Tokyo Nerdy 1969

The ORIGINAL Josimar

2012-02-05T22:07:00.000-08:00

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.

2012-02-05T21:57:00.000-08:00

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!!

2012-02-05T21:32:00.000-08:00

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

2012-02-05T21:05:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-30T03:13:00.000-08:00

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......

2012-01-16T00:44:00.000-08:00

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

Tokyo Nerdy 1969 Season Review and Piping Hot Steamy Hot Pants!!

2011-12-19T03:27:00.000-08:00

Sauna in my pants? Order already placed with Santa.

2011 season finished a couple of weeks back with a disappointing 2-2 with Shonan Bellmare at a thoroughly empty Ajinomoto with just 3,929 coming though the ticket gates for the finale which saw Verdy throw away another lead in the last minute to take a single point where three points were in the back pocket. 2011 has been (for me at least) an enjoyable if ultimately disappointing season. I hadn`t been paying much attention for the final five or six games since it became painfully obvious that promotion wasn`t going to happen for the third season in succession. Fifth again and probably about right, Tokyo Verdy in 2011 were breathtaking at times when steamrollering Yokohama, Bellmare, Kitakyushu, Toyama and Okayama twice. However, this season too many points were thrown away from good positions or by Verdy simply being outgunned by better teams. I can`t be arsed with the whys and wherefore`s but let`s have a look at the team and see who might, might not or definitely shouldn`t be around for next season. Let`s start with the keepers.

Takahiro Shibaski

Yoichi Doi

The keepers jersey for the opening game will be a battle between an injury free and hopefully fully fit Yoichi Doi and 2011 keeper Takahiro Shibasaki. The equation here is simple, if Doi is fit he will be number one. Doi was a huge loss following his ruptured achilles picked up in the first Tokyo Derby. Shibasaki had some good games in his first extended run in the team in over TEN YEARS at the club, but at times is was painfully obvious just why he has had 10 years of sitting on the bench. A big man and decent shot stopper, Shibasaki was also good in one-on-ones but often shaky on balls into the box and doesn`t instill me with confidence and also more importantly; his defenders. Young keepers Shota Arai and Niall Killoran will hoping to break through though neither are likely to be near first choice barring injuries to Shibasaki and Doi. Alternatively, Kawakatsu could bring someone in though I don`t think he will.

Which brings us to the defence. The solid defence of 2010 which was one of the best in the league in 2010 was a shadow of it`s former self and the prime reason for not bothering the promotion positions. The problem in 2010 was a lack of goals, that problem was solved (and some!!) in 2011 but whilst the goals were flying in at the right end, they were also piling in at the wrong end. The stats say that Verdy were top scorers in J2 with a very respectable 69 goals in 38 games, however the defence came in at 45 conceded to leave them in joint seventh with a Kyoto side that started the season dismally but finished up just one point behind the Greens in 7th place.

On paper the defence looked reasonably solid with 2010 first choices Doi, Tomisawa, Tsuchiya, Fukuda and Yoshida being backed up by Verdy`s Olympic Under 22 fringe players Takuya Wada and Shohei Takahashi plus new signings Yusuke Mori and Kota Fukatsu. All looked good for another solid year until injury befell Tomisawa after just two matches, Doi himself disappeared for the season after matchday four to leave a gaping hole in defence. Initially, Kota Fukatsu signed from Machida Zelvia having impressed Coach Kawakatsu in the 2010 Emperor`s Cup tie came in to cover but looked slow, ponderous and simply not good enough. Shibasaki came in for Doi as mentioned before and Mori came in for the unlucky Yoshida with Shohei Takahashi taking over in central defence from Fukuda. Yusuke Nakatani was also signed from Sanga late on in the season to operate in the full back berths. So, who do Verdy keep from a unit that simply didn`t manage the job last season?

Yukio Tsuchiya

In many ways the leader of the defence and chief motivator of the side, Yukio Tsuchiya has been a giant for Tokyo Verdy since signing for the club back in 2007 from Omiya. Relatively short for a centre back, Tsuchiya is as fearless a competitor as you will find anywhere in the league and never afraid to go in when the boots are flying and rarely makes mistakes. Always plays with a smile on his face and enjoys his game. Age is most definitely catching up with him and he may not have enough in the tank for another year, though I`m sure he will be on the field on the Opening Day. KEEP!!

Seitaro Tomisawa

Tomisawa, absent for much of 2011 due to injury is a player who I have thought was either fantastic or diabolical at various times over the past few seasons and in reality he probably falls between the two in being average. He can be guaranteed to drop a couple of clangers every season but after a colossal year in 2010 he would have been hugely disappointed not to be able to contribute more in 2011. Verdy will be looking for a big season from the Captain in 2012. KEEP!!

Yusuke Mori

Yusuke Mori came in pre-season from Kawasaki Frontale with a reputation as a no nonsense psychopath with a blotted history of red cards, blow ups with referee`s and a general Bad Boy reputation from his earlier days at Vegalta Sendai. He turned out to be a superb signing for Verdy, fiercely competitive and quick down the wings. Able to operate on either side of the defence, his crosses whipped in from either side proved deadly on many occasions this season and Verdy supporters will looking forward to another year of chewing gum and girly hair from Mori. KEEP!!

Shohei Takahashi

Takahashi had a good run in the side this year deputising for the injured Tomisawa and the ineffective Fukuda. He was also called up to the U-22 Olympic training squad and had a solid year with the Greens. He will be kept and rightly so, a product of the Verdy youth system Takahashi (minus his awful diving and rolling around like a big bloody jessie) is solid at the back and also able to play in midfield. Can`t stand his play acting but will be semi-happy to see him in Green for next year. KEEP!!

Kensuke Fukuda

Kensuke Fukuda went from being a guaranteed starter in 2010 to an occasional substitute in 2011. For some reason Coach Kawakatsu went against Fukuda, signing Mori and then Nakatani to cover the full back berths. Fukuda suddenly had a fight on his hands with Kawakatsu preferring the other two contenders for the full back slots. Harsh for Fukuda who never really did anything wrong and he will again have his hands full in trying to get back in for 2012. Harsh but GOODBYE!!

Kota Fukatsu

Kota Fukatsu`s career highpoint came in 2006 registering 3 appearances with J1 outfit Nagoya Grampus. Surrounding this were uninspiring runs with Mito in J2 before coming up from the JFL with FC Gifu and staying for their inaugural J2 season. Fukatsu was signed as cover for the centre of defence and was shown to be a very limited player, playing out of his depth in the higher division. A poor signing who performed as he would be expected to do given his history. GOODBYE!!

Yusuke Nakatani

Nakatani came in mid-season and at 33 years of age looked to be a stop gap signing brought in to simply beef up the numbers. However, he forced his way into the side in the left back slot and went on to make 16 appearances for the Greens. Very experienced defender with lots of J1 playing time for Nagoya and Kawasaki. In the twilight of his career but good for another year in Green. KEEP!!

On current players available, Kawakatsu would probably go with Doi, Mori, Tsuchiya, Tomisawa and Nakatani as his first choice line up with Takahashi first reserve. However, one blindingly obvious problem here is age. If Doi, Nakatani, Saeki in defensive midfield and Tsuchiya all take the field at once; their combined age is 350 or something. That is one OLD defence. Good enough for 3rd place in J2? I don`t think so. The Verdy Pensioners Horlicks, Brylcreem, and Werther`s Originals bill would be enough to sink even the most financially robust clubs, nevermind Verdy. Could be that it`s time for new blood and hopefully Kawakatsu is at least considering the same thing.
As weak as the defence was in 2011, the midfield and forwards in the attacking sense were on fire going forward. A measure of Verdy`s goal heavy statistics is that they finished top scorers in the league yet never once got in the top four. Verdy`s final finishing position of 5th was their highest position of the season. Let`s have a look at the midfield and see where those goals came from.

Takuma Abe

Tokyo Nerdy 1969 Player of The Season had an incredible Roy Of The Rovers style year going from bit part midfielder to a goal scoring centre forward over the course of the season. Abe was first brought in as an emergency striker following injuries to Hiramoto and Ishikawa and the lack of goals from an erratic Hirashige and the perenially misfiring Taira Inoue. 18 goals in 35 games for Abe saw him top the charts in Green and an absolute screamer into the top corner against Toyama announced his arrival away to Bellmare. He was promptly given an enhanced contract and at 24 will be coming into his peak years. Though he tailed off towards the end of the year, Abe will be starting next season as a marked man and hopefully still in Green. 100% KEEP!!

Hiroki Kawano

Hiroki Kawano came into the year off the back of a somewhat disappointing 2010 beset by discipline problems and a reputation as a bit of fancy dan. On his day he is one of the most skilful and exciting players in the entire J-League and he had his most productive season in 2011 with eight goals playing mainly out on the left wing or as an occasional second forward. Running with the ball at his feet is when he is at his most dangerous, he can ghost past players with ease and I look forward to him hopefully staying in Green. Every off-season I fear that he will be sold and hopefully this year won`t be the year. KEEP!!

Takuro Kikuoka

Kikuoka came in at the start of 2010 and played in fits and starts battling with Yoshiaki Takagi for a wide right role that year and initially Yuki Kobayashi for a defensive midfield role this year. However, after Takagi left for FC Utrecht the door opened for Kikuoka to make the right midfield position his own. Scored nine goals in thirty six games this season and contributed a lot with some superb passing. Kikuoka was far more useful as an attacking midfielder as opposed to being a stopper. Kikuoa was deadly with free kicks anywhere near the box and also scored straight from a corner. Gotta love a dwarf. KEEP!!

Kazunori Iio had an up and down year playing well when on the field but spending far too much time on the treatment table. Iio started only sixteen games this term scoring four goals in the process. At 29 his best years are behind him and as the new generations come through from the youth team, players like Iio will be the ones nervously looking over their shoulders. Always gives his best effort though he is never going to bothers the net much over the course of any season. Could be time to go. GOODBYE!!

Yuki Kobayashi

Youth Team graduate Kobayashi was used to plug the gap left by Kohei Shibasaki`s departure to Kawasaki Frontale in pre-season. Kobayashi is a water carrier for Verdy and played the role very well last year with some tireless performances and a general confidence in himself. A player not likely to stay in Green for long especially if they stay in J2. Kobayashi was visibly upset when his friend Yoshiaki Takagi transferred to Holland though after seeing how "well" Takagi has done since going; Kobayashi might think twice about leaving right away. KEEP!!

Naoya Saeki

Along with Kobayashi, Saeki is Tokyo Verdy`s other "grunt". Placed in front of the back four Saeki`s job is to break up the oppositions attack. Another of the Verdy Pensioners looking over his shoulder nervously awaiting the inevitable thump of his P45 on his doormat. The statistics show that the defence wasn`t protected well enough last season and as a defensive midfielder that`s your job. 34 years old and the most anonymous player in the side. GOODBYE!!

Takuya Wada

Takuya Wada is another home grown talent who as yet is not a regular in the side but at 21 he still has plenty of time to mature. Mainly used as a full back or occasional defensive midfielder, Wada made 20 appearances for the Greens last term and also earned a call up to the Under -22 Olympic squad. The future looks bright for Wada and another who will hopefully ply his trade in Green. KEEP!!

The midfield play going forward this season was superb. With Abe on fire, Kawano tormenting teams down the wings and Kikuoka scoring and supplying goals, Verdy`s midfield was it`s most productive part. Kawano, Abe and Kikuoka are lock on keeps for next season and will hopefully be even better next term having had a whole season of playing together. Saeki is nearly done and one player who duly announced his formal retirement is Tomo "Nine Second Wonder "Sugawara, holder of the unenviable record of fastest ever sending off. Which brings us to the forwards.

2010 was a dismal year for Verdy in terms of attacking scoring just 47 goals with Kazuki Hiramoto finishing top scorer with a meagre 10 strikes. It was blatantly obvious that the Verdy attack needed a boost and Kawakatsu looked to have done remarkable pre-season business in bringing in Maranhao, Hirashige and Ichikawa in on loan to add to Hiramoto and Taira Inoue. Ex-JEF United stalwart and Japan international Seichiro Maki also came in towards the end of the season to further bolster a team already hitting the net with unusual regularity.

Kazuki Hiramoto

Tokyo Nerdy favourite Kazuki "Goal Machine"Hiramoto is probably the closest Verdy have to a "Mr. Verdy" in their current ranks. Since graduating from the youth team in 2000 bar a short loan period at Yokohama FC back in 2007, Hiramoto has huffed and puffed along the forward line and also had a stint as an emergency goalkeeper and in a bizzarre move even at right full back. Hiramoto has never actually been that good it was just that the players around him were worse. If you have to choose between Hiramoto, Taira Inoue and Yuzo "192cm" Funakoshi as your star forward, there is only one choice. The best of a bad bunch if you like. At 30 years of age, Hiramoto is probably on borrowed time after spending much of 2011 injured and looking cumbersome on his return to the side. He has the competition from Abe and Maki for a starting berth and I can`t see him winning the battle. It kills me to say it but it could be GOODBYE!!

Maranhao

Brazillian Maranhao came in from Venforet Kofu with a good reputation and the scoring figures to prove it. Maranhao`s statistics don`t look too bad with eleven in twenty seven appearances but as the old saying goes; "Sometimes statistics are complete bollocks". Maranhao should have scored at least 20 given the chances that came his way. So many GOLDEN opportunities were duly fired high and wide, scuffed, shin rolled or saved. Glen Hoddle reckoned Andy Cole needed seven chances to score for Man United back in the day. The same could be said of Maranhao. As a bloke he seemed like a good guy and he was an excellent comedy villian. Maranhao was SOOOO happy when he did score I couldn`t help liking him even though his play was so frustrating. He was only loaned for a season so, thank you for some great comedy moments, (the best of which was flying over the advertising boards after a dash down the left wing) and GOODBYE!!

Taira Inoue

Taira Inoue started the season as every other season, as an object of comedy fun for all at Tokyo Nerdy 1969 HQ. Nominally a forward, Inoue has been one of the least effective players ever to pull on a shirt for Verdy. Over four seasons he "racked up" a paltry five goals playing as a centre forward. 2011 was Inoue`s swansong year scoring three in 11 appearances operating on the right side of midfield. At the moment Inoue is out of contract and I would be very surprised if he gets another one. Five goals in fifty five appearances is simply not good enough. So GOODBYE!!

Seichiro Maki

Seichiro Maki was brought in following unsuccessful spells in China and Russia to bolster the forward line and presumably give valuable experience to the side. Questions were asked regarding his fitness upon arrival and some slow, lumbering performances didn`t do anything to dispell those fears. Scored a few (three in fourteen) towards the very end of the season but will have a lot to do to impress the Verdy faithfull. Maki is very much on the downslope of his career at 31 and will probably look at the next couple of seasons as one last hurrah before hanging up his boots. I wouldn`t mind in the slightest if he retired this winter. GOODBYE!!

Ryuichi Hirashige

Ryuichi Hirashige, brought in from Sanfrecce Hiroshima on loan was a fixture in the side in the early part of the season. Hirashige scored a memorable hat trick against Kitakyushu to add to his earlier goal in the Sagan Tosu defeat but his star faded out as quickly as it was ignited. Hirashige played a further few games after his hat trick and was then dropped to the bench for the remainder of the season before going back to Hiroshima. A one day wonder if ever there was one but he will always be able to tell his kids about the day he scored a cracking hat trick. GOODBYE!!

So there it is readers. Your 2011 squad review. 2012 is just around the corner and Tokyo Verdy will hopefully still be a functioning football club. The new signings season generally begins in earnest in January and let`s see who Verdy pick up. Will Verdy get promoted next year? Will Verdy go back to Green or continue with the Zebra stripes? Will Hiramoto ever manage to grow a decent `tache? Will Kazu STILL be around in 2012 stinking up the league like the old cabbagy fart that he is? It`s all to come again as we start for another lap on the good ship Green!!

Finally, I`d like to say a big thank you to all readers of Tokyo Nerdy 1969. Official Winner of Shittest Blog On the Internet Title 3 years running. We`re done for 2011 but don`t be shy to say hello in 2012!! Until then Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. Onwards and Turkeywards The Boys Scoff On!!

Syrian Flag Dust Up

2011-11-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

Scrapping for the flag Syrian Style....can`t see much but you can make out the grey trousered hero of the piece if you have a magnifying glass with telephoto lens handy. Cheers to Tubby for heroically smuggling out the footage for us to broadcast to the waiting world. You saw it here first readers. Viva La Revolution!!!

Green Flags nowhere to be seen. Pink jacketed high school kid security guards guarding the Japanese fans from the baying Syrian hordes.

The People`s Front of Judea? F@@K Off We`re The Judean People`s Front........Japan 2 - 1 Syria

2011-11-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

Power to The People!!!!!!!!

