Comments on: News Brief: FCT in running for Shunsuke Nakamura, Hirayama to start against Hong Kong?

By: Bobby Mann Ate My Leg

Bobby Mann Ate My Leg — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:40:15 +0000

Yup, would be shocked if we made a move for Nakamura. It makes no sense to spend so much on wages for a player who, if played in his favourite position, would be in direct competition with Ishikawa (though I guess he could also do a job behind the strikers). And Shunsuke also doesn’t fit the profile of players that Jofuku likes to bring in (i.e. young and hungry).

On that note, Goldenface, apologies but… I was pleased to see Cabore moved on (!). His scoring record was pretty dire (though perhaps due to playing/being played so deep, always receiving the ball with his back to goal and a mass of defenders to play through). And he just didn’t seem interested for much of last season.

Ricardinho’s an interesting one, though. At 21, he’s at the opposite end of his career to Cabore and should arrive with everything to prove. Whether he actually works out or not, I think Jofuku’s on the right track here. We don’t need journeymen, who come with a risk of dodgy attitudes and expectations, but younger players who’ll work hard to establish themselves and who will be more willing to fit themselves into whichever system we use.

By: goldenface

goldenface — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:24:03 +0000

I agree YNWA. It seems a little far fetched for FCT to get Shunsuke for the starting of the season. I ask myself, and have been asking myself this constantly, is why on earth was he moved to Espanyol in the first place? Dan and I talked about it a few times last year. He’s definitely NOT a player past his prime. He needs a better environment to get his feet on the pitch. It would have looked better for him, personally and professionally, to get his butt back home and get his shiz together for the National Team. Troussier makes a valid point. Watching Hirayama hog the ball and be a selfish player during more than a few games last season ikred me. Especially with Ishikawa injured, Hirayama tried to take everything in his own hands. Tsk tsk tsk. So it doesn’t surprise me when people see that in Hirayama. FCT makes weird moves generally (I still haven’t gotten over Cabore…sniff) we’ll see what Ricardhino has to offer as well as our new Korean friend Kim Young-Gwon. Can’t f’ing wait!

By: Y.N.W.A.

Y.N.W.A. — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:41:45 +0000

We’d certainly get a few thousand more through the turnstiles if Shunsuke were to come, which in itself would cover part of his salary, but I can’t see him going anywhere other than back to Yokohama. I’m sure they’ve got the dosh to splash if he is indeed going to leave Espanyol.
On our side of things I agree that whatever money that would go towards acquiring him would be better spent on an upgrade elsewhere, although its hard to see anything happening at this stage with less than a month to go until the season starts. All of the decent Japanese players out there have already moved, and if we were considering getting another Brazilian in I would’ve thought they’d have got him in before pre-season training started.
Anyway, overall I’m thinking positively (for once, historic moment that should be noted) as our off-season ins and outs have left us with a far better, more well-rounded squad than previous seasons.

By the way, can we get a small prize to Troussier for Most Obvious Statement of the Year? “Hirayama “…has potential, but isn’t at the top level yet.”” No s#%t, Sherlock.