The Last Bugle Call

Folks, I think it`s time to call it a day at Tokyo Nerdy 1969.  I`ve REALLY enjoyed writing this blog for the last couple of seasons but it`s game over at least for a while. My Sky dish is one step away from being ripped off the wall and given a John Cleese style "damn good thrashing". I can`t be arsed getting a new one and I`m finding myself repeating what I`ve said before. So, thanks for reading and thanks for commenting and Onwards and Cybersleepwards The Boys March On!! We might be back someday with the odd match report but the week in week out days are done. C`mon You Greens!!

Don`t Blame it On Sunshine....Verdy 2 - 0 Vortis

Kobayashi doing The Dog on Sugimoto. It`s allowed when you`re top of the league.

A superb day out today readers which not even one of the most boring games of football ever to be played on Planet Earth could ruin. The sun was shining, clear blue skies and the sakura were in bloom around the stadium. Ajinomoto is by no means picturesque in any stretch of the imagination but on a day like yesterday it doesn`t matter where you are or what you are doing; life is good.
Which is lucky really as the game itself was virtually devoid of incident for the first 60 minutes. Verdy started out with Fukatsu and Tsuchiya in the centre with Mori and Takahashi in the full back berths, Iio and Nishi were on the flanks with Kobayashi and Wada in the centre. Takuma Abe and loan signing Sugimoto completed the line up.  Up to the 60th minute neither keeper had a save to make and the only notable action was a nasty clash of heads between Tsuchiya and a Vortis forward and Vortis hitting the bar right on the stroke of halftime. Dull, Dull, Dull.....but sunny and warm.
Into the second half and finally Verdy got going with Sugimoto adding to his debut goal following neat passing from Nishi and Kobayashi to leave him with just the keeper to beat. Vortis never really managed to trouble Shibasaki in the Verdy goal and it was Kobayashi who added to his tally for the year with the clincher two minutes from time. Set up by Abe, Kobayashi ensured that Verdy were in top spot before Bellmare very unsportingly decided to beat Machida later in the day. So, top for only an hour or two but top is still top.  After the game we went for some post match beers in the grounds of a nice temple in Fuchu and decided that life is more than sweet in the spring sunshine at Hanami time.

Top of the Pops Like Tizer

Looks full of goodness here. 

Three points tomorrow against Tokushima Vortis coupled with an M-Size Bellmare loss and Verdy will be somewhat rarer than a 17 legged, green eyed, unopened, first edition, 10" folding gatefold sleeve,stickers still intact, sleeve unmarked, signed by all members of the ORIGNAL line up before the first album with the misspelt B-side Groove Machine. Number1Top DogNumeroUnoBig Boss ManChiefIchi-banCockOfTheFurkinNorth!!! They`ll most likely bollocks it up, but for now I`ll be in the living room living the dream.
In other news captain Yuki Kobayashi and new signing Kenyu Sugimoto have both been invited to train with the U-23 squad.

Altitude Sickness

If we top the table the goat is re-incarnated.

Classic!! Machida 1 - 2 Verdy

Verdy moved up to second in a game billed as "The Tokyo Classic". Move over Barcelona v Real Madrid there`s a new fixture in town.  Righto.....er.....that`s twice EVER the two teams have met. One Emperor`s Cup win to Machida and yesterdays result for the Greens. So that`s one win each in this CLASSIC fixture. Check out a bomb from Takuma Abe for his 3rd of the season, Verdy`s vomit inducing away kit and a debut goal for Sugimoto signed from Cerezo Osaka.  Click on Kawakatsu`s ever so groovy cap for extended highlights below and big thanks to the chap who put them up.

Are You a Peter Puffer Pyle??!!!

A jelly donut Sir...(Especially for Unkle Derik on his Birthday)

No I`m not, but I have been busy as f@@K lately with work, add this to a temperamental Sky dish and a  heads up on 5 quid a month deal for all UK Sky Sports package to my computer and what do you get? No nothings on Verdy for the last three games. Have we missed anything? Well the Boys are unbeaten following (another) 4-1 thumping of Toyama, a 0-0 borefest with what looks a good contender to be the 2012 shittest pro team in Japan; Yokohama FC and todays 2-0`er  over Thespa Kusatsu. I didn`t see one minute of any of the games due to the above, but Verdy are in 4th place which is joint highest that we have been at any point for the last two seasons  so nice one!! Onwards and Upwards and Back to Normal Service next week.