The Bronx was burning, Moss Side was (and probably still is) full of scum and Kokuritsu was the scene once again of trouble on the ~~terraces~~ singular plastic seats. That`s TWICE in 11 years of going to football in Japan that I`ve seen trouble and BOTH were at Kokuritsu. The place is getting a bad rep.....Back in 2006 or so Verdy were hammered by Mito and a number of the Verdy fans began scrapping amongst themselves and I personally witnessed paper cups being thrown and a cardboard "four beer holder" launched towards the pitch during the post match booing when the players politely came over to be boo-ed. Tonights bad boys were the 20 or so Syrian supporters camped in the away corner of the Olympic Stadium.
As usual the anthems were played and there was no sign of what was to follow. Initially there were two pretty small Syrian flags tied to the stand and a small group of people milling around behind. Then another group unfurled (what I have since found on Wikipedia to be) a big "pre Baathist occupation and symbol of the 2011 uprising" flag and a bunch of people REALLY weren`t happy. The "Current Syrian Flag Group" rushed the "Old Syrian Flag Group" and tried to take it down. Cue pushing, shoving, a bit of light scrapping and the security guards actually having to do something at a Japanese football game!!

The groups were seperated and eventually when (I assume) the Police arrived, the Old Syrian Flag Group were marched out of the stadium. As soon as they were gone, there appeared three BIG Syrian flags and and a bunch of supporters enthusiastically waving little flags where none had been before. A pretty bizarre state of affairs and I assume the Syrian Embassy staff and The Peoples Front of Syria (not The Syrian Peoples Front...SPLITTERS!!) had been bussed in en-masse to promote a more positive image. I only wish I was sat at the Syrian end of the ground to see the man in the grey trousers who was giving it loads up close.

He`s not The Messiah, he`s a very naughty boy....

Presumably this whole affair is related to the current uprising/revolution/crackdown/ in Syria though it could be that the man in grey trousers was actually a woman and a good friend of the site upset at comments on the cut of her grey trousers.
To the game....Japan won 2-1, Syria probably deserved a draw and the Old Syrian Flag Group got thrown out just before Syria equalised. Wounder!!
Verdy also won today 2-1 with Fukuda and Maranhao netting to keep Verdy on course for 5th.

JEF Down Again.....Verdy 1-0 JEF United

2011-11-23T04:28:00.000-08:00

"Oh come on...What?"

Verdy ensured JEF United will be also running in J2 next season with a 1-0 win courtesy of Seichiro Maki scoring against the club where he made his name. So, he`ll be popular in Ichihara this week then.....The writing has been on the wall for JEF; almost as long as Verdy with only one win the last seven going into Sundays game. 11,600 were there to see the Old Boys trot about before the Verdy took the points. You can watch the pretty dull highlights here.
Kitakyushu are up next with Verdy able to leapfrog them into 5th place with a win. 4th is impossible but Verdy will have to hope to match last seasons 5th place and go into the New Year with a bit of impetus.

"I`m not like him at the top of the screen....bloody $%$## ...er would you like to see my trophy cabinet?"

Tokyo Nerdy will be all Olympic`d up next weekend. I`ve bought some 1980`s tight Nike running shorts those shiny, tiny ones with the netting inside. I`ve got a massive bag of anabolic steroids, creams, blood enhancers, a turkey baster, I`ve been rubbing muscle relaxant on my backside and all major veins all week and I`ve got a huge envelope of unmarked 50 Pound Notes and a Free Coupon to stay at Buckingham Palace. I`m not sure if this is what is required for Japan v Syria U-22s but it`s the Olympics right? Japan v Syria at Kokuritsu. Looking forward to it.

Done and dusted....Urawa 2 - 1 Verdy

2011-11-17T05:19:00.000-08:00

Not enough unfortunately.....(all season)

That`s it season finished. Apodi`s equaliser and first for the club not quite enough with Urawa taking the place in the next round. The winner came late on 86 minutes with only 7,000 there..... 7,000 at Urawa? Holy shit they have got problems at Saitama Stadium. I know it`s only the Emperors Cup and Verdy are shit but but Jesus Christ! SEVEN THOUSAND AT AN URAWA REDS GAME!!
On a sidenote is the continued absence of Kawano. Apodi has been in recently, Kawano has been out, I`ve not been following very closely for the last few weeks but could Kawano be on his way? Wouldn`t surprise me but would be annoyed. Saying that though, he`d be absolutely mental not to go if any decent offer came in.

Verdy Fall....Kyoto 1 - 0 Verdy

2011-11-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

The mind boggles.

Verdy have fallen with three games to go. The gap being ten points to third place, Verdy are now confirmed as J2`ers for 2012. A fourth season in the second tier was sealed with a late 86th minute loss to Kyoto. Verdy have top scored with 64 goals in 33 games and have never at any point come close to breaking into the top three. Fifth has been the highest all season achieved last week with the win over Sapporo. It`s been on the cards for weeks but still disappointing to have it confirmed. Never mind though, next year will be the year! Next up is JEF United with another Old Boys All Star Extravaganza beforehand. The same formula drew 25,000 last year though I can`t see the numbers being as good it should still be a fun day out. JEF are still in with a shout of sneaking into third place but will be relying on Tokushima and Sapporo dropping the baton big time to get in there. Onwards and Fallen The Boys Graze On!!

Ticking Along....Verdy 2 - 1 Sapporo

2011-11-06T03:55:00.000-08:00

Another win for the Boys today with Maki (2nd) and Abe (16th) adding to their tallies for the season. This looks to be the front line for 2012 so let`s see how we go from now through to the last game of the season IN UNDER A MONTH!! Holy crap where did that season go?? Down the toilet early doors same as the last two seasons. After doing nothing against the top teams we have now beaten third and fourth and drew with the Champions elect (again). Seemingly the team is there for promotion but only when it feels like it. If it`s cold, we forgot our kit, had a long trip, a busy day, the train was late, the painters are in or we have a headache we are knackered.
However!!! In 2012 we`re a coming to get you J2!!!! And I bet my last Pound all teams will be shaking like a shitting dog at the prospect. Onwards and Next Yearwards The Boys March On!!

Tubby Reports From The Battle of Tokyo

2011-10-31T03:47:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Nerdy Official Roving Reporter Tubby has been good enough to send in the following pictures and match report. Nice one!!!

Should have been 35,912....

The Battle of Tokyo- Kick Out The Jams

2011-10-31T03:42:00.000-07:00

The Battle of Tokyo - Kick out the JAMS!

A Green In Blue In the Red and Blue

King Amar-ara-ara-arse

The Good Guys

Was a lovely day for it, sun cracking the flags and a sense of excitement in the air as i walked up Ajinomoto-way in a sea of blue and red. Inside the 35000 FC Tokyo fans seemed rather subdued as the patch of 1000 or so green and whites in the corner out-sang them. The Red and Blues quickly put a stop to that though with a hearty chant of "Oh Verdy Kawasaki!". That was like a Green rag to a bull but luckily the kid on away-fan steward duty managed to keep the riled Verdy supporters from spilling over onto the pitch.

Fantastic crowd and a cracking atmosphere for a J2 match though. I was sat among the hun and anticipating the game ahead as I sipped on my smuggled beer and nibbled on my eda mame before kick-off. My mood soon changed as a grey sky fell over the place and the FC Tokyo fans started up a full rendition of that hideous excuse for a song that is "You'll Never Walk Alone". My eda mame were starting to taste a little bitter.

Well that set the tone for a pretty dull first half. The only real highlights were those in the Verdy boys hair, boom boom! (with the exception of Tsuchiya of course). Couple of chances at each end but not much to get too excited about. Verdy's standard of play seemed pretty decent though. A lot better than I seem to remember but then again I can't seem to remeber much of Verdy's past play as my eyesight isn't what it used to be (my mum always said it would make me go blind) and I'm usually two sheets to the wind and nattering to Tokyo Nerdy when I watch the Boys in Green.

The first half finished with a bang, with Lucas rising above the Verdy defence to head in first half stoppage time. Don't know what it is about the name Lucas but it seems to be the most popular name in Brazil at the moment. Not the most glamorous of Brazilian names mind - just brings back memories of a smelly girl who was in my class at school. She had the "Lucas-mange" allegedly.

After going a goal behind just before the whistle, the second half promised fireworks from Verdy and did they deliver? Well they had a couple of excellent attempts at trying to hoof the ball out of the stadium when clean through on goal and also what looked like a stone wall penalty when a Verdy player was through on goal only to be brought down by the last man. In the end it resulted in a yellow card to the Verdy guy for simulation - the luck of an Evertonian some might say.

In the end Verdy got the point that they deserved. They put the pressure on with a couple of corners, one of which flew in to the top corner after deflecting off a Verdy/FC Tokyo leg, boot, arse or something. Still not sure who got the goal but Tokyo Nerdy reliably informs me that TV replays confirmed it was a Verdy goal.

The game petered out after that, the only point of note being the referee deciding to hand out his season's allocation of yellow cards in 2nd half stoppage time. Not sure what they were for. Maybe another one of those dodgy betting scams set up by Rooney's dad. Come to think of it, the referee did look a bit Scouse.

So J2's best defense against J2's best attack resulted in a possibly predictable draw. At least there was a couple of goals though and pretty decent day out all-in-all.
Boo's rang out at the full-time whistle - with the Verdy contingent going a bit mental in their corner. Tubs just sat there over-exaggeratedly applauding - slowly, loudly and proudly - showing his appreciation for the Boys in Green. Onwards and mid-tablewards!

Chest Shaver`s Of The World FC Tokyo 1 -1 Verdy

2011-10-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

WAN.. or choose your own adjective

Had a long day at work only to find that my Sky dish had somehow moved a millimetre in the wind and the signal had gone down therefore ensuring the game I`d taped was lost forever.....Until Tokyo MX TV came galloping over the horizon with a replay at 7pm. Result! One added "bonus" was that I got to see Tokyo MX TV`s prime cock handler announcer "Jonathon" for the second time this season. Thankfully his time on screen was short but his Arshole Dial was fully turned up to 11 for the time he was on screen. Some people in life are just annoying and he is most definitely one of them.
Yesterday he went for the Roberto Mancini suit and big scarf look and had obviously spent a good deal of time in the mirror trying to perfect his look. Get a grip you fuckin` muppet!!! Nobody gives a fuck about your scarf (except me obviously), get your own style, get your own life and stop polluting the screen of innocent viewers.
Three hours to get ready, socks and pants taken out from a colour co-ordinated drawer, facial massage, pore cleanser on, hair combed 40 times with 40 different products, nails filed, chest shaved (chest shavers are twats), watch selected from a velvet box containing six different watches, fresh t-shirt out of the bag, quick look at some wanky Men`s Fashion s(h)ite, suit on, scarf in his "man bag" and off to the studio. Probably the same kind of twat who queues up for 4 hours for a Krispy Kreme donut (or whatever other shit tossers in Tokyo line up for just because everyone else does). Some people say Metrosexual though I prefer the term wanker. Metrosexual has too many underlying nuances with regards to sexuality whereas with wanker everyone knows exactly what the speaker is referring to. That bloke is a WANKER.
So to the game, if you are a neutral supporter you would have struggled to make it to half time without nodding off. There was plenty of gusto though little in the way of goalmouth action. FC Tokyo looked the more likely with Verdy offering just a little through Abe with Maki struggling to make any inroads. It was Lucas who opened the scoring with a well placed header right on halftime with Verdys clsoest being a free kick effort from Kikuoka which smacked back off the bar with the keeper beaten.
Into the scond half and Verdy were to equalise through an own goal from close range to make it all square. Both teams huffed and puffed and blew some half chances though neither side really did enough to win.
So all square for the season and unfortunately no more Derby`s until at least 2013.

GOAL!!!

FC Tokyo and Verdy have played twice this year and though I can`t speak for the Blue and Red three quarters of the city I know Verdy fans would love for the derby to be a more regular occasion. 36,000 in attendance yesterday and 25,000 for the reverse fixture earlier in the season. Even in J1 FC Tokyo will only do those kind of numbers when Urawa or maybe Marinos come to town. Verdy most definitely need the games as they NEVER do those numbers and will more than likely be back down to four or five thousand for the next home game. Football needs derby games and when one disappears it leaves a gaping hole....especially for the shit team in the shit division. Onwards and Upwards The Boys Waddle On!!

Derby Day, Nabisco Cup Final and Curry.... Tochigi 2 - 4 Verdy

2011-10-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

Curry is good but not that good.

Verdy scored a cracking win going into the derby this weekend up-ending Tochigi with Seichiro Maki`s first of the season on his first start. Takuma Abe scored another two and Kikuoka finished off the scoring on Wednesday. Derby Day tomorrow I`m not going because of work so you can whistle for any kind of enthusiasm for this weekend. (Unless we win and after I`ve watched the tape I might have something to say).
It`s also Nabisco Cup Final weekend with Urawa and Kashima going for the Mickey Mouse Title. Barry at UK-Ultras had an interesting take on the devaluing (10 out of 10 on the Wank-o-meter) of the tournament and possibilities for it`s future which you can read here. Well seemingly the league have taken action and have taken Barry`s criticisms on board and have come up with a plan to entice the fans to the Final and set up a stampede for tickets for next season. CURRY RICE......Now I`m a big fan of the national dish of Japan but even I struggle to see how a 900 Yen serving of curry rice on a plastic plate is going to draw in the support. That sums up the Nabisco organisers right there.

Absolute Shit..... Verdy 1-2 Toyama

2011-10-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

No idea who they are but I assume they are REALLY shit. Could be Graeme Souness crossed with Jimmy Hill and Freddie Mercury doing the Rod Hull and Emu impression on the left.

The reasons why Verdy are going nowhere this season have been summed up this week. A draw with Mito (17th place and therefore shit), beat Tokushima (4th and therefore decent) then lose to Toyama (15th and accordingly shit). Verdy are predominantly shit with the occasional flashes of decent. Any need to report further on this season.....? Big Dogs Cock!

Verdy 1 - 0 Tokushima

2011-10-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

Verdy registered their first win over a top 6 side this season with Takura Kikuoka`s effort on four minutes enough to separate the sides. Sapporo got drilled by Sanga to leave the gap to 3rd at 8 points. Too much? Yup. Next up Kataller Toyama tomorrow before the Derby next weekend.

Countdown to 2012 Mito 1 - 1 Verdy

2011-10-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

Killing Time

Maranhao for Verdy on 56 minutes, Tsukasa Ozawa equalised with 8 minutes to go. Didn`t watch it, not bothered about the replay. Tokushima up next on Wednesday but it`s getting difficult to work up the enthusiasm to set the video. Can`t make the return derby game, can`t make the Urawa away game both because of bloody work. One or maximum two games for me till the end of the season and then I am DONE. One plus point is that Urawa dropped into the drop zone at the weekend thanks to Omiya`s win so it`s possible that everyone in J2 will get a decent ground to go to next season. Let`s hope so! I raise my glass in the hope of an Urawa relegation. Though Verdy haven`t been anywhere near to going up in any of the last three seasons; in terms of "big" games I can`t think of two better teams to go down in two seasons than FC Tokyo and Urawa. Let us hope that FC Tokyo`s (more than likely) trip back to J1 is just a blip and they can happily re-join us in J2 in 2013.....
On a side note what a completely shit weekend of sport. Wales done in the rugby, Wolves done by the Tesco Shit Baggers and Verdy shit as usual. Gotta wonder why I bother sometimes.

Into the Next Round! Verdy 7 - 1 V-Varen Nagasaki

2011-10-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Verdy break their Cup duck and here`s another....er broken duck.

Verdy put there Emperor`s Cup hoodoo behind them with a mashing of V-Varen Nagasaki at the weekend. A pleasant day at Komazawa started with Nagasaki threatening to spoil the day by taking the lead on 20 minutes before they were battered into submission through goals from Maranhao (2), Abe (2), Kikuoka, Kobayashi and Tsuchiya. Couldn`t really ask for more though the crowd was a paltry 2,701. Why does nobody give a flying crap about the Cups in Japan? Verdy battered one of the best of the JFL and next up; (assuming they can put away the University side) currently one of the worst in J1. Urawa play Wednesday night for their place in the next round.

Emperors Cup 2011

2011-10-03T03:56:00.000-07:00

State of that!!

Another Emperors Cup extravaganza starts and probably finishes for Verdy next Monday with a game at Komazawa against 3rd placed JFL outfit V-Varen Nagasaki. JFL`ers? Piece of piss you`d think until you look at Verdy`s record against JFL opposition since they won the Cup in 2005. Played four lost four. Honda FC, Honda Lock, SC Tochigi and Machida Zelvia have all done the Greens from the lower division. In fact Verdy have the unenviable record of having lost all five Emperors Cup games since winning the thing. Sanfrecce Hiroshima were also on hand to dump on the Greens.
One interesting titbit is that should Verdy pull off a result and if Urawa Reds also manage to actually beat somebody this season then the two teams will meet in the 3rd round at Saitama Stadium. C`mon The Boys!! We might not be going up this year but to put Urawa out of the Cup and pour even more misery on their season would certainly be a nice tonic. And failing that going to a ground with a crowd bigger than an English non league game will make a welcome change. SO C`MON VERDY FOR ONCE IN YOUR MISERABLE LIFE WIN A GAME TO SET UP A GOOD DAY OUT FOR THE IDIOTS DAFT ENOUGH TO STILL GIVE A SHIT!!!

Happy New Year!! Tochigi 0-0 Verdy

2011-10-03T03:41:00.000-07:00

Down and Out In Tikrit Hills

A Happy New Year to All readers of Tokyo Nerdy 1969, may 2012 bring you all that you wish for!! 2011 is all but mathematically done for Tokyo Verdy so let`s look forward to next year. Barring a miracle the likes of which hasn`t been seen since Mary got away with blaming her pregnancy on a supernatural, omnipresent all seeing, all hearing figment of her imagination; we will be spending another year in J2 with all the excitement, razamatazz and glamour that comes with it.
Once again the Verdy faithful can look forward to a stadium packed to the rafters in one tiny section of the area behind one goal. Another season of "Do you remember when we were half decent.....?" Another season of starting with high hopes only to fall flat and in the end not quite make it. There have been some absolute plus points this season with the goals flowing like turps in a tramp`s beard against the lower ranked teams but when we`ve come up against the top teams, when it matters?? Just not good enough. Of the games against the top 6 teams we have taken just FOUR points from a possible TWENTY ONE. The draws against JEF, FC Tokyo, Tokushima and this week SC Tochigi a pitiful return for a team who started the season as an outside bet for third.
There have been some wonderful moments this season and some real spankings but that doesn`t cover the failings of the season overall. Pre-season Verdy were looking good for a run at promotion with the scoring problems of last season seemingly addressed with Maranhao, Ishikawa and Hirashige all brought to add to the weak looking line up of Hiramoto, Inoue and Iio.
The goals have indeed flowed but last seasons rock solid defence has fallen apart. New signing Kota Fukatsu just wasn`t up to the job after Tomisawa got injured. Shibasaki doesn`t inspire confidence either and as a keeper it`s essential that your back four has faith in your ability. I can`t blame the whole season on one incident but can`t help feeling the injury to Yoichi Doi in the FC Tokyo game has contributed hugely to the leaky defence. It`s not only that he is a better keeper than Shibasaki in terms of his own game, he is also far more vocal in organising his back line and delivers a damn good rollicking when required.
On the plus side the midfield play at times this season has been breathtaking. One touch passing and play around the box has been superb. Kawano has been superb this year after having an up and down 2010, Kikuoka has emerged from the shadows of Yoshiaki Takagi to take his position in the team and scoring some cracking goals on the way. Yuki Kobayashi will definitely be moving on to brighter things in the future given his form this season. He plays the mopper upper role very well and it can only be a matter of time before he is cherry picked.
Probably the story of Verdy`s season has been the "come from nowhere" story of Takuma Abe. Stuck up front as an emergency striker due to injuries Abe has bumped, barged and blasted his way to the top of the scoring charts with some superb displays. As I said before he has the knack of being in the right place at exactly the right time and does the simple things well. He makes Hiramoto and Maki look positively ANCIENT in comparison with his speed of thought and inter play around the box. I look forward to seeing more of him next season for sure.

The Lady Above a Virgin or Tokyo Verdy in J1 in 2012?

So what about the rest of this year? Well just sit back enjoy the games and look forward to 2012 and try again. If at first, second and third you don`t succeed?? Fuck the whole thing off and support Nadeshiko Japan. Onwards and Nowhere The Boys March On The Spot!!

She`s Got Dickie Davis Eyes......Gainare 0 - 1 Verdy

2011-09-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Scrappy win, Maranhao with the goal on Abe`s spadework. Gainare had more chances and if they had anyone who was decent in front of the back four they would have won. I`ve watched 90 minutes on tape with no fast forward and that really does sum up the game.

2 Goals Forward, 4 Goals Back...Sapporo 4 - 2 Verdy

2011-09-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

Oooof!!! Livin` My Life Quarter Mile At A Time....

Defensive blunders were the name of the game tonight in a match Verdy had a good chance to win and claim three points to close in on 3rd place. Consadole will be relieved to take the points and keep the heat on FC Tokyo after spending much of the 90 minutes on the back foot.
The game was only 2 minutes old when Tomisawa and Tsuchiya let Hiroyuki Furuta burst through them to finish. Hiroki Kawano hit back just two minutes later with a devastating run through the middle holding off two defenders to fire home. The rest of the first half saw a lot of probing by Verdy with a few shots peppering the Sapporo goal but nothing really of note.
The second half started where the first finished with Verdy in the ascendancy going forward and looking to take the lead. Sapporo had a total of THREE chances in the second half and scored every single one. The second goal came on 61 minutes with Yusuke Kondo sending a perfect lob over Shibasaki after Tsuchiya and Tomisawa again hesitated and left Shibasaki trapped in no mans land. Iio hit the post with a shot and turn in the box before Yuki Kobayashi let fly with a rocket into the roof of the net following good work by Yusuke Mori. Mori left his marker on his backside before slipping the ball to Kobayashi to fire an unstoppable effort home from just outside the box. At this point Verdy looked likely to go on and win it but were to be undone by some awful defending. Okamoto took the first of his goals in the 88th minute when Tsuchiya sent a looping header back towards his own goal, the ball came back off the base of the post and left an easy tap in. 13th Century Dung was rubbed in the wound just a minute later in order to bring out a puss when Okamoto again took advantage of Verdy`s generosity to fire home even after getting the ball caught under his feet and Verdy having plenty of chances to make a challenge and deciding to leave him be.....
So where does that leave us? In need of some solidity at the back. The forwards can score till the cows come home on occasion but while last year the defence was a rock, this year the defence has been the achilles heel. Finally, Maki and Hiramoto were on for the last ten minutes and looked ponderous, old, rusty and utterly done for the season. Hiramoto has struggled for fitness this year but when he has been on he has looked pedestrian and Maki hasn`t done a single thing in either of his cameo appearances. Ok, maybe he isn`t 100 per cent fit but I`ve seen nothing so far that indicates he is worth a seat on the bus. Verdy are fast running out of games to get up to that 3rd place, it`s not impossible but tonight`s game was the kind they had to win, had the chances to but ultimately didn`t.

Coach Kawakatsu on his way to the 2011Uncle Albert Lookalike Contest

Oh well, I`m now the proud owner of probably the fastest Skyline GTR on the planet so who cares? It cost millions but I`ve saved up in the last two weeks. Call it a midlife crisis but what`s wrong with racing round the streets of Tokyo at 320KMH? Vroom!!!!!

Cheats Never Prosper and a New Penis On The Block..... Verdy 7 - 2 Yokohama / Omiya 0 - 0 Cerezo Osaka

2011-09-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

Gutted!!

Sometimes you try to do the right thing and you get it thrown back in your face like a nailbomb packed to the brim with battery acid. Tokyo Nerdy pulled off a cracking decision yesterday opting to go to watch the 0-0 draw between Omiya Ardiija v Cerezo Osaka INSTEAD of going to the Olympic Stadium to watch the ritual slaughter of Yokohama FC. What an absolute tool!!

Should have known really, the first time I ever wagged school I got caught. 13 or so years old my friends would often bunk off and forge notes later to hand in to the teachers who probably knew all along what was going on. This one day all my pals were going round to one of their houses to watch TV all afternoon and I thought, sod it why not? I didn`t have much confidence in my forgery skills so I went back to school after dinnertime and got my "mark" in the register and then jumped over the fence and ran over the cricket pitch adjacent to the school and off to my mates house. A foolproof plan I thought and would have been if the annual fire drill wasn`t scheduled for that day......100 per cent busted and up to the headmasters for a rollicking and letter home for my mother who was not at all happy.

I also began a shortlived shoplifting career at this time which lasted approximately 3 weeks. It started off nicking sweets from the newsagents and the odd "adult art pamphlet" and soon developed into a profitable enterprise with vinyl LPs and clothes finding their way into the stash. One weekend, my friends and I thought we were the business off to Birmingham to take HMV to the cleaners. I had a waxed jacket at the time with a giant poachers pocket on the inside big enough to fit in a vinyl LP. One weekend of stealing and the goods were racked up in my wardrobe. That was easy we thought and off we went again the next weekend. Me and a friend got caught stealing Guns and Roses records (it was 1987) and were unceremoniously chucked into the back of the police meat wagon in full view of the Saturday afternoon shoppers and off to Steelhouse Lane police station to await the Grim Reaper. The Grim Reaper in this case being my mum who I knew was going to hit the roof and go into orbit on this one. I was 100 per cent correct in my prediction and to this day I feel sorry for the shite I used to put my mother through. The message here is don`t cheat folks, toe the line and things will turn out fine.......you`d think.

I went to the Omiya game on the back of telling a friend I`d go to an Omiya game this year and being a man true to my word, I went to Kumagaya Stadium to watch an Omiya side struggle in the first half with a toothless 4-5-1 formation and struggle to score in the second half when they were easily on top and had the chances to take the win. Omiya have problems this season and the biggest of all seems to be their line up choices. They should have enough to stay up though this will seemingly be despite their coach rather than because of him. Anyway, a dull game though nevertheless an enjoyable night out until I was on the way out and heard the Verdy score. I was kicking myself all the way home and thanks to the vagaries of the Takasaki line I also missed my last connection to my place and had to take a taxi. Piece of shit!!!! I was too tired to watch the game I had taped and went to bed. And what a treat I missed.
Seven Verdy goals and a thorough THRASHING of a team who didn`t know what hit them. The Greens lined up with what is surely their strongest front four with Abe and Maranhao playing as a top two supported by Kawano and Kikuoka on the wings. Verdy were on the attack from the first whistle and Kikuoka was to open the scoring following a devastating Kawano run and cross into the box for Kikuoka to curl home into the top corner. Then out came the the "rockin` the baby" goal celebration...it was a decent goal but come on boys this isn`t the World Cup Final.
Verdy cranked up the pressure and Maranhao went close before Yusuke Mori opened his Verdy account firing in from the edge of the box when the ball broke free from another Verdy attack. The ball took a slight deflection which probably wrong footed Seki in the Yokohama goal but you make your own luck is in this game. At this point at rout was definately such was the dominance of the Greens.
Two goals quickly became three with Kikuoka sweeping home a free kick up and over the wall into the top corner leaving Seki rooted to his spot. 3-0 and at halftime Verdy were fully deserving of their lead.
The teams came out for the second half and another Verdy newboy Nakatani was also to open his account last night. The ball came across from Kawano and Nakatani completely miscued his effort with the ball shin rolling off his standing leg. Seki got a hand to it but Nakatani was able to toe poke it through his hands and in. Seki will claim he had control of the ball but Nakatani had every right to go for it in my book.

Yeap...

Takuma Abe had slipped to third place in the J2 scoring charts but was able to bag two to climb back into a joint share of the lead with 12 for the year. The first came on a long punt from Shibasaki and Abe was able to hold off his marker and fire home with Seki getting a bit of hand to it but not enough the keep it out. He followed up with his second and Verdy`s sixth of the night again holding off a marker to finish in off the post from the edge of the six yard box on Maranhao`s cross.
Hiroki Kawano wrapped things up with a understandably deflated Yokohama defence at sixes and sevens with an easy finish on a 3 one touch pass move from Kikuoka`s inch perfect cross. 7-0 and that was that in terms of the Verdy scoring. Yokohama pulled two back with goals from Takachi and Franca but what were they ever going to when seven down?
A superb performance, a ton of goals a decent crowd just a short of 10,000 and the only shitter of the whole evening was that I wasn`t bloody there to see it. I am a cockhead of giant proportions and thus must take my place as the new Penis Of The Season. Goodbye Jonathon Segar, we have a new Penis on the Block.

Blank Expression... Thespa 0 - 0 Verdy

2011-09-12T05:49:00.000-07:00

Blankboard

Season is fast disappearing up it`s own backside. Nothing doing here. Verdy had more goalscoring chances, didn`t take them and so stay stuck in midtable mediocrity.

Absence Makes The Bush Grow Greener JEF United 1 - 1 Verdy

2011-09-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

Love a nice big bush me.

Having missed the last two games with a family trip I was well looking forward to this one. Verdy had been up and down while we were away but came up trumps last time out with a whipping of the ever sinking Roasso Kumamoto.
Captain Tomisawa was back in the line up for the first time in 20 games, we also got a chance to have a look at new full back Nakatani from Sanga and see the cameo debut of ex-Jef striker Seichiro Maki for two minutes at the end. The scoreline says only 1-1 but anyone who saw it will know that the final scoreline is not all indicative of the all the goal mouth action that took place. The woodwork was rattled on no less than FIVE different occasions with JEF taking the honours 3-2 in the woodwork count. JEF started brightly and opened the scoring after just five minutes with Oshima leaping above Takahashi to head home a free kick from wide on the left. However, it wasn`t long before Verdy started to pressure the JEF goal with Takuma Abe forst to hit the post for Verdy with a diving header and the keeper beaten following a smart one touch move featuring Mori and the returning Taira Inoue at right midfield.
Yuki Kobayashi was dangerous all night peppering the JEF goal from distance and he too found the joint with a thunderbolt from way out. Young Kobayashi is a player going places and he will be on the radar for teams further up the league for sure. He is steady on the ball and mops up tidily and quietly much like Kohei Shibasaki who left for Kawasaki in the close season.
As the first half wore on it was Verdy who looked more likely controlling possesion and restricting JEF to the odd counter attack. Half time came and it seemed like only a matter of time before Verdy would equalise. The equaliser came in the 68th minute with Maranhao freer than a discounted Summer Sale Lynyrd Skynyrd Freebird. The cross came in and Maranhao was in acres of space to head the ball home.
So, 1-1 and then the game really heated up with both teams going for the win. End to end and Fukai for JEF a particular thorn in Verdy`s side. For a short guy he can`t half motor. It was Fukai who struck the wordwork last with a goal bound shot across Shibasaki which the big fella managed to push onto the post.
So a 1-1 result not much use to either side but it is now plainly obvious that whoever can string a couple of results together can make a charge for the top of the league. FC Tokyo have dropped off following the finish of their unbeaten run and nobody looks likely to run away with it. JEF and Verdy will both be thinking they are losing ground on the promotion positions though in reality with the form of the top teams both teams need just a couple of wins to be knocking on the door.

Dive! Dive! Dive!

2011-08-29T02:41:00.001-07:00

Looks like Tom Daley (British Olympic Medal Hope and All Round Good Egg) is going to have a bit of a challenge on his hands with the news that Shohei Takahashi has been called up to the U-22 Olympic Squad. Just don`t touch him Tom, don`t shake his hand by the pool else he`ll have nailed his double somersault, tuck with pike before you`ve even took your vest off. You have been warned Daley.

Back with a bit of a...

2011-08-29T02:29:00.000-07:00

Verdy 5 - 2 Kumamoto

Maranhao scored the first two, Kobayashi, Kawano and Ishikawa!! Kumamoto scored two as well

Verdy 0 - 2 Tosu

Nothing to report here, move along please, nothing to see here.

Bag Up Campers It`s Summer Holiday Time!!

2011-08-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Nerdy, Sir Cliff Richard and his "Bag" have booked a Summer Holiday. We`ll be back after the Kumamoto game.

Maki Signs

2011-08-17T17:44:00.001-07:00

Ex Japan international Seichiro Maki signs for Verdy. More to come later.

Shootin` Fish In a Barrel Fagiano 0 - 4 Verdy

2011-08-15T02:58:00.000-07:00

Takuma Abe pictured at Tokyo Fish Market Ka-Boom!! Eat My Goals!!

Four goals, a million chances and 3 points. A nice easy win for Verdy this week and a pair of 4-0`ers over Fagiano for the season. The goals were slow to come but the chances weren`t; the game was only 2 minutes old when Maranhao was clean through with........and you know the rest. This time Takuma Abe had intercepted a back pass and layed up Maranhao with just the keeper to beat from the edge of the box. Maranhao easily beat the keeper by sending his chip way over the top of the goal too. Nice.
Anyway, far too many chances to go into detail with all of them but Kawano was unlucky not to score from 6 yards his shot taking a last gasp deflection up and onto the bar and clear. If the first half saw Verdy on top then the second was a free for all. Shot after shot after shot and finally in the 56th minute goal number 9 for Takuma Abe. Takuro Kikuoka put him through with a perfect slide rule pass, Abe having timed his run to perfection was left with easy task of flicking the ball past the keeper and into the net.
Number two for Abe and Verdy came 15 minutes later with Abe finishing this time from the six yard box scuffing a shot to deflect and trickle in the far corner following some neat passing in the area from Kawano, Iio and Maranhao. At the half way point in the season Abe now has 10 goals for the season the same mark as 2010 top scorer Kazuki Hiramoto finished with. Things are indeed looking bright for Abe. At 2-0 Fagiano were to score to bring the game back to 2-1 and Verdy could possibly have been on the ropes but luckily the flag went up for offside and Tiago`s perfectly legitimate goal was ruled out. Nice.
So then came number three finished off by a busy Hiroki Kawano. Kawano was all over the place today, tackling, crossing, terrorising an being a general pain for Fagiano all afternoon. Iio broke down the left, fed Maranhao who turned to set himself up for the shot and Kawano sensing the danger of Maranhao actually shooting steamed in and blasted the ball into the net himself. 3-0 and game over with Shohei Takahashi`s late header from a Kajikawa corner the icing on the cake. Verdy back among the goals and back on the winning trail. Onwards and Ka-Boom Wards The Boys March On!!

Three Shiny White Sticks Verdy 1 - 1 Kyoto Sanga

2011-08-07T01:19:00.000-07:00

The Ball Goes In Here

Football is supposed to be a simple game. You kick the ball between the three shiny white sticks at the end of the field more times than the other team and you win. It really is simple. Brian Clough`s tactical advice to Roy Keane general workhorse and midfield engine of his Forest side? "Get a hold of the ball and pass it to a red shirt". Simple eh. Nice and easy and could be one of the reasons for the popularity of the game worldwide. Not a million rules, no need for tons of expensive equipment. Just the simple job of kicking the ball between those shiny white sticks.

Which begs the question as to how Tokyo Verdy can make such an easy task look like the equivalent of climbing Mt. Bloody Everest!!! Yesterdays game was a masterclass in wasted chances after a first half of utter domination and a second half of a touch more parity. Verdy could and should have been 5-0 up at half time with the points in the bag and cigar cutters on standby for the second half. As it was, Verdy can only blame themselves for blowing the points AGAIN. In fact no that`s not quite true, they can blame probably the striker who has missed more open goals, failed in more one on ones with the keeper and generally been the biggest flop since another Nottingham Forest "Legend" Jason Lee whose shooting so famously terrorised the home supporters standing right at the back at the top of the Trent End in the early 90`s. We are of course talking about our good friend and Kofu loan-ee; (for the love of God please let Kofu re-call him) Maranhao. I`m getting tired of saying it but he couldn`t hit a cows arse with a banjo.

Jason Lee Pineapple Like Buffoon

The Through On Goal and Yet Didn`t Score Count for yesterdays game? TWO in 60 minutes of action. The first came from a long punt from Shibasaki in goal on 12 minutes. The ball was flicked on and as Maranhao came into the box he delayed just long enough for Saito to come in to make the block for Sanga. He followed up with a shot on the rebound but again had it blocked.
Verdy were to utterly dominate the first half with Sanga`s only two attempts a weak effort into the side netting and a blast over the boar from distance. Verdy`s goal came on 25 minutes with Takuma Abe again on target for his 8th of the season. Abe took his chance well squeezing his shot between two defenders and the keeper after cutting into the box on a fast break and feed from captain for the evening Kazunori Iio.
Maranhao should have made it two on 28 minutes when he was clean through with just the keeper to.....etc etc. Hiroki Kawano was to have another busy evening looking every bit as dangerous as he did against Oita. Kawano had a stonewall penalty turned down after leaving defenders in his wake going into the box he was felled no doubt but not given this time. Just before half time Kensuke Fukuda (in for Mori at right back) also had a bottom corner bound grass cutter tipped round the post to leave the score at 1-0 at the break.
Into the second half and Kawano carried on where he left off with a cross cum shot coming back of the joint, the woeful Maranhao got taken off for Hiramoto who didn`t offer much of a threat and looked fairly ring rusty following his long lay off failing to read a flick on from Abe that would have sent him home clear. Verdy were to rue their missed chances and probably ensured Maranhao a round of Chinese Burns, Towel Whips and Neutron Nipple Twisters when Kyoto were to score the equaliser in the 64th minute. Kyoto broke from defence and as Dutra went to pull the trigger from the edge of the box Takuya Wada just got his block in in time to send the ball for a corner. Wada was called up for U-22 Japan Squad this week and if Japan are to win anything at next years Olympics then Wada will have to defend his corners better than against Kyoto. The ball came in from the resulting corner and Jun Ando was left completely unmarked with a free header at the near post.

Doesn`t grab the headlines like the Millwall Brick but still knackers when administered correctly.

The coverage then cut to a crowd shot of ex-JEF United and Japan striker Seichiro Maki in the crowd, rumoured to be incoming to Verdy following stints in the Russian and Chinese Super Leagues. If Mito can get a washed up former Japan striker then why not Verdy? Takayuki Suzuki is already off the mark for Mito so let`s just see how we go if Maki does come in. He HAS to be better than Maranhao that`s for sure. In the last 20 minutes Verdy had Abe chip straight at the keeper, Abe round the back for a cross to Hiramoto blocked at the last minute, Fukatsu headed over with a clear sight of goal, Abe had an effort fly just wide, Mori sent one over the bar for Kyoto and Abe even had time to have a flying header tipped over by the Kyoto keeper. 93 minutes of football with six or seven CLEAR chances on goal which Maranhao and others fluffed completely. An eye poppingly depressing 3,007 were there to see it. Are you sure you want to come Maki?? Horror show.
Onwards and Seemingly Nowhere The Boys March On!!

Naoki Matsuda 34 YEARS OLD.

2011-08-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

BOOM GONE....A lot of other 34 year old and way younger guys with wives, kids and loved ones will have also died today in traffic accidents, health related problems, trampled by elephants or just never woke up this morning. To be a football player is no more or less valuable than the bloke who sweeps the street, serves the burgers in McDonalds or heads the biggest of the biggest global conglomerate. People are people and when one goes before their time it`s not right in any way shape or form.

The Lonely Reunion by Captain Agent Steve Orange Green Reporting For Duty Sir, Yes Sir!

2011-08-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Cheers Steve.
Hello to Verdy fans from all over the globe, it's been awhile since we spoke last. It's been 2 and a half years since Nerdy started up his blog and I shuttered Soilent Green 1969 although it seems like much longer. In those two and a half years, I've seen the squad play a grand total of two times. The last time was at the end of last year, when Verdy was facing the distinct possibility of having the same fate as....well, as Soilent Green. The team held a "SAVE OUR VERDY" campaign, complete with free green t-shirts and pre-game festivities featuring Verdy legends from yesteryear. Over 20,000 went through the gates to see a tense 2-1 loss. Even though the team was defeated on the field, they did end up ultimately victorious because of earlier news that sporting goods retailer Xebio had stepped in and filled the gaping hole left by the deadbeat mouthbreathers who collect a paycheck from Yomiuri and the out of their depth internet weenies over at Amoeba. It was a decent atmosphere and a very impressive crowd giving a nice glimpse of what could be if things were done right.

Fast forward to 2011 and the end of July, where I made my second trek to Chofu. Not to offend anyone, but Ajinomoto is probably one of the worst modern stadiums in Japan (barely edging Nissan, who at least has TV monitors so you see the action). It's very tough to watch a game there and when you have 3800 plus people in a 50,000 seat facility, the atmosphere isn't going to be good. Ajinomoto magnifies this by having their stands and playing field be located in different wards. Both sets of supporters did their best to make the place lively but it was really a losing battle. Nishigaoka was the best place for Verdy to play games when I used to attend semi-regularly. It was an intimate little stadium with seats right near the field. Hopefully, XEBIO and a proactive government in one of the 23 wards can get together and make something like this happen. I don't think there is much of a future in Chofu for Verdy.

The quality of the squad was somewhere between the high flyers in 2007 who stormed up to J1 and the dregs in 2006 who were ghastly to watch. There were some good wing players for both sides but the target strikers (Verdy's sluggish and overtly dramatic Maranhao and Oita's portly point man Yasuhito Morishima) were horrid. Maranhao did score a goal but shanked a ton of open chances and really killed the chance for victory. His biggest moment came early when he got hip checked out of bounds and flew over the advertising boards along the side lines. Both teams would probably be better served with target strikers who could score.....maybe Yuzo Funakoshi could find his old Verdy jersey and bumble around the penalty area waiting for a fat cross.

Going into the game, I had mixed loyalties....I was looking forward to seeing old friends (for Omiya fans) Yukio Tsuchiya and Naoya Saeki play and I had faint hope that Masahiko Ichikawa would get a run off the bench (that bastard Kaz Iio ruined it for me.....still ruining games for me after all these years!). I also was looking forward to seeing Omiya rental Kohei Tokita line up as a centerback for Oita. He was a disaster as a sideback but played respectably (except for a shot that landed somewhere in Nerima).

The real highlight of the game came off the foot of Choi Jung Han, who sent a beautiful shot into the far left side of the Verdy net. He gave longtime former Kawasaki nutter Yusuke Mori fits all night with his speed. Takuro Kikuoka and Hiroki Kawano stood out for the home side and put in chance after chance for the useless Maranhao.

All in all it was an enjoyable game, complete with two of the national team heroes from Beleza adressing the crowd and giving a wave as well as halftime entertainment from a fairly ordinary band whose name I couldn't even begin to remember.

I think the highlight for me though ( besides sitting with my blogging protege and making fun of Maranhao) was my purchase of Verdy's shockingly grotesque home jersey. To me it looks like a Celtic jersey and a Chinese restaurant billboard got liquored up one evening and didn't use the proper protection...IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!

Not a bad game and the one bright side to low turnout is that the train ride is bearable. I think it was just a good thing that both teams were out playing. Both Oita and Verdy weren't sure bets for sustainable teams in 2010, so to have them playing and being competitive after turmoil, debt, and wholesale player purges is a good thing.

It also gave me an excuse to chat with all of you once again.....that's always nice.

Good luck to Verdy in the future and I hope you don't mind if I pop in again

The Artist formerly known as Soilent Green and now subsequently known as Agent Orange

Steve "Squiggle" Barme

This Is How It Feels to Be Lonely.....Verdy 1- 2 Oita

2011-07-31T07:16:00.000-07:00

Anybody there?

Moan Number 1
3,826 at Ajinomoto Stadium on a Sunday in the school holidays, weather was decent AND there was a cheap ticket offer.

Moan Number 2
Verdy lost again.

Moan Number 3
I forgot to go to the bank before the game and was unable to drown myself in overpriced beer throughout the game to dull the pain.

Redeeming Feature Number 1
Our old friend and closet Verdy No.1 Supporter Steve came along and bought out the club shop. For an Omiya fan he sure bought a big bag of Verdy goods.

(Semi) Redeeming Feature Number 2
Verdy`s Youth Team beat the whole of the J-League in the 2011 Adidas Cup. Verdy rule the youth leagues and these guys will eventually play for the first team. (For 5 minutes before being sold).

Redeeming Feature Number 3
FC Tokyo also lost. (clutching at straws now...)

Now here is an ever so sensible sensible/dull match report.
The game was an even affair with both teams struggling to mount any long periods of pressure or sustained attacking football. Verdy were to come straight out on the attack with Yuki Kobayashi going close with a free header over the bar in the opening minute but it was to be Oita who would score first with a crisp strike from Choi operating down the Oita left.
Choi broke down the left, cut inside Mori and fired a perfect curler into the top corner from outside the box and over the despairing dive of Shibasaki. Initially Shibasaki seemed to be out of position but after seeing the video replay there was nothing he could have done. Quite simply a superb effort.
Verdy equalised soon after with Maranhao scoring his third of the season following excellent work down the right from Hiroki Kawano. Kawano recieved the ball in his own half, ran the length of the field, turned his marker inside out to leaving him on the floor and fed Maranhao for a low finish.
Both teams seemed to cancel each other out with real chances coming at a premium. Kikuoka was next forcing a smart stop from Shimizu in the Oita goal, diving to his left to bat away Kikuoka`s effort from just inside the box. Oita should have taken the lead just before the break with Shibasaki doing well to keep out a one on one with Nishi.
Into the second half and it was Verdy who made most of the running, keeping possession for long periods though unable to REALLY work the keeper. Takuma Abe had a quiet game with just one or two decent runs though it was to be be Verdys top scorer who missed a golden chance to take the lead when shooting straight at the keeper from six yards from Maranhao`s pull back.
Oita took the points probably against the run of play on 74 minutes with a header from Maeda. Masashi Miyazawa`s free kick cleared the Verdy defence leaving an unmarked Maeda to stoop down and fire the header low past Shibasaki.
Oita hung on for the win and took a valuable 3 points back to Kyushu. Oita were probably a little lucky to take all three points but they took their chances whereas Verdy missed. The arse crack smokin, hairdresser worshippin`, 0.6 Horsepower ass wipes that they are.
Onwards and Camping Yet Again For 3 Days in Nagano this Timewards The Boys Camp On!!

Say YES I say and with a Mars bar just popped inside the rear waist band. Blokes are supposed to be blokes .

Hide The Cakes and Call For Back Up!!

2011-07-25T03:12:00.000-07:00

Zeroing In On a Doughnut...Go On My Son!!

Due to the injuries Verdy have signed three new players and one old one. Ex Verdy Youth defender Ryo Nurishi (25) returns from the beach and FC Kariyushi in Okinawa. He will be hoping to add to his TWO appearances for the club. Yusuke Nakatani (32) comes in from Kyoto Sanga with a wealth of experience but without time on his side, University midfield signing Ryota Kajikawa (22) comes in from Kwansei Gakuin University and finally Arte Takasaki have let us have midfielder Yushi Akiba (25).
So, one no mark who couldn`t get in the side last time, one veteran from a team that currently are awful, one University signing which is fine and one JFL`er. Wonderful. I shall have to go and sit down I`m so excited.

Nuts....Ehime 2 - 1 Verdy

2011-07-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

Doesn`t need a caption really...

Another disappointing result for The Boys and a result that puts the brakes on Verdy`s gallop up the table. Once again as in April , Ehime were able to stifle the Verdy attack until well into the second half with Verdy never really managing to take a hold of the game.
The first half offered little in the way of entertainment, the first minute offering the best chance of a goal with Shibasaki making a horrendous meal of a backpass. Ishii pressured Shibasaki who had all the time in the world, Ishii came closer and Shibasaki completely missed the ball when trying to clear, Ishii took a shot the ball rebounded off the lucky Shibasaki to Saito who lifted his effort over the bar.
Maranhao got back to his usual "missing when clean through" trick today with the first of his two misses coming in the first 10 minutes, saved by Harihaga in the Ehime goal. Hiroki Kawano was restored to the line up and had a busy game, always looking to take on his man and he probably should have done better with a chested volley from Kikuoka`s raking pass. He also had a speculator come back off the joint after 35 minutes. An all round good comeback from Kawano. In the first half Ehime looked far more likely to score though neither side managed to break the deadlock.
Ehime opened the scoring just after half time with Manabu Saito once again scoring against the Greens. A fast break down the right saw the Verdy defence outnumbered and eventually the ball came across the edge of the box to the extra man Saito who made no mistake, slotting low past Shibasaki. Following this Verdy were able to mount a bit of pressure, Maranhao sending a header straight at Hagihara, he then went on to miss his second one on one with the keeper, missing the ball completely when shooting.......thankfully that was the last of the action for Maranhao with the welcome return of Kazuki "Goal Machine" Hiramoto. Hiramoto was given the last half an hour and did nothing wrong. He didn`t score but he was able to hold the ball up and tidily bring the other players in. More importantly he didn`t miss any open goals, one on ones, or fall over every time he got the damn ball.
Verdy were to get one back through Takuma Abe for his seventh of a breakout season for him. He had been anonymous for the whole game prior to his goal and he met Kawano`s inswinging free kick well for a powerful header from six yards. He`s a strange player Abe. He isn`t particularly fast, he isn`t particularly skillfull not in the Kawano sense of the word anyway, he isn`t particularly big or particularly powerful yet he keeps scoring. Left foot, right foot, headers, tap ins, long rangers, penalties. The lot. He has a knack at the moment of being in the right place at the right time and finishing his chances. Nice one Takuma!! So, Verdy were back in the game and looked to be the more likely to go on and win it. Until Yusuke Mori gave away a penalty on the edge of the box with 5 minutes to go. Definate penalty and yellow card for Mori to boot. Saito scored it and even with SEVEN minutes of injury time Verdy were unable to force an equaliser though Abe was again close with another header coming back off the bar in the final minutes.
Yusuke Mori was involved with some handbags with Saito at the final whistle and didn`t line up for the usual handshakes so seemingly something was going on there. Just as the action was starting the camera quickly cut to a crowd shot so I couldn`t really see much. Maybe Saito knocked him out on a one inch punch as Mori didn`t line up for the handshakes but Saito did. Hope so!
Oita Trinita at Ajinomoto next and with a "Bring a Friend For Free" ticket promotion for Verdy Fan Club Members, hopefully a bigger than normal crowd to see it. Tokyo Nerdy will be there how about you??
Onwards and Upwards The Boys March On!!

Flick The Flying V`s..... Vortis 2 - 2 Verdy

2011-07-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

The World`s Lowest "Let`s Rock!" leap. I can deffo jump higher than that.

The winning run came to an end in the most painful of circumstances at Tokushima with the Boys blowing a 2-0 lead with just two minutes of normal time remaining. Thankfully the run is over and we can now all go back to our seats and and get back to normal. Ah how I`ve missed the post game feeling of being stabbed in the head with a pencil.
Verdy were again quick out of the blocks with the Tokushima goal under all sorts of pressure from opening whistle to the half an hour mark. Kikuoka this week was operating on the left with Maranhao and Abe playing as a top two. Ichikawa came in for Iio on the right and Fukuda came in for Mori at right back.
Most of Verdy`s pressure came down the left with Kikuoka at his best today having a hand in both goals. Tsuchiya had already had a goal bound header saved when Kikuoka opened the scoring direct from a corner. Kikuoka whipped the ball in low with a deceptive swerve on it which went out then came back in to utterly bamboozle Oh in the Vortis goal. This was on 17 minutes and Verdy were to extend their lead just five minutes later through a Kikuoka free kick headed goalward by Tokushima top scorer Sato for an own goal. At 2-0 Verdy and 30 minutes gone Verdy were in complete control and Vortis were yet to register a single effort on goal. However, over the next 60 minutes Vortis showed some of the mettle that has taken them to second in the league after sixteen games.
Vortis had a scrambled effort wide, Shibasaki was also alert to a low Sato effort on 37 minutes as Vortis cranked up the pressure towards the break.
The second half was an end to end affair with both teams trading half chances. Abe shot across the face of goal, Douglas blasted wide from 8 yards and it looked as though Verdy would hold on for the win. However, in the dying minutes the Verdy goal was under severe pressure with Eleziu smacking a free kick off the bar before scoring following another mad scramble; the goal arriving courtesy of a lucky second rebound off the bar straight to Eleziu for a power header home.
At this point, the only thing that was ever going to happen was an all out barrage on the Verdy goal and that is indeed how the story went. Vortis threw absolutely everything at Verdy and looked to have been robbed of a penalty with Tsuchiya clearly handling a shot with seconds to go. However, justice was probably done with a 95th minute equaliser. The ball again lumped into the box for a save from Shibasaki followed by an overhead cross and header from 2 inches for Tsuda. An absolutely insane end to game which of course feels worse than a defeat. A complete sickener and a reminder of how life should be on the good ship Green.
Welcome back Tokyo Verdy!!! Onwards and Back To Normal The Boys March On!!

Are these yours?

Verdy 3 - 0 Gifu Highlights

2011-07-10T04:25:00.001-07:00

Check Maranhao`s crap goal!! Thanks to Ultra Verdy for putting us on to the highlights.

2011-07-10T04:24:00.001-07:00

Wrong Address....Verdy 3 - 0 Gifu

2011-07-09T08:05:00.001-07:00

Shit Postman

The stats now read five games, five wins, 18 goals scored and probably the Worst Goal of the Season bagged by Maranhao this weekend. Gifu were there for the taking and duly showed exactly why they are bottom of the league with only two wins in fifteen attempts.

With Kawano still missing, Verdy lined up with Kikuoka on the right, Maranhao at the top of the diamond with Iio moving to the left. Takuma Abe was again given the lone striker role and celebrated his signing of a new contract this week with another goal and solid performance.

Verdy opened the game and almost immediately had the Gifu goal under pressure, with a screwed shot from Wada and Maranhao missing the first of his THREE misses when one-on-one with the keeper. The stats will say that Maranhao scored in this one but the real news is what he didn`t do. Before he finally scored; three times he was clean through on the keeper and he missed all three.

The first goal came on 13 minutes with Mori setting Iio free down the right with a superb weighted pass, Iio slid it across the six yard box for an easy finish for Abe. Iio was to go off just 10 minutes later with what looked like hamstring trouble and will probably be out for a week or two. Fukuda came in and will hoping to get the nod next time out. Ten minutes before the break Maranhao missed his second chance when through, again hitting his shot straight at the keeper and sailing his rebound over the bar. The scene was again incredibly replayed just before the halftime whistle. Again, he was through but this time shot wide. He knew he was having a `mare as he slammed the turf in complete frustration. Gifu themselves had their best effort of the first half just after with Arai sending a speculator into the crowd from outside the box.

Maranhao was to eventually get his goal in comical circumstances. Tsuchiya played a ball to Kikuoka who in turn released Maranhao in the box. He went down in a heap looking for the penalty. The ref was unmoved so he stood up again and simply tapped the ball past the keeper. An absolutely crappy goal for a player who is having an absolute nightmare in front of goal. Maranhao is having big problems as he isn`t missing half chances; his problem is that he`s missing absolute sitters. The chances last night were gift wrapped, labelled and addressed correctly with guaranteed delivery to the back of the net. Maranhao unfortunately had the wrong house, couldn`t read the writing and dropped all of them into dirty puddles. Kikuoka wrapped the game up on an up and over free kick from the edge of the box after Abe was brought down in the 83rd minute, Yuki Kobayashi with a nice dummy to distract the keeper. Verdy were on top for 90 minutes, Gifu rarely able to pressure Shibasaki.

Tokushima Vortis up next and a far stiffer test than anything we have faced in the last five. Let`s batter them!! Onwards and Summer Holidaywards The Boys March On!!

2011-07-03T00:13:00.000-07:00

ENJOY!!

Baskin`!! Shonan 1 - 3 Verdy

2011-07-02T23:47:00.000-07:00

Basking Shark.....Holy Moly I wouldn`t fancy "Exposing myself to pleasant warmth" in there even though it does look an easy swim from the mouth to A-hole.

Verdy win again, Abe scores two, Iio nets for the second game running and Verdy up to 7th place. Four games, a mind boggling (we are Tokyo Verdy remember) 15 goals and a charge up the table to boot. I am personally loving watching the games at the moment as I`m sure any other Verdy fan is.
Verdy are in dreamland right now. Goals going in from all angles and other teams falling over themselves to help Verdy win in the cases of Mito and now Shonan. The winning run will of course come to an end at some point but while it continues let us take a second to bask in it`s full glory. Tokyo Verdy are not Man United, we are not Barcalona and we are not Rangers or Celtic whereby we just have to turn up to win. Verdy do not care about the "style" (are they joking?) in which we canter to the league title. To be even within a sniff of a second hand rumour of a title from a bloke in the pub would be fantastic. A Verdy winning run is something to be absolutely savoured as they haven`t come with any regularity in the last 11 years bar the season we went up with Hulk breaking net after net.
The latest bash up saw Verdy bring the points back from a stumbling Shonan side who will be kicking themselves for fighting their way back into a game only to give it away again. All the goal scoring action took place in an exciting first half at Hiratsuka Stadium. Verdy were first off the mark with Iio celebrating his re-call to the starting line up with a well taken effort from the edge of the box after only eight minutes. Shibasaki started the move finding Kikuoka who hit a sweet pass on for Maranhao and after a tussle the ball fell invitingly for Iio who made no mistake. The goal was probably a little against the run of play with Shonan continuing to pressure the Verdy goal after the score.
Verdy were to go two up after 30 minutes with a route one of a goal. Kobayashi hit an inch perfect ball fully 50 yards from well within his own half for Abe to run onto, he controlled it with one touch before smartly lifting it over the keeper. 2-0 and with Shonan`s miserable recent record, another hammering could have been on the cards.
However, Shonan were to pull one back just five minutes later with Kauru Takayama finishing a quick break that started from the right and finished from the edge of the six yard box. Shonan were back in the game but would drop the game through a soft penalty right on half time to leave Verdy with the wind in their sails at the break. Abe broke down the left and as he headed into the box in the left channel, the Shonan defender came across and clipped his ankle, the lightest of contact but enough to knock Abe down when heading nowhere dangerous. Very poor defending and as luck would have it the referee right on top to see the infringement. Abe himself stepped up to knock in his second of the night and finisher, coolly placing it to the keepers right. No blast and hope, a perfectly placed penalty from a player who has grabbed his opportunity in the starting line up with both hands.
The second half was always going to have a hard job to match the excitement of the first but overall Shonan probably shaded the opportunities but unfortunately (for them) they were unable to beat Shibasaki.
Verdy were on the recieving end of some poor refereeing tonight. The referee brandished four yellow cards for The Boys and at least two were absolute howlers. Both Abe and Mori recieved cautions for fouls though on both occasions they clearly got the ball. Mori was absolutely enraged with his yellow and rightly so. Mori went in with a challenge winning the ball cleanly, the Shonan defender went down in a heap, the yellow came out and the defender sprang up like power ball as soon as the yellow card left the referee`s pocket. Completely annoying and I blame Shohei Takahashi. What goes around comes around right??
FC Gifu are bottom of the league and next up to Ajinomoto so Verdy are absolutely ripe for a beating. The most ridiculous thing in the world (apart from 30 Million for Andy Caroll, betting on David Haye to beat Klitschko and expecting England to win the World Cup before 2066) is EXPECTING Verdy to win. The best tactic is to expect them to lose and then you can`t lose. If they lose you are prepared for it; but if they draw or win then everything is rosy. So hears to a crushing defeat to Gifu! May they absolutely hammer us!!
Onwards and Baskwards The Boys Canter On!!

However, a Boob Scarf could be just the ticket in which to "Expose myself to pleasant warmth".

Gunfight At The Chofu Corral Verdy 3 - 2 Mito

2011-06-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

Wasteful? Wasted? A Waste? Rough as a dog`s arse?

Crank up the Verdy Clap-O-Meter readers that was an absolute belter of a game. Goals, chances galore and woodwork rattled like a hundred rattlesnakes trapped in a baby rattle factory. A superb fightback and able to hold on till the end. Superb.

The game was an absolutely wide open free for all, the game finished 3-2 but with the chances that came along it really could have finished a 6-6 draw. It was Mito who were to race out into an early lead taking advantage of some slack defending from Verdy and piling forward early. Mito lined up with a solid front pair with Tokiwa and Okamoto getting into some great positions all evening.
The first came from a long goal kick which was taken down in the Mito midfield and passed onto Yuki Shimada between the centre circle and the Verdy box. He went for goal and the Verdy defence stood off and stood off. Shimada seeing his chance let fly from outside the box into the top right corner, Shibasaki getting nowhere near it.
Mito were to quickly extend their lead a few minutes later through Tokiwa though he didn`t know much about it. Yusuke Mori had given away a free kick on the left side of the Verdy box, the ball was driven in low with power and as Tokiwa went to finish he was knocked over by the covering Verdy defenders with the ball bouncing off his standing leg and in. At 2-0 and up until Verdy grabbed one back just before half time Mito were well worth their lead as, though Verdy were gaining most of the possesion, it was Mito who were creating the clearer opportunities. Just after the second goal, Mito should have made it three with a free header from six yards hitting the base of the post from Okamoto.
However, Verdy were to bring one back before halftime, Yuki Kobayashi lashed a free kick from distance which was top corner bound until Homma saved, unfortunately the keeper could only manage to parry it into the path of Iio (on for the injured Kawano) who was following up for an easy header.
The second half was set for excitement and it didn`t disappoint. Verdy were to draw level with Mori breaking down the right and sending in an inswinging cross for a flying header from Abe just four minutes after the break. At 2-2 the game turned into a slugfest with both teams searching for the knockout blow, this was end to end football and superb entertainment for the crowd. Just two minutes after Abe`s equaliser Junki Koike drove into the box a unleashed a shot bound for the roof of the net until put off course and onto the underside of the bar by the slightest of touches from Shibasaki. A few minutes later it was Tsuchiya`s turn to rattle the woodwork from a Kikuoka corner. Okamoto should have done better from inside the box, blasting over.
The final goal was to come from ex-Mito midfielder Kikuoka who scored for the second time against his former club in three matches. Takahashi released Maranhao down the left channel, he dummied the defender to make space for the cross and found Kikuoka for a toe poke from six yards.
Verdy remained under the most severe pressure for the remainder but hung on for the win. What the hell do we do now? That`s three cracking results on the trot, I don`t know what to say really apart from that long may it continue starting with Bellmare next up on this weekend.
Mito will be absolutely gutted after that, but for once we took our chances while they wasted a shedload of their own.
Onwards and Shonanwards The Boys March On!!

BEWARE!! Thrashing, Mauling, Whipping, Shoeing, Hammering In Progress.. Verdy 4 -0 Fagiano

2011-06-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

The Official Tokyo Verdy Thrashing Machine. Who`s Next??

After the 5 goal mauling of Toyama last week The Boys followed up with a 4-0 pasting of Fagiano Okayama. The Tokyo Nerdy 1969 Number Crunching Department number crunchers tell me that is now NINE goals in two games readers and Verdy are banging the goals in faster than Ryan Giggs (allegedly) bags birds he`s not supposed to.
So where has it all come from? Hiroki Kawano that`s where. He has played out of his skin in the last two games to leave FC Utrecht and anyone else watching wondering if the Dutch Cloggers picked up the right "short Japanese guy who plays for Verdy". From setting two up and scoring one himself against Toyama to scoring two and setting one up against Okayama, Kawano has been the catalyst for himself and others to profit.
Kawakatsu did indeed start with two goal hero Takuma Abe in the line up as requested by Tokyo Nerdy 1969 last week albeit in an unfamiliar lone forward role. Maranhao kept his place on the left and Kikuoka switched from a defensive midfield berth to the head of a midfield diamond to support Abe.
Again Verdy were to race into an unassailable lead scoring two goals in quick succession to leave Okayama reeling. The first after only six minutes came from J2 leading scorer Tiago who very kindly sliced into his own net from an inswinging Kikouka corner. The second was to come just two minutes later. Saeki released Yusuke Mori down the wing who beat his man and drove a low, hard cross in with much pace, Kawano arrived to meet it first time in front of his marker to lash into the the net under the keeper. 2-0 eight minutes gone and Verdy were pressing Okayama continually restricting them to just the occasional foray into the Verdy half.
Thiago himself was lucky to recieve only a yellow card for a blatant elbow to Shohei Takahashi after just 15 minutes. The two were jostling for position when Tiago seemingly thought Takahashi was wrestling too much so elbowed him straight in the face without looking, Takahashi dropped to the deck (though he does this when somebody breaks wind next to him) and out came the yellow. Probably should have been red but Tiago got the sympathy vote for scoring an own goal, being 2-0 down and the ref probably made up for all the blatant flops from Takahashi in the past.
Takuma Abe played well in his new role getting into some good positions though when push came to shove he fired wide on two occasions when well placed. In the 33rd minute Kawano was to switch on and light up the grey day at Ajinomoto. Probably one of the best pieces of skill I`ve seen this season and the goal started and finished by himself with some help from himself on the way. I will put the highlights up when I find them but the backheel flick to release Abe is one of the best passes I`ve seen this year. The ball came to Kawano facing away from the goal, he somehow backheeled it OVER the oncoming defender for the advancing Abe to cross. The ball came in and was only half cleared, Kawano fired, the keeper managaed to tip the shot onto the post the ball rebounded back to Kawano who made no mistake with the second effort. 3-0 at half time and again Shibasaki and Takahashi were trying to run the clock down just before the break. Ugh!!
Into the second half and Verdy continued to press looking for a fourth and along it came courtesy of Maranhao and I imagine the Venforet man is more than pleased to break his duck and open his account for the Greens. That man has had a jungle-full of monkeys on his back for the last two weeks with the chances that have gone begging. Takuma Abe was the architect this time with a superb break down the left crossing over for Kawano to head onto Maranhao who was able to finish the move with a close range header to make it 4-0. Maranhao thanked the heavens for his goal and then got subbed for 15 seconds later for Yoshiaki Takagi to make his final exit. 4-0 nine in two games and life is good on The Good Ship Green. I`m sure a giant shark will come and attack the ship soon and eat all on board but for now, we have a good strong breeze, the skies are blue, we have a bevvy of buxom ladies on board and Ryan Giggs is (allegedly) nowhere in sight to rip through them all before we`ve even said hello.
Onwards an` Ninewards Me Hearties The Boys Sail On!!

Do you get it? No? Me neither!! Do you love it? Yes? Me Too!!

2011-06-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

Flags Ahoy!

Football is allegedly "The World Game" and indeed it may be so; but there can be no question that it is played and especially followed in completely different fashions around the globe. Football is not McDonalds whereby the exact same ingredients are served up in the exact same manner regardless of the country where served. (Even McDonalds failed at universal globalisation as a good friend of Tokyo Nerdy 1969 has travelled the globe sampling Big Macs ALL along the way and we have it on good authority that the lettuce at a McDonalds in Egypt was "a touch dry").
Football is impossible to replicate as the same product the world over and the two "versions" of football that I know and love (English and Japanese) are poles apart at times. The most obvious difference is the nature of support and the way fans relate to their clubs and the individual players within. Two instances stuck with me this weekend readers and I can honestly say that it is unheard of that either would probably ever happen in England.
First of all I spoke with a good friend who often comes to Verdy games with us but due to work commitments he has been unable to attend this season. Next weekend he can get away from work and is off to the FC Tokyo v Gainare match next week with an FC Tokyo supporting Japanese friend. This chap is apparently an ardent FC Tokyo fan currently in uproar over their relegation to J2. This annoyance manifested itself in refusing to attend any matches in J2 up until next weekend as a protest at the manner of the clubs drop to the second tier. So far, not such a big deal. The team gets relegated, fans get pissed off and find something different to do at the weekend. However, this protest came about AFTER buying a season ticket for the 2011 season. Make a protest but make sure you don`t REALLY make one and only actually injure your own wallet in the process? Er......righto.
The second instance relates to the departure of Yoshiaki Takagi to FC Utrecht and the whole business surrounding his final match. Verdy youngster Takagi put pen to paper on a 5 year deal recently to take him to the Eredivise in Holland. It was announced that the match against Fagiano Okayama would be his final game in Green before departure. The club produced a "Memorial" T-shirt to mark the occasion and the scene was set for Takagi to hopefully give one last blinding performance bag a goal and leave the Verdy faithful with a final golden memory of an exciting player. It wasn`t to be, he came on for the final 30 minutes and was unable to hit the target unfortunately. However, once the game had finished all attention was on Takagi as he waited in the dugout while two goal Man Of The Match Hiroki Kawano was interviewed by the TV crew. Kawano finished up quickly and the camera panned out to Takagi standing in front of the Verdy end with a microphone stand ready to give his goodbye speech. He said the usual "Thank you very much, it`s been great" etc and then the camera cut to a recorded interview given by his older brother and ex-Verdy forward Toshiyuki Takagi. The interview was replayed on the big screen at the away end of Ajinomoto. Takagi Snr reminiscing about their childhood together and how he would miss his little brother when he leaves. Takagi Jnr was then unable to hold back the tears and stood there crying and thanked his brother for all the good times, he signed his boots threw them into the crowd and in doing so said his final goodbye to the Verdy support.
Can you imagine for one second this EVER happening in England? When a star player leaves in England the standard thinking is what a turncoat / money grabbing / Judas / MOFO he is and "yeah he was shit anyway and I hope he dies on his arse at his new club". A tearful goodbye speech and a generous round of applause? More likely a round of abuse and a chant concerning the players wife`s or if not married his own ability to perform certain acts on a well built Alsation.
Many words have been said in other places concerning the nature of Japanese supporters some of it none too complimentary and the same can be said of English supporters and the way we think about our clubs. To long term followers of Japanese football this goodbye ceremony is absolutely commonplace but if I step back for a second and think about it in terms of English football then it is absolutely bizzare. Seemingly, the key to a better understanding of Japanese football is not to relate it to other versions of "The World Game" but take it as it is, tearful ceremonies, ultra positive, family orientated, fan friendly, warts and all.

Tears, Mistaken Identity, Brothers In Arms and The Hiroki Kawano Show Verdy 4-0 Fagiano.

2011-06-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

Seems FC Utrecht bought the wrong bloke and there might JUST be something worth watching....unless he gets sold. More to come Sunday night / Monday.

Goodbye Takagi Mark II

2011-06-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

Gutted....

Bollocks!! This time last year there were three Takagi brothers plying their trade in Green. Following Toshiyuki Takagi`s winter transfer to S-Pulse; that figure is now reduced to ONE with Yoshiaki Takagi signing with FC Utrecht of the Dutch First Division. Bollocks!! About sums it up though I`m not that surprised as he has ability in abundance and will relish the challenge I`m sure. FC Utrecht played their cards very close to their chest, sneaking this one under the radar and I suppose the reason why we have hardly seen Takagi play this year is because he was going to be sold. One slight surprise is that he is going abroad and nobody from J1 has taken a punt on him. That`s it then, two of the three brightest home grown youngsters ever to pull on the Green have been sold. Verdy`s crown jewels have been cashed in.
Unfortunately of course that leaves a space for Taira Inoue to come back in and stink things up. It will be interesting to see if Hiroki Kawano get`s picked up and if he does we can all put our flags down, put our Verdy key rings away, throw the scarves in the bin, burn the 20,000 Yen uniforms and do something different on a Sunday afternoon as there will be NOTHING worth paying good money to see at Ajinomoto. Economics and the natural want of a player to test himself at a higher level is behind it all and that`s fair enough but it doesn`t make it any less annoying. Bollock!! Bollocks!! Triple Bollocks!!

Toyama Goalfest 2010 / 2011 Highlights

2011-06-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

11 goals in two games. Check Abe`s J2 Goal of The Week in the first clip and Kosei Shibasaki`s last gasp winner from 2010. A`ve it!!

2011-06-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Y`Abe!! Kataller 1 - 5 Verdy

2011-06-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

Takuma Abe Effects Pedal With Dials That Go To 11

Holy smoke what a corker. What better way to blow away the cobwebs of the last few weeks than battering Kataller Toyama? Battering FC Tokyo 5-1 would be better but in the meantime we have to accept what we are given. Groans all round when the team sheet came out, Hirashige dropped to the bench which given his recent form was probably a smart move. However, Taira Inoue was in his place as a lone striker.....something that has been tried before and is known to be a guaranteed failure. Also, surprisingly Maranhao started at left midfield and Takuma Abe got his first start of the season. It was to be a complete performance from Abe with two goals one assist and some superb all round play. If Kawakatsu dares not to have him in the line up next time out there will be trouble.
The match itself was done and dusted after 30 minutes. Neither team managed a SINGLE effort on goal for the first 25 minutes but Verdy then managed three in just over three crazy minutes. Taira Inoue had already been subbed off injured with Yoshiaki Takagi coming on in his place when the goal action started. Kawano and Tsuchiya have been working the corners well this season and it was Tsuchiya`s dummy run which left Abe free for his first of the year heading straight in at the near post from an identical position to Tsuchiya last week. Goal number two was an absolute stonker from Abe, one which is on a par with Kaio`s effort for Yokohama FC last week. Shibasaki punted a long ball downfield, Abe playing as a support striker, seemed to miscontrol it at first to leave him facing away from the goal, however one quick turn later; he hit a thunderbolt from WAY out and watched it rocket into the roof of the net.
Number three came curtesy of a free kick from Hiroki Kawano. He was dangerous all day with his free kicks and his delivery was spot on today. He flighted in a ball from the left for the oncoming strikers to run on to, Yoshiaki Takagi and a defender threw themselves at it, in the process distracting the keeper and the ball evaded all and snuck into the far corner. 3-0 and that was it job done..... Until it got to 4-0. Yukio Tsuchiya was next on the mark and he had even found time to hit the post with an effort just before he did find the target. Again Kawano provided a telling ball from the left over to the far post, Wada headed it across for Tsuchiya to slide in and poke home.
Kataller then pulled one back from a goal mouth scramble to make it 4-1 and to make Verdy think a little before the break. The initial ball came in and Shibasaki, the bar and two Kataller forwards played a good game of pinball before Takeo Kokeguchi was finally on hand to put the ball into the net.
Into the second half and Maranhao missed another open goal (albeit from an acute angle) and was eventually subbed for Kikuoka. Maranhao had a decent game but always seems as though he`s one step from tripping over. Just doesn`t seem to know what he wants to do for definate when he gets the ball. Anyway, only one easy chance missed instead of two this week so thats a step up. Unsurprisingly the second half was quite a dull affair compared to the first. Kataller had one chance with Yohei Onishi breaking through only to fire straight at Shibasaki. Abe broke clear looking for a hat trick but had a toe poke effort saved by the keeper, Verdy added another in the 83rd minute with Yoshiaki Takagi opening his account for the season. Kikuoka played a long cross ball from right to left and Abe sent a perfectly cushioned header back across goal to leave Takagi with an easy finish from the six yard box. So, 5-1 a complete hammering and thank the lord for that.
Now we have battered somebody at last I have a list of things I want.
1. Takagi in the team from the start next week.
2. Abe in the team from the start next week.
3. Never ever to see Inoue lined up as a forward again for as long as I live.
4. Doi to make a miraculous Bionic Man recovery as Shibasaki is D-O-D-G-Y.
5. Shohei Takahashi tied to a post and flogged for time wasting 32 minutes into a game when leading by three goals.
6. Another 5-1 next week.
7. I want to know why Takagi has hardly played all year when he was one of the star players last year.
8. A reason for why Maranhao, Apodi, Ishikawa have played a total of about 90 minutes this season between them. If they are shit (which appears to be the case so far though jury is still out on Apodi), why did they get signed?

Having ten reasons probably looks better but I can`t think of anything else. Onwards and Most Definately Upwards The Boys March On!!

Bad-a -Bing-Bad -a- Boom! Color Me Badd.....Verdy 1 - 3 Thespa.

2011-06-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

They Wanna Sex You Up!!!

J1 next season? If someone asked me that question with a mouth full of cornflakes I`d have to put my spoon down, get a cloth and mop up the mess that I`d just spat on the table. Or keep the cornflakes in my mouth wanting to swallow but unable to because I can`t stop laughing. Yesterday`s loss was served up with a pinch of bad luck but a smothering of bad play.

So where to start....the matched kicked off and once again Verdy were caught napping early on. The game was only three minutes old when Thespa`s Brazilian import Rafinha intercepted a pass aimed for Takahashi, Fukatsu slipped when about to make a challenge to leave Rafinha clean through with the easy task of beating Shibasaki. Bottom corner, 1-0 and Verdy were all over the place. For the first 10 minutes Verdy were clueless, Thespa had so much time on the ball and piled forward in waves at every opportunity. After the 15 minute mark Verdy settled a little and even fashioned a couple of chances themselves with Hirashige and Inoue both missing the target with headers when well placed. Thespa`s Brazilians combined well just before the break with Shibasaki getting down smartly to save a rasping drive from Alex. At the break Thespa were ahead on points but Verdy were still in with a shout for sure.

In the second half things went from bad to worse and Hiroki Bandai had already stumbled and fluffed an easy chance when he made it 2-0 on 56 minutes. Thespa broke quickly down the right and had Rafinha unmarked on the overlap, his fizzing shot was screamed past Shibasaki only to be blocked by a diving Tsuchiya. Unfortunately, his block left Bandai with the easiest of tap ins. So two goals down and that was it I thought game over. However, I was wrong as after this Verdy were to come roaring back to life only to once again balls it up big style.

Kawakatsu went to the bench bringing on Kikuoka for Kobayashi and just a few minutes later Verdy were back in it. Hiroki Kawano swung in a near post corner and Tsuchiya was on hand with a powerful header the keeper had no chance with. It was a nice change up as Kawano had gone long on all corners previously with little success. Kawakatsu then went to the bench again bring in Maranhao for the utterly anonymous Hirashige for only his second appearance of the season following his loan from Kofu. And WHAT A NIGHTMARE game he had. I don`t want to criticise him too much as the bloke will be feeling lower than the World`s Shortest Man this morning. To miss an easy chance is annoying but to miss TWO from in and around the six yard box is the stuff of nightmares. The first one came from a Kawano corner, and the onrushing Maranhao somehow spooned the ball first time from about 3 yards up and over the bar. A shocking miss and another was to come for Maranhao on 70 minutes with game finely balanced. Maranhao created the chance himself when the keeper was surprisingly unable to hold his weak shot from outside the box, Iio was on hand to lay it back to Maranhao who went for power and succeeded only in screwing it wide. Two unbelievable misses.

Next came a completely bizzare sending off with Kazunori Iio recieving his marching orders presumably for something said to or about the referee. The ball had gone for a throw-in and the linesman flagged for the referee to come over. They had a conflab and the upshot was Iio going straight in for his early bath. There had been no challenge on anybody, no pushing or shoving, no handbags, no moment of controversy nothing. Presumably Iio just let his frustration boil over and popped out while everyone was waiting for the throw in, impregnated the referee`s daughter, keyed his car and left a big one unflushed in the referee`s bath. The linesman grassed him up and that was that.

Tokyo Verdy Official Kazunori Iio Soap

The final salt in the wound came in injury time with Thespa carving open the Verdy defence with a nice move through a shattered and battered Verdy back line. 3-1 loss, Verdy in bits and supporters boo-ing like hell at the end.

Finally a quick word about Color Me Badd. Are Verdy as bad as Color Me Badd? They are as annoying as Color Me Badd but on the plus side Verdy don`t sing about "Sexing You Up". Phew! Next week it`s Toyama away scene of a superb 3-2 last gasp win last season.

Onwards and Thankfully Not Sexed Up By Color Me Badd The Boys March On!!

If`s and But`s....

2011-06-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Looks Rock N` Roll but is actually pointless.

7 points down the drain in the last three games whereas last season they would have been in the bank. The Boys would be in 6th place if we had been a bit more clinical and lucky. Penalty missed against Oita, Blatant, absolute, 100 per cent, stonewall, last minute, penalty missed by the referee against Gainare and complete balls up against Yokohama. If these had all gone our way we`d be one point off a promotion place and looking good. However, we aren`t. We are 8 points off promotion and looking less than dangerous. Also, if I`d picked the right numbers in Toto this week I`d be living on a yatch off the Hawaii coast doing nothing all day, but I`m not so the above stats mean nothing. The If`s and But`s didn`t happen so please ignore all of the above. Pointless.

Up, Down, Annoyance......and Time to Hang Up the Cape Superman? Yokohama 2 -1 Verdy

2011-06-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

King Kazu Spotted At Yokohama Bus Sation.

Up....it`s the weekend, work is finished, I`ve got beers in the fridge and the first barbecue of the season tomorrow. Down...the absolute shitter of a football game I`ve just watched. One of those when you know the points are in the bag, the other team are absolute garbage but somehow the points don`t end up in the pocket at the final whistle. In simple terms how the hell did Verdy not win today?
Verdy went in at halftime 1-0 and a man up with Yokohama`s best offering a Kazu special from distance that probably got called as a home run for the Baystars and another "King" header that to be fair was a bit closer. The answer? Tokyo Verdy are Tokyo Verdy. Can`t deny it, can`t blame poor refereeing, we were cruising more than the ever so not gay Tom Cruise at half time but still managed to shoot ourselves in the foot, ankle, knee, inner thigh, ballbag and bellend by the final whistle.
First half was pretty dull; on the stats three "shots" each though ours were a goal from Fukatsu for his first of the season, a Kikuoka free kick up and over the wall that came back off the joint from just outside the box and another snapshot from Kikuoka unfortunately straight at Seki in the Yokohama goal.
Verdy opened the scoring through Fukatsu after good work and a cross from Iio on the left, Ideguchi making his Yokohama debut looked to be favourite to clear the ball until he missed it completely and Fukatsu was on hand for an easy "whack" in as centre halves don`t deal in taps they generally whack it in to make sure even from two yards.
Following this, the game was to swing massively in Verdy`s favour (you would have thought) after Hakkaku picked up his second yellow of the game on a poor decision from the referee and ABSOLUTE SHIT play acting from Verdy left back Shohei Takahashi.......again. Last year Verdy took 3 points from a late penalty on an embarrassingly blatant dive from Takahashi and today Takahashi did his utmost to get Hakkaku sent off. I`m red faced thinking about it and if I was his manager I`d slap him from here to the Chofu District Pub League for such nonsense. The ball was laid back to Takahashi who cleared and to be fair Hakkaku did catch Takahashi`s clearing leg late. However, Takahashi proceeded to half get up after the challenge, saw the ball had THEN gone out of play and the referee had his whistle to his mouth.....cue re-flop to the deck, writhing and much agony. Wanker.
So half time and I was thinking 3 points in the bag and probably a couple more goals in the second half and I was absolutely bang on the money except the goals going in the wrong damn end. Five minutes (actually three minutes) and that was it.
Yokohama made a double substitution at half time with veterans Takachi and Terada coming on for the ineffectual Fujita and Kazu. And what a difference that made. Takachi put the game to bed single handedly scoring twice within minutes of the re-start to once again throw the man "advantage" out the window. First time he was played through but Tsuchiya looked to have done enough to clear the ball until a last flick from Takachi slipped the ball past a shaky Shibasaki from six yards just inside the post. A shell shocked Verdy were then slapped with another this time Takachi beating Shibasaki to a through ball and finishing nicely with the outside of his left boot. The confidence then visibly drained from Verdy with the boys struggling to create much in the remainder. Yokohama themselves so utterly punchless in the first half were now first to every 50/50 ball and with the bit between their teeth started to impose themselves on the game and played out the remainder with an assurance that has only been seen in fits and starts this year.

Annoying

So, to the Kazu conundrum. What do you do when a super hero loses his powers? Kazu Miura has been a revelation since the earthquake. He has provided inspiration and done a superb job inadvertantly (some say...) becoming the face of the J-League`s effort to raise funds for the earthquake victims. However, in sports there comes a time when even the most venerable players who have wowed audiences in their prime have to realise their time is up. No doubt about it, Kazu talks a good game and does a lot of shouting and pointing when he plays urging team mates on and telling them where they should be. However, when the shouter and pointer is unable to be in those places himself at the right times it`s time to go. Basically, if Kazu were a racehorse, he would be grazing happily in a sun filled meadow munching happily on the sweetest green grass before the grand finale of inspiring the kids of the nation from their gluepots.
Finally, what are Verdy going to do this season? Comfortably stay in J2 on yesterdays evidence. 1-0 up in absolute control playing against 10 men currently routed to the bottom of the league. To finish up losing 2-1 is an absolute sickener but that`s what Verdy do isn`t it? Get in a good position and balls it up royal style. Anyway, I refuse to be downhearted. I am going to the supermarket in a minute to drown myself in sausages and steak and my chicken legs have been marinating over night. The sun is peeping through the clouds and there is always next week. I`m a football lover even when it`s the most annoying game in the world. Onwards and Sausagewards The Boys BBQ On!!

The Biggest KNOBHEAD In Japanese Football???

2011-06-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

A few games ago we reported on a top day out at the Tokyo Derby and a possible interview on Japanese telly. Well thanks to the wonders of Youtube/Twitter and the boys over at On The Gas... said TV "interview" has come to light. For non-Japanese speakers, please take note of the bile inducingly embarrassing crap in the studio.... and for the Japanese speakers out there, please take note of the "scary foreigners" crap at the end of the piece.....take a bow Mr. Jonathon Sieger!!! Tokyo Nerdy`s Inaugural Penis Of The Season!!

Bare Naked Rain Dancers! Verdy 0 - 0 Tottori.

2011-05-30T02:52:00.000-07:00

Another snorefest to report this week. The Boys drew a blank against J2 new boys Gainare and never really looked like getting anything else from this one. The weather was terrible, the rain was constant, the stadium was empty and the play was awful. Two 0-0`s on the trot for the first time I can ever remember. Bottom of the pile Yokohama FC next up, let`s hope we can do the business.

She`s not naked or dancing but it IS raining.

Bangin`! Oita 0 - 0 Verdy

2011-05-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

I was at a wedding all day yesterday, then up till 4 this morning watching Wolves survive in the Premier League for another season and Ive got a bangin` headache and hangover..... The Boys drew 0-0 with Oita we missed a penalty, Inoue and Kawkatsu got sent off. That is all, I`m going back to bed.

Barnsley, Jimmy, Brazil and Ryuichi!!....Verdy 4 -0 Giravanz 0

2011-05-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

Back o` the net!! As everybody`s favourite recovering alcoholic Jimmy Greaves used to say "It`s a fanny old game Saint..." And he was right. After the dullest 45 minutes of the season so far, Verdy were to explode into action in lethal fashion in the second half with Ryuichi Hirashige claiming the first Verdy hat trick since the days of Hulk. Taira Inoue also chipped in with another and all this coming while Verdy were down to ten men. Verdy went into the break against Giravanz lucky not to be 1-0 down with ex Verdy man Leonardo cutting in from the right to feed the Giravanz striker who had all the time in the world to pick his spot; which he did just past the post. This was the only meaningful action of an absolutely dire first half. 3,126 unfortunate souls were there to see it and I congratulate them on their ability to stay awake for the duration.

Yuki Kobayashi was the man to receive his marching orders for two unfortunate incidents. Can`t complain really as both incidents were fair enough yellows but he was unlucky to receive both in one game. The first one was on 7 minutes for high feet in a challenge, both players had their feet up but Kobayashi got the card. The second half was only four minutes old and Kobayashi was back in the changing rooms rifling through peoples pockets and stealing their identity, credit cards and pocket change. The ball went through, Kobayashi blocked the runner and that was that.

Saint, Big Frank and Greavsie. The cream of British sports broadcasting.

Verdy down to ten men then came to life much like FC Tokyo did a few games ago. Faced with an uphill task; the ten men battered the eleven to turn the "advantage" on it`s head. Our new best friend Taira Inoue (I`m getting sick of writing his name now) opened the scoring AGAIN after Kawakatsu had taken off one dwarf for another; Kikuoka coming on for Takagi. Iio broke clear down the left and sent in a cross for Inoue who sent a weak header back across the keeper. At this point there were two defenders on the line plus the keeper. The first defender swung and missed the ball the completely, the second defender and keeper both thought the first one would clear it and subsequently could only get in each others way as the ball trickled over the line. A soft goal and a reminder why Giravanz were so terrible last season.

Verdy were to add another 15 minutes later with a peach from Hirashige. Kikuoka sent the ball through with Hirashige rushing goalward; with two defenders around him he shot first time from outside the box beating the keeper just inside the post. As poor as the first goal was, this one was finishing of the highest quality. 2-0 and Giravanz were never going to come back from that point on. However Hirashige wasn`t finished, in the 90th minute he broke down the left, cut inside the box and drilled a shot across and past the poorly positioned keeper. Three goals were to become four in injury time again with Hirashige racing through the middle between two defenders and hitting his shot early from outside the box low and past the keeper. 4-0, three for Hirashige, another for Inoue and Oita up next. As the Barnsley faithful used to sing "It`s like watching Brazil!!" Onwards and Upwards The Boys Trot On!!

Taira Said Knock You Out!! Gifu 1 - 3 Verdy

2011-05-09T02:33:00.000-07:00

Ouch! Sorry Taira...

Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and let the person who you`ve berated, beaten down picked apart and laughed at in front of the whole world, punch you right on the end of the nose (the bit where it really knackers and makes your eyes water even if you are given just a little dab). Today, I hold my hands up to Mr. Taira Inoue "Official Object of Scorn Since Yuzo "The Donk" Funakoshi Left".

Coach Kawakatsu stuck with Bonnie Taira after his performance against FC Tokyo and it paid dividends. To be honest I doubt he`ll ever score two easier goals in the rest of his playing career but still, credit where it`s due, he is now leading scorer for the Greens!!

Right, the game then. Just under 4,000 turned up at Nagaragawa and the contest was a mere five minutes old when Inoue opened the scoring. His first came from an inswinging Kawano free kick, a flap and a miss from the goalkeeper, a bit of a scramble on the edge of the six yard box, the ball broke to Inoue and he swept in from about 6 yards. My first thought was "Wow! you don`t see that very often....". So, Verdy settled down nicely and the game started to ebb and flow with a few long rangers and half chances shared between the two sides. As the half wore on, so Gifu came alive and hit back with a quality goal. The move started with the ball coming through the centre circle and a Gifu midfielder playing a superb running backheel for his onrushing teammate. The pass completely fooled Tsuchiya and Fukatsu (not for the first time this season...) and the forward finished the mover with a glorious curling chip over Shibasaki to draw level. Much has been made of the Niigata goal with flying backheel this week, well this one while not as spectacular was right up there in terms of skill;maybe a J2 version of the Niigata goal?

So 1-1 it was at halftime and Verdy probably a little behind in terms of chances and goal threats. Kawano was taken off at half time (for Takagi) possibly as a precaution against his frustration boiling over as he had already been booked for a poor lunge in a nothing position. Inoue`s second of the night came after a period of good pressure straight from the re-start. Kazanori Iio whipped in a high ball and again the keeper flapped at the ball sending it straight to the waiting Inoue who made no mistake from the middle of the box. That was at about the 58th minute mark and it was to be game over just five minutes later. Yuki Kobayashi who had a solid game as a defensive midfielder crossed in a free kick where AGAIN the keeper could only send a weak punch directly to Kazunori Iio. Iio opened his account for the season before realing off to the dug out to hug/kiss/lick/sniff Yoichi Doi`s (injured and put out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon last time out) top that had been hung there.....

The last 25 minutes were played out with Verdy never really in danger of conceding or indeed scoring again.

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!

So, that`s it first win in the bag, Giravanz Kitakyushu up next and incredibly they have still only won one game (against Mito) since they beat Verdy 35 or so games ago in 2010. Onwards and Four Points Says Upwards, The Boys March On!!

Verdy 0 - 0 FC Tokyo 0 - 0 City of Tokyo

2011-05-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

Go On My Son!!! Super Kazuki Super `Keeper!!

0-0 was the final score yesterday at a busy Ajinomoto with over 28,000 supporters in for the first clash of the Tokyo clubs since 2008. Another shedload of free crap given away on entry including pikachu hats, flags and a chance to have pictures taken with the Yellow man himself. I now have a flag, a pikachu hat and a photo of myself with the yellow man. One of the benefits of going along to the ground as opposed to watching on TV.
Also, as it turned out we got to meet up with some old friends from the On The Gas site and spent a good hour catching up before the game. Lumped into this hour was an interview with Tokyo MX TV. Maybe we were on TV yesterday, I don`t know. It was all very nice and another reminder of why football in Japan is great. Two teams who supposedly hate each other, though the fans intermingle before the game without even a hint of aggro. We sat down drank a couple of beers together and (albeit half heartedly) wished each other good luck for the game and off we went.
The game kicked off and straight away FC Tokyo picked up where you`d expect given that Kawakatsu had put Taira Inoue in the line up....to be fair though he wasn`t at centre forward, Hirashige fresh from his debut strike against Tosu had taken that role with Goal Machine Hiramoto dropping to the bench. Inoue was operating at right midfield and did a reasonable job. Nothing spectacular but reasonable. Nice one Taira.
FC Tokyo were on top for the first 15 minutes but then as if someone flicked a switch the game was turned on it`s head. FC Tokyo suddenly stumbled when the ball was coming, their passing went to pot and as their confidence drained the frustration both in the stands and on the pitch grew visibly. Kawano and Hirashige were looking bright with Hirashige twice being sent clear only to be caught out by a lack of pace. Hirashige was to leave the field in the 28th minute with what looked like hamstring trouble, Goal Machine coming on in his place. For the 20 minutes before half time and 10 minutes after Verdy looked like the team most likely to break the deadlock with a number of half chances though the FC Tokyo keeper wasn`t REALLY tested.
FC Tokyo`s frustration came to a head with the sending off of Brazillan striker Cesar fifteen or so minutes into the second half. He had been booked in the first half for leading with his elbow and clattering Tsuchiya in the process, but his second yellow was poorer than poor. I was sitting probably 80 or 90 yards away from the incident and as soon as the play stopped I thought "DIVE". The ref agreed and off went Cesar for "simulation" or in laymans terms being a soft, cheating, slimy twat. Significantly, there was next to no protest from the Red and Blue on the pitch and from their bench. It was a piss poor piece of play. At this point, I really thought we would go on and win it but that`s not what Tokyo Verdy are all about. Instead of turning the screw on 10 men Verdy were to be pegged back into their own half for the remainder and it was Doi who was by far the busier of the two keepers by the end. Doi finished the game on a stretcher; though not from the incessant boo-ing every time he touched the ball. He looked to be in some trouble after jumping for a high ball in his box. Seemingly he landed badly and things aren`t looking good for the veteran stopper. Goal Machine was to become Goal Stopping Machine for the last two minutes, donning the goalie gloves as Kawkatsu had already used his three subs. FC Tokyo were unable to assert any pressure on him and Hiramoto finished the game as did both other goalkeepers with a clean sheet.
At the final whistle the FC Tokyo end erupted in a chorus of boo-ing and whistling. Seemingly, they are not happy campers in the Red and Blue half of the city. We aren`t happy campers either but I think Verdy fans have been accustomed to mediocrity for that much longer than FC Tokyo. Pre-season, FC Tokyo were most people`s solid bet to steamroller the division and finish with record points. Whilst, they still remain one of the favourites for promotion, talk of the ease of winning the league and just having to turn up is definately off. Expectation is the most dangerous thing at a football club. At the start of 2010, Verdy were happy to still be in business and as such when the club started with four straight losses there was a definate "sho ga nai" feeling amongst the supporters. 2010 turned out to be an encouraging season and therefore when the club started 2011 with new owners and new players, expectations have risen leading to more frustration that things aren`t going to plan.

Tokyo Zero

Transfer that feeling to FC Tokyo, a team who have spent virtually their whole life in J1 and they are in a perilous position. Expected to batter all comers, it`s a no-win situation. If they win 5-0 it`s expected and if they lose it`s a disgrace. I`ve a feeling many FC Tokyo supporters are currently re-thinking their evaluation of the level of play in J2. To be sure there is some junk in the league but there are also very much more than the three teams who came down who will be fighting for a top three position. FC Tokyo will be there or there abouts come the end of the season though hopefully they`ll continue to play like they did yesterday against Verdy and we can all look forward to another great day out at Ajinomoto Stadium in 2012!! First point in the bag, let`s hope we can get another between now and December...Onwards and Upwards The Boys Mince On!!

Tokyo Derby

2011-05-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

I could wax lyrical about the beauty of a derby game, but if you are a real football fan you won`t need telling. Tokyo Verdy v FC Tokyo today. Tickets bought, weather is looking good. Let`s get it on!!!

Bellmare In Mourning

2011-05-02T03:06:00.000-07:00

Osama pictured prior to the Yokohama defeat. He was said to have shot the Fulie coloured pillow to pieces following the loss.

Following the news that Osama Bin Laden is no longer with us, flags across the Shonan region will be flying at half mast in deference to the passing of their International Super Terrorist Supporters Club founding member. Hidetoshi Nakata is said to be particularly distraught at the news commenting "I`ve been a close personal friend of Osama since he asked me for a signed Bellmare poster prior to my leaving Japan for Italy. I`m gutted mate, what can I say?.... gutted". Bin Laden though outwardly deriding all sporting events as a distraction against the Holy War was secretly known to be an avid follower of the Japanese Second Division and took a keen interest in Bellmare. It is said that under his army jacket and turban he sported a home made Bellmare skull-cap. A formal request to have his ashes scattered across the Hiratsuka pitch is currently under discussion though his body has apparently been thrown in the sea, potentially scuppering the Bellmare plans for a mauseleum and robbing the support of a chance to say one last "Hurrah!" for their most famous supporter. RIP Osama.

Fukatsu `ake! Sagan 3 - 1 Verdy

2011-04-30T23:44:00.000-07:00

My Derby Hat. Where`s yours?

Verdy started off with Doi in goal and straight away Sagan were on the attack flashing two chances just wide in the first two minutes. Sagan were very much on the front foot for the entire first half and could have easily gone in for their tea and biscuits far more than two goals to the good. The first goal had a slice of fortune about it with initially a ricochet fooling Tsuchiya. The ball broke down the left, cross, bang, 1-0, "whirling windmill" celebration from Hayasaka. Verdy had had a couple of chances themselves with Fukatsu having a goalbound header cleared off the line, but that was pretty much against the run of play. Hiramoto also tested the keepers reflexes with a low header, the keeper doing well to save.
Goal number two came with another mix up in defence with Tsuchiya and Fukatsu caught napping, Hayasaka again broke through and slotted past Doi. 2-0 and another "whirling windmill" celebration. 2-0 at half time and Kawakatsu tried to shake things up switching to a back three, bringing on Hirashige for his debut and taking off a quiet Yoshiaki Takagi. It worked for a while as well with Hirashige striking back for the Greens following a break from Hiramoto and a cross from Kikuoka. Another toe poke into the net from two yards and probably a bit of help from the covering defender. But a goal on your debut for your new club is good in anyone`s book. Verdy back to 2-1 were very much back in the game but shot themselves in the foot/head/undercrackers/ with a calamitous third. The ball was played back to Doi with Abe (I think) shepherding it back safely. They both thought the other was going to deal with it until Toyoda comfortably dealt with it for Sagan by bladdering it into the top corner. No doubt about it, an absolute stinker of a goal to give away and something that will give Kawakatsu bad dreams.
On a slightly unsavoury note, there were one or two minor scuffles amongst the Verdy faithful at the end of the game. The players had come over to bow and apologise and after some heated "comments" directed towards the team a number of fans started pushing and shoving each other. Handbags to be sure but not what you want to see really.
In summary, 3 games, zero points, bottom of the league and the biggest game of the season coming up next. Are we gonna win? Blind faith says we are even though all rational thought spells a loss. Still, FC Tokyo aren`t exactly tearing the league a new posterior either and who`d have thought we`d win last time? We did 2-1 after being battered for the entire game, I was there and the 89th minute winner in the pouring rain at the Olympic Stadium will live long in the memory. Conversely, if we get beat 6-0 on Wednesday, that particular memory will be banished in two seconds. Tokyo Derby, can`t wait...

Flags, Pikachu and Pestelence

2011-04-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

The least disgusting picture of "pox"

It`s another giveaway for fans at the Tokyo Derby next week. The Boys will probably be giving 3 points away and also it`s Flag for Japan Day. Free flags to be fluttered by the first 15,000 through the door with a percentage from each "Flag Ticket" going directly to the Earthquake Relief Funds. Pikachu will also be in attendance and if things aren`t going well he could be given a run out for the last 15 minutes.
In an earlier post I harped on about a sales tax levied on all sports tickets bought from convenience store machines. I found yesterday that 7-11 doesn`t charge the 105円 on top of the ticket price. Family Mart may have the best slice of chicken flavoured grease and be the closest to work, but they lost a customer from this day forward. Also the one by work doesn`t sell my favourite beer. Convenient? A pox on the bosses of Family Mart!! I spit on you Sir Family of The Mart.
NB Lawsons also charge 105円 but they escape criticism as I rarely go there anyway. All hail 7-11!!

The Pirates of Ibaraki...Verdy 1 - Ehime 2

2011-04-24T03:56:00.000-07:00

Pieces of Eight.!The Pirates Of Ibaraki!

Opening Day at Komazawa yesterday and a glorious day of sunshine unfortunately not matched by what was on the pitch. All the merchandise that was available for the All For Verdy day against Mito was now available for free against Ehime. Free T-shirt, free scarf, free flag for the kids. Good work Verdy! Not so good was the printing on the back.....funny though as if you`re gonna have a spelling mistake you might as well make it a good one in my book.
The game was marked with a minutes silence before kick off in memory of all the victims of the earthquake. I`d like to say it was perfectly observed but to be honest it wasn`t. A bloke behind me was chatting away about his missed lunch and what he was gonna do with his kids for lunch, oblivious to what was going on, his just one of the mish mash of conversations in between the pockets of silence. Pretty disappointing but what can you do?
The game kicked off with Kawakatsu again going with Fukatsu in central defence with Tomisawa as defensive midfield with Kobayashi. Doi was on the bench suggesting he`s close to coming back with Goal Machine on his own up front. The game started with Verdy on the back foot and Ehime doing their best to unsettle the Verdy defence through strikers Josimar and Saito. The front pairing were to prove a real handful for the Verdy backline all day. Iio had just curled an effort wide when Ehime opened the scoring. Captain Tomisawa lost the ball just inside the Verdy half and the ball came to Saito who easily held off at least three Verdy challenges before slotting past Shibasaki in the Verdy goal. 1-0 to Ehime and worse was to come quickly for Verdy. Again an Ehime goal was follow a Verdy chance, Kawano this time firing wide from just outside the Ehime box. In the resulting passage of play Saito burst through the Verdy defense only to be felled by Kota Fukatsu in the box. Debatable penalty, the Ehime forward was probably looking for the call as he was already falling when the contact came. Fukatsu recieved a yellow card and Josimar made no mistake from the spot beating Shibasaki`s dive to the right.

Crap Pirate

Verdy were to pull one back in the 35th minute through Tsuchiya following Kawano`s free kick from the right. The ball was swung into the six yard box and Tsuchiya was able to slide in to toe poke the ball home just in front of Hagihara in the Ehime goal.
Following this Verdy dominated possession but were unable to seriously test the Ehime keeper. Hiramoto had a free header in the box but could only direct it weakly into the arms of Hagihara. Kawakatsu tried to change things up bringing on Maranhao who was to flop to the ground on more than one occasion all to no effect. In fact it was Ehime who came closest to adding to the goal tally with a shot from Josimar smacking back off the cross bar. The game came to a conclusion with Verdy still pressing but it was one of those games where it seemed that Verdy could play all day and still never break through the Ehime defence.
As I said in one of the previous posts, we lost but I don`t really mind. The weather was good, the beers were cold, my son enjoyed himself, I caught up with some friends. That`ll do me.
Next up it`s Tosu away and then FC Tokyo. Two tough games and zero points if the Boys don`t get going quickly!! Onwards and Upwards the Boys march on!!

New Start, New Band, New Radio Tokyo Nerdy

2011-04-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

All The Young provide the soundtrack for the re-start to the J-League this week readers. Shameless plug for a friend of a very good friends band. The song rocks and they`re from Stoke where I spent 10 years prior to coming to the `Pon. Qualification enough in my book. Lay back, relax and enjoy!

Trivial Pursuits

2011-04-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

It`s back on next weekend......football is back, Verdy are back, Tokyo Nerdy 1969 is back. I`d LOVE to be able to give a big loud fuck off WE`RE BACK with bells, air horns and guitar solo`s but I can`t because in the last month for myself football has slipped way down the rankings of the important things in life.. Verdy will be playing at Komazawa Stadium against Ehime, I will be there with my son and a few friends cheering on the Boys in Green but seriously knowing that win, lose or draw, it REALLY matters not.
To be simply alive and at the stadium to be able to take in the game is an absolute blessing in itself. The thought of watching a game, having a beer with friends and catching up has become such a beacon of hope for myself (a person in no way seriously affected by the earthquake) that next weekend really can`t come round soon enough.
The J-League and all teams therein have made a superb effort since March 11th in helping the affected clubs and also (far more importantly); the communities to come to terms with the devastation wrought by the earthquake and tsunami. In terms of "coming to terms with things" there are some things nobody can help with. For the children who have lost mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends; no amount of Charity Matches, Millions raised or Kazu Dances performed will bring loved ones back. Mother Nature is an absloute indomitable bitch at times and in times like these we are utterly powerless to defend ourselves. If Mother Nature decides to plant a 40 tonne ship on the top of a 30m / 3 storey building there is little any man,woman or child can do to survive.
However, for the people who did survive, for life to again be fruitful it, can`t be lived in a permanent state of desperation. And this is where football comes in. 90 minutes away from the troubles that have been thrown up since March 11th. Football can be a temporary band aid for the spirit of the nation, a temporary anaesthetic to the pain of what has happened. Vegalta Sendai and the other clubs can provide a release for the people of that devastated region. A chance to grieve communally, hold on to each other and hopefully fightback against the wave of destruction. Football in all it`s glorious triviality can come to the fore. I for one welcome football back into the life of the nation.
It has been mentioned elsewhere that the J-League has become more of a family since the carnage of the 11th. Many clubs have been working together to raise money and going out to help people in shelters bringing hope to the hopeless. I would go as far to say the whole nation has come together like no other time. The community spirit in Japan is second none that I have ever experienced anywhere in the world. The need to live with dignity, respect for others and helping those less fortunate has been magnified in these current turbulent times and the population of this nation has not been found wanting. To the soldiers dealing with the stomach churning task of (still) fishing bodies out of the sea, the countless volunteers manning soup kitchens, taking in orphans, to people providing logistical help dealing with all the aid coming in from all corners of the globe, the housewives wrapping endless boxes of supplies, the regular citizens organising toy fairs for the kids who have lost everything, the volunteers driving their own trucks full of supplies, I say from the bottom of my heart that I am proud to be able to share in your generosity of spirit, your willingness to go the extra mile for the people who currently need it. I am proud to say I am part of Japan. I`m not Japanese and never will be in terms of ethnicity or citizenship but I feel as Japanese as the next man in terms of this current disaster. It could just as easily been my family washed away, crushed under a building or wandering hopelessly looking for me. I thank my lucky stars that it wasn`t but know that next time it could just as easily be mine. What goes around, comes around in this life and in that sense I will not be found wanting.
In terms of the usual vitriol contained within this site, don`t be surprised if some of it is turned down for a while. The former passions for both football and the hatred of the opposition has disapated somewhat. I`d like to buy Taira Inoue a beer and encourage him in his pursuits of scoring, thank him for his efforts and hope that he is OK. I will welcome with open arms FC Tokyo fans to Ajinomoto Stadium, happy that they are all alive and able to do something as meaningless and fun as watch a football game. Football IS just a game and generally undeserving of the column inches it generates and definately undeserving of the negative passions it invokes in people, myself included. Call me a disgusting hippy if you like but I don`t think there can be a person who was been present in Japan since March 11th who hasn`t had his/her thinking changed.
There will be a lot of people at the games next weekend who have lost loved ones and there will be a lot of people who simply won`t be there ever again. For these people I say, we will continue the good fight, doing our best to bring a sense of normality back to your lives. With dignity, respect for your suffering and look forward to the day when you are all able to smile again. We stand with you all.

J-League Returns...

2011-03-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

April 23rd/24th first up Ehime at Komozawa. Not the most auspicious of home openers but we`ll take it.

Bits and Pieces

2011-03-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

The League will re-start one day and so will Tokyo Nerdy1969. In the meantime a couple of snippets of information, Verdy`s Brazillian contingent Maranhao and Apodi have returned to Brazil until such time as it looks like the League will re-start. At the moment they are scheduled to return on the 26th of March.
Verdy held a charity fair in aid of the victims of the tsunami and earthquake. The J-League will also be holding a benefit match and Tokyo Nerdy will be donnning the lycra and participating in a charity bike ride. Swollen knees and backache a small price to pay in view of the on going crisis in the north east of the country.
A good friend of the site has set up a Red Cross charity donation site here and if you feel like you can contribute, please feel give generously.

J-League Off For Whole of March

2011-03-14T00:37:00.000-07:00

Good call.

No Game On Sunday.

2011-03-11T05:58:00.000-08:00

J-League sinks into absolute insignificance compared to the tragedy of today. Fuck football who gives a shit.

Wolf Nipple Chip Freeby Jeebies

2011-03-08T05:03:00.000-08:00

After the resounding success of the Save Our Verdy game last season which drew a spectacular 25,000 supporters, the marketing boffins have come up with an "All For Verdy" theme for the home opener against Mito. T-shirts, scarves, pens and all other manner of junk is available on special offer or given away for free to the altogether more sober first 3,000 through the doors. I hereby call first dibs on any opportunity to purchase a pair of Ramos` loafers or his Captain Birdseye jacket from the J2 promotion season.

Doi Crogged??

2011-03-06T04:49:00.000-08:00

One of the surprises of the line up today was the omission of 2010 Number 1 Yoichi Doi and according to the Verdy website, there have been "complications" concerning his medical. Let`s hope it`s nothing serious and he will be back between the sticks, balling at Tomisawa and Co. sooner rather than later.

Blue Balls.....Kumamoto 1 - 0 Verdy

2011-03-06T03:06:00.000-08:00

Life Begins at 46

The new season is up and running and Verdy started 2011 exactly the same as 2010 with a defeat to Roasso Kumamoto. Kawakatsu flumoxed everyone with his line up, Shibasaki starting in goal, new signing Fukatsu partnering Tsuchiya in the middle with Tomisawa playing in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role. Up top Kawakatsu went with Ichikawa and Hiramoto but after all the excitement of buying a whole new strikeforce, it was disappointing not to see the Green Machine blow their collective attacking load all over Kumamoto. Though this was not for the want of trying.
So how did the new guys get on? Well Ichikawa did exactly what was predicted by our friends at GGOA, snatching at his chances and getting subbed at half time for his troubles. He had the chance of the match for the Greens after breaking through around the 20 minute mark, rounded the keeper and inexplicably blasted over the bar from the edge of the box. Maybe he slipped, but from that position he has to score. He also scuffed another effort and won`t be happy with his debut. Roasso themselves found the net twice in the first half, Verdy escaping once by the skin of the linesmans flag though there was to be no such luck with the second; ex-Verdy midfielder Shingo Nejime doing the damage with a 30 yard piledriver, helped by a wicked deflection off Fukatsu to leave Shibasaki stranded.
Half time came and off went Ichikawa for new Brazillian Maranhao and he did his chances of being first pick next week no harm with a lively display down the left, some neat passing and seemingly a bit of pace. It all came to nothing but the goods are there, if he can get the service. And there lay the crux of the problem today. The midfield was dominated by Roasso with Fabio a constant thorn in Verdy`s side. He`s big and gangly and put himself absolutely everywhere. The only blot on his copybook a dreadful miss with just Shibasaki to beat. Shibasaki himself looked shaky with his distribution but pulled off a nice save to tip over a looping header. The jury is still out on Fukatsu, he looked weak in comparison to the evergreen Tsuchiya, who was my pick for man of the match for us today. He threw himself in front of everything, including Fabio`s shoulder for a painfull bang on the cheek.
Roasso took the three points and probably deservedly so; we had chances but didn`t take them. Ichikawa missed one sitter and another reasonable chance, Kawano headed over when free on the edge of the six yard box and a good few times the last pass was missing in the final third. Next week sees the visit of Mito Hollyhock who had an excellent result against Sanga, but let`s hope they revert to last season and are willing to be be blitzed.... Onwards and Upwards, The Boys March On!!

Hallelujah!! Hallelujah!!

2011-03-04T03:49:00.000-08:00

From Shaun William Ryder....

J-League is back tomorrow and Verdy are back on Sunday. Here we go again!! All aboard The Good Ship Green!! We might go up, we might stay down, we might go in, we might go out but no one is more likely to shake it all about in an ill fitting leotard, flourescent headband and leg warmers than Tokyo Verdy.
It`s been a long 17 weekends since the easy win over Mito in the last game of 2010, a ton of forwards have been bought in the off season, Verdy have blitzed all comers in pre-season (bar one) but now it`s time to see for real how good the 2011 vintage is. Ladies and Gentlemen Start Your Engines!!!

A Brazillion Brazillians!! That`s TWO and counting....

2011-02-25T05:32:00.000-08:00

He`s not The Messiah!! He`s a very naughty boy....

Verdy doubled up there Brazillian count today with signing from Cruzerio of De Souza Alves Luiz Diallisson. Or "Apodi" for short. I wondered how the hell you get Apodi from the name but apparently it`s where he is from. Sounds more exciting than a new signing called "Wolverhampton" or "West Bromwich" though I would like a player called "Lower Gornall" as my great aunt`s family lived in the area and they would have been more than pleased to have a Brazillian in the Japanese Second Division flying the Lower Gornall flag I`m sure. The new boy is listed as a midfielder but has also seemingly served time at right back. He looks a bit like a spooky Jesus and that makes feel uneasy. Hopefully, the opposition will also have the same feeling as you can`t very well scythe down the Son Of God can you? He`s loaned from Cruzerio (who he played for only ONCE) and has spent the last five few years loaned out to various Brazillian clubs. Still of course HE`S BRAZILLIAN!! HE MUST BE BRILLIANT!!!.....Just like Leandro!!....Ugh.... Welcome aboard!!

Twenty Thousand Yen And a New World Record

2011-02-20T08:46:00.000-08:00

For a football shirt....are they having a laugh?? I would expect a real Green and White zebra with four legs and an African tribesman to feed and water it for that much. I earlier commented that football shirts are a rip off throughout the country calmly (prior to looking at the Verdy webstore just now) but just to put a perspective on it it for our UK readers who feel clubs take the piss: 153 Quid is the price for a shirt!! For our American readers 240USD!! Dick Turpin wore a mask and Robin Hood stole to feed the poor. What is our excuse??
However on the plus side we now have TWO world records!! One is The Fastest Sending Off By a Professional Player Anywhere Ever and possibly (though Roy Castle is yet to confirm) another with The Most Expensive Non Autographed/Special Edition "Normal" Top in the World Ever. If anybody out there can find a football top more expensive than this, we at Tokyo Nerdy 1969 will send you a superb exclusive Official Tokyo Nerdy 1969 Prize.
(Disclaimer) The prize will probably be shit. Figuratively of course.

Lifetime Guarantee

2011-02-19T02:58:00.000-08:00

Ordinarily, I`d say no thank you......

Some things in life are set in stone. Night follows day, black is the opposite of white, water boils at 100 degrees, brussel sprouts taste like shit and Tokyo Verdy tickets are 1500円. Well readers, one of the rules has been broken today, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN (at least) 10 YEARS VERDY HAVE PUT THE PRICES UP. Tickets have always been 1500円 on my watch until today. Today I bought a ticket for behind the goal for the opening game against Mito for 2000. The cheapest as of 2011 is 2000円. Can`t grumble really as we`ve had a good 10 years and Verdy prices are now in line with most of the rest of the league. Unfortunately for us FC Tokyo now have the cheapest seats in the capital going for 1600円...not a good deal for us in trying to attract the casual fan and could have an effect in terms of the derby games. If you aren`t bothered about football or are gonna just check it out on a holiday, 1600 v 2000 is a no brainer and even moreso for fans with families to consider. We`ve missed a step there I think. Then again, as a business 6,000 at 1500 is the same as 4,500 at 2000 so sting the regulars and still hope to pick up the casuals...errr...eeerrrm...what the feck is that??!!!
However, this is not the only price increase and not anywhere near as annoying as the other one. The MOFO`s in the government (or is it the convinience stores themselves??) have in their wisdom applied a 105円 "sales tax" to all sports (and I assume all other) tickets bought from convinience store machines. 50, 000 sell out at Urawa? Ker-ching!! Japan National Team game at Nissan Stadium KERR-CHING!! 105 on one ticket admittedly doesn`t seem much but applied across the whole league for a whole season, across the Yomiuri Giants, across the whole of baseball, across the whole of ticketing in this country....holy shit that`s more than a tax and a half!! They`ll be putting the train prices up next....seriously if that happens blood will be spilled. Not by me personally however being from a land where train prices go up regardless of any discernable reason other than the passage of time. I`ve bought two sets of tickets in the last two days and paid 420 Yen on top of the ticket price. One bloke 4 tickets, I can`t be arsed with the maths but seemingly I shall travelling to work on a magic carpet in the coming years with all this government cash sloshing around. (Or buying the same old shitty sandwiches from a solid gold convinience store from a millionaire clerk looking down his nose at me).

Thespa Kusatsu Private Gentlemans Club and a Sneaky Fiver

2011-02-17T04:28:00.001-08:00

Ollie Plimsoles

The Boys are off to Kusatsu on Sunday, a kick around with fellow J2`ers Thespa is the next stop on the Verdy pre-season tour. Apparently, no cameras, no video phones, no sketching, no mime artists and most definatelty no interprative theatre troops are allowed to record, sketch or interpretate anything through the medium of a weeping willow, or an acorn growing into a bloody oak tree......gotta wonder what the hell the Education Board of the UK was thinking in the 70s having kids do such shite in freezing cold school halls the length and bredth of the country. Probably wasn`t a kid alive who didn`t wish they`d just get the ropes, the monkey bars, the crash mats and the vault out. Do some PROPER indoor PE!! Music and Movement my arse...Hello, I`m Ollie Plimsoles...
Before the trip, the Boys slapped another kindergarten squad 5-0, goals from Marahao, Kawano, Ichikawa, Kim Tae Yon and Takanaka. Jesus Christ this pre-season the opposition are either ABSOLUTE SHITE (most likely) or The Boys have turned into 11 Maradona`s. (The young Elvis version rather than the Vegas version). I look forward to opening day to decide which of the above is true.

4 Out Of 4

2011-02-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

The Boys edged out Yokohama Marinos in the latest friendly yesterday. Marahao eqaulised an opening Marinos goal before Goal Machine opened his pre-season account with the winner in the second half. No news of line ups for this game (or any other so far this preseason) but seemingly whichever line up Coach Kawakatsