (19, Borussia MG II) who moved to Europe in their teens, and it can be seen as one of the factors that accelerated the transfer of Japanese players to Europe. This is one of the factors that have accelerated the transfer of Japanese players to Europe.