Second Best......Verdy 1 - 3 Kofu

There was to be no repeat of the opening day victory this afternoon with Verdy second best and run ragged by a powerful Kofu side. Verdy were second best for the entire 90 minutes and will look back on today as a painful lesson in how to dominate a game.
Within the first five minutes Kofu registered their intent with powerhouse Davi running rings rounds Takahashi and Tsuchiya and registering three efforts on goal the closest of which saw Shibasaki race off his line to block a goalbound effort. However, it was Verdy who actually took the lead with a Yuki Kobayashi penalty on 13 minutes after Takuma Abe had been clumsily felled in the box. Kobayashi`s penalty was struck poorly but luckily for him Ogi in the Kofu goal could only block his shot rather than hang on to it and the rebound fell kindly for Kobayashi to take his second of the season. Kofu then carried on exactly where they`d left off only this time finding success through Davi on a near post header from a corner. Takahashi was caught napping and Davi made no mistake. Verdy`s lead lasted four minutes.
The game then settled into a rythmn with Kofu looking more dangerous and Verdy struggling to get anything going the way.
1-1 at half time and then Kofu took the lead following a clanger from Shibasaki. Shibasaki seemed to have safely caught a high ball from a corner only to drop it at the feet of a grateful Sho Sasaki to poke home from 6 yards. An absolute dolly of a goal and Shibasaki deserves all the towel whips he receives in the bath after the game. Kawakatsu then went 3-4-3 in trying to chase the game bringing on Alex and Iio for Koike and Mori. Inevitably gaps were left at the back and Katagiri was left in acres of space to fire home following good work down the right.
So how are the boys doing two games in? Again in this game the defence was all over the show. Tsuchiya and Takahashi were unable to deal with Davi and Takasaki all afternoon. Fukatsu also came on late and dealt with Davi by clattering him and getting himself booked. The big worry this year so far is the lack of chances being created. Verdy were absolutely poor going forward today. The Boys registered only 3 or 4 long range efforts up to the 85th minute with the Kofu keeper having very little to do. Verdy finally managed to slip Kobayashi in to force the keeper into a decent save and Takahashi had a free header from the resulting corner. Too little, too late unfortunately. It feels like it`s going to be a long year this year. Onwards and Upwards In My Dreams The Boys March On!!

One Year On.

Waters of Nature,
Soul plummets deeper below,
My tear rolls alone.


It`s not great, I`m not a poet but I do mean it.
Rest In Peace all  and I wish I had stronger, more helpful words to say.

A Perfect Day and a Perfect Start. Perfik!! Verdy 2-0 Matsumoto

Paul Scholes` Grandad is a Green.

Verdy got the season up and running yesterday with their first Opening Day win in the last 3 attempts. In each of the last two seasons Verdy have been slow out of the blocks in the first few games but made no mistake yesterday despite a spirited performance from J2 newcomers Matsumoto Yamaga. The Matsumoto hordes swarmed into Tokyo and packed the away end not quite to the rafters but they did have to open the upper tier. Only when Verdy played FC Tokyo last season has there ever been a need for the upstairs to be opened at Ajinomoto in J2. A superb performance from a set of supporters who most definitely made themselves heard in the first game of their J-League journey.
On the pitch Verdy can count themselves lucky to have got away with all three points yesterday as Matsumoto were guilty of some wasteful efforts, Shibasaki pulled off a number of good stops and Matsumoto also thundered a header off the bar. An even first half finished all square with Matsumoto probably edging the chances but a very open, entertaining game kept the crowd going nicely. Into the second half and in the 51st minute it was club Captain Yuki Kobayashi who put Verdy in the lead somewhat fortunately sticking a leg out to deflect a shot past the keeper for a 1-0 lead. This was probably against the run of play and things were to get worse for Matsumoto when Josimar doubled the lead just a few minutes later combining nicely with Takuma Abe on the edge of the box to slide home from close range.
Yamaga were done and dusted by this point and never really threatened a comeback but can take credit in their first half performance when they had Verdy on the back foot and under pressure. If they had had that little bit of quality up front they could have been contenders. All`s well that ends well but if Verdy play like that defensively against the bigger teams they are going to find themselves behind and quickly.

Big George (II) with a debut strike and somersault celebration...show off.

Next up it`s Venforet Kofu at Ajinomoto on Sunday so come on you Greens!! Onwards and Play Offwards The Boys March On!!

`Do Of The Month No. 1

Everyone loves a shit haircut and we at Tokyo Nerdy are no different. Especially when it`s on some rich bloke with more money than sense. He probably spent 1000`s of dollars on his suit and private jets but forgot to spend 50p on a pair of scissors. My mum used to cut my hair as a kid and I`d go to school with the inevitable jeers which went with a having a new haircut. Not that my mum was that bad with the scissors just kids naturally take the piss out of new haircuts.
Maybe Donald Trump`s mum has been to busy to get the pudding bowl out. Anyway, a big round of applause for Mrs Trump!! A superb effort.

Gainare and Niigata Trumped and 90% Hulk

If anyone can tell where Don`s hair actually starts from at the front please write in.

Verdy trumped Gainare 5-1 in a training match over 3 halves this week. No words on goalscorers as information was taken from the Tottori website. In fact the information coming from the club from camp basically says the boys are enjoying breakfast, watching Champions League on TV and trotting about in a cold looking Kochi-ken. Still, goals are goals even it is only training.
In round two of the 3 half camp games (not involving Graham Norton, Atsugi woods and a bejewelled temperance spoon) Verdy ran out 2-1 winners against J1 Niigata with Josimar netting both. So there we go everything tickety boo in Camp Green. (Bar the fact that Verdy have currently sold 912 season tickets/fan club membership for 2012 season).
Finally, I read the other day that FC Porto paid 11 million quid in May 2011for further ownership (taking their ownership to 90%) of Hulk with the view of an enormous sale coming in a couple of years. Does that mean they paid Verdy 11 million sheets? You`d think so, but in the mirky world of football transfers and part ownerships of players Verdy in fact got nothing despite being the last club he played for. Verdy never actually owned him or any part of him. According to Wikipedia he was owned (and still is 10%) by one Club Atletico Rentistas (who??) of Uruguay.  Shame really as that kind of money could have paid for the enormous financial loss that Verdy are guaranteed to make on selling just 912 (so far) season ticket/fan club memberships. Money troubles? What money troubles? Maybe we need to call in The Don....

The ORIGINAL Josimar

He`s probably only the same age as Kazu. I remember playing footy as a kid and a huge chorus of  "Josimar!!!!" whenever anyone took a long range pot shot.  Mexico `86. Superb....except why the hell didn`t Waddle and Barnes come on earlier against Argentina????!!!!

New Slogan and Our Chances for 2012.

One of the "joys" of the close season is wondering what piece of meaningless crap the wizards at the club can come up with for the Team Slogan. From "Strong Soul" to "All For Verdy" to this years effort:

Team slogans are a complete waste of time and though ours isn`t as bad as FC Tokyo`s abomination it`s still a pointless exercise. So, how are we going to do in 2012? First things first and good news for Verdy and the league in general is that play offs have been introduced for J2 for 2012!! Great!!
Some people moan about that it`s unfair for the team in 3rd to lose out on promotion to a team who finished in sixth over the....yawn....course....season...better....yawn....team...deserves..yawn. For me the game is entertainment and I want to see my team in with a shout of promotion for as long as possible.  The league looks wide open this year with no "banker" to finish first. Verdy probably don`t have enough for top two but top six? I reckon so. It`ll be close though with a pile of teams all finishing within a gnats chuff of each other last season. The Greens finished 5th for the second season running but the next six teams were seperated by just THREE points.
The Boys have already kicked off the pre-season with a shoeing of JFL side Tochigi 11-3 over four matches played over different lengths of time. Abe, Josimar, Alex, Nishi and Kajikawa amongst the scorers. The Boys will be packing buckets and spades next week for the annual training Camp, this year to be held in Kochi-ken. Roll on March 4th!!!!!! The big kick off against J2 new comers Matsumoto Yamaga. For the complete list of 2012 fixtures click on the Misery Link as normal.

New Kit 15,970円!!! Wolfs Nipple Chips, Get Them While They`re Hot!!

It`s a kit, it`s new, it`s expensive.

Squad numbers for the kit buying population.

The Magic Roundabout New Kids On The Block 2012 Part Two

I thought there was only supposed to be one gay one in Boy Bands?

Verdy have been busy "Hangin` Tough" in the off season picking up all manner of waifs and strays to fill the gaps. We`ve got two new Brazilians, some ex-J1 and the inevitable promotions from the youth squad.
First of all let`s go to the Brazilians. Both new guys will be familiar to J2 watchers with Josimar (what Pat Jennings` nemesis?? holy shit!! no not THAT Josimar...) and Alex coming to Verdy after solid enough careers at Ehime and Kustasu. Am I excited? NO and A BIT, in that order.
Josimar had 14 goals in 77 for Ehime. OK, Ehime weren`t a great side but still hardly breathtaking stuff. I would expect him to line up on the bench behind Abe and Maki as backup. Next up Alex from Thespa Kusatsu. He is likely to be the direct replacement for Hiroki Kawano and if Kawano wasn`t so good then Alex would be a rock solid signing. He`s a very tidy player but will have his work cut out to fill Kawano`s boots. Will more than likely operate down the right flank or just behind the front two. Alex had 12 goals in 41 since signing for Thespa midway through 2010.
At the back we have Masaki Chugo coming in with tons of experience from Kashima Antlers, JEF United and last year a full playing season clocking up 23 appearances at J1 Cerezo Osaka. Chugo will possibly jump ahead of Naoya Saeki as defensive midfield partner for Yuki Kobayashi and at 29 should be OK for a few years. Good signing and in theory should be able plug a few of the leaks from last season. Another stopper is ex-U-20 international Mitsuyuki Yoshihiro signed from Ehime following spells at Hiroshima and Consadole.  Yoshihiro will be providing competition for Mori and Nakatani in the full back slots and again I would expect him to be back up initially.
Into the midfield again and we have three new signings with Verdy picking up Jubilo veteran Norihiro Nishi, Shingo Suzuki from Kyoto and Junki Koike from Mito Hollyhock. Nishi is a right midfielder and a virtual ever present in the Jubilo side for the last 12 years. 31 years old, stepping down to J2 after feeding at the top table for 12 years. Let`s hope he still has the heart. Suzuki comes in from Kyoto Sanga and at 34 years old looks to be a bit of a waste of a shirt the old "tons of experience" cliche, did his best work in a seven year stretch at Albirex Niigata with 55 goals in a 200 and something appearances stretch that finished six years ago...Finally in the midfield comes Junki Koike from Mito Hollyhock. An original product of the Urawa youth team, Koike made 4 appearances before transferring to Kusatsu for a season where he picked up 6 goals in 49 appearances before moving on to Mito Hollyhock. He picked up a further 6 goals in 67 in his time there and also one of the most ridiculous monickers around being dubbed  "The Mito Messi". We`ll see, but I`ll be most surprised if he is pictured with The Balloon D`Or next season.
Promotions from the youth squad include schoolboy international striker Shuto Minami, promising midfielder Ryota Kajikawa who we saw a glimpse of last season, forward Ryuji Sugimoto who again played a few minutes last year, defenders Shunsuke Tachino, Toshio Shimakawa and finally a Gamba reserve keeper Futori who will probably never see the light of day. That`s it people your 2012 Tokyo Nerdy Magic Roundabout.

The Magic Roundabout 2012 Part One

Bloody freezing today though on the plus side I bought a new chainsaw and am now in the house with freshly sawn and chopped logs crackling away on the fire. I`m warm, have a can of beer ready whilst I type and am in altogether positive mood looking forward to the new season. Then again, aren`t all pre-season football supporters everywhere? The teams have yet to smash supporters dreams into smithereens, every signing looks a gem and all players transferred out were useless anyway.  I personally love the time before the the start of the new season. Planning games to go to, possible away trips. The day the official fixture list comes out is most definitely one of the best days of the season; signifying the start of what we`ve been missing since December. So who are the runners and riders for Tokyo Verdy this season? To begin with let`s have a look at who has been press ganged aboard the good ship Green and who has been thrown overboard or stolen with promises of riches and glory.
First let`s start with the significant outs:

No I`m not but I know a man who is.

The biggest news in the off season is of course that Hiroki Kawano signed for FC Tokyo to leave an enormous hole in the attack. Kawano leaving the club is not a huge surprise given his obvious skills and to be honest I was surprised he hadn`t been picked up in either of the two previous seasons. However, for him to go to FC Tokyo is nothing short of a poke in the eye with a donkey AIDS infested sharp stick for the Green 11% of Tokyo. I hope he does well in his overall career but would love to see him bomb for FC Tokyo. What a complete TWAT!!!
The problem here of course (as with the Takagi brothers leaving last season) is that clubs will continue to pick off Verdy`s talent as long as Verdy stay entrenched in the shit that is J2. Verdy have had a superbly successful youth squad in recent years to rival any other in the country I would say, but when that youth gets into the first team and performs, the club is powerless to keep the talent when clubs higher up the league come calling. It`s f`in annoying and will only stop (within Japan) if Verdy get promoted.
Other transfers include a surprise in Captain Seitaro Tomisawa going to J1 Marinos. Not quite sure what the Marinos are thinking there to be honest. Surely only signed to make up the numbers and would be massively surprised if he was in the first 11 on the opening day unless Marinos are looking to revive the Yokohama Derby in J2.
As feared Tokyo Nerdy 1969 favourite Kazuki Hiramoto has indeed upped sticks and moved to local outfit Machida Zelvia to be coached by ex-Verdy manager and all round good egg Ossie Ardiles. Gotta love Ardiles. He won the Cup for Verdy and for that reason alone he will always be a hero in my eyes, OK we got relegated and hammered subsequently but I`ll take a cup win and relegation over scraping staying in J1 year after year. Club chairmen go on about the importance of staying in whatever division but ask any supporter and the majority will take a Cup win. A big thank you to Hiramoto for all he did for the club not least scoring in the Cup Final to beat Jubilo on a fantastic afternoon for Greens everywhere on New Years Day 2005. Silverware is what matters to any supporter and Hiramoto and Ardiles brought the only piece of silverware to Verdy in the 11 seasons since I`ve been following. The pre-season Tinpot Mickey Mouse McDonalds Community Xerox Challenge Charity Shield Trophy Cup doesn`t count. Verdy won that too but is it important? Nope.
Other movers include both 2010 first choice full backs Masaki Yoshida and Kensuke Fukuda. Yoshida moves to J2 new boys Matsumoto Yamaga with Fukuda signing with relegated Venforet Kofu. Both should be solid signings for their respective clubs with Fukuda looking for a shot straight back to J1 while Yoshida will be doing his best to keep Matsumoto respectable for their debut J2 season.

Kikuoka`s dad getting everything ready for Takuro`s birthday party.

In the midfield apart from Kawano leaving, uber dwarf Takuro Kikuoka has signed for promotion candidates SC Tochigi. Another disappointing move for the Greens as Kikuoka really came into form in his second season at Verdy after being a fringe player in 2010.  His free kicks, hairbands and having to ask Yoichi Doi to pass things from the overhead shelf on the team bus will certainly be missed at Ajinomoto this year.
Amongst the forwards, another Verdy "legend" has moved to pastures new with Taira Inoue being picked up by FC Gifu following a successful run out at the annual J-League workout for players too old, too young or too shit to be signed or re-signed at the end of their contracts. We will have our work cut out to find a new comedy forward to rank along side such legends as Inoue and Yuzo Funokoshi before him though I`m sure someone will come to the fore sooner rather than later. 2011 Brazilian loan signing Maranhao has left the club and will not be in Green for 2012, Omiya Ardija loanee Masahiko Ichikawa, who along with Apodi did virtually nothing in their 12 months at the club have also returned to their old clubs. In part two we`ll be looking at who has come in to replace the above. Stay tuned!!

Kawano Goes......

TO FC TOKYO!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh!!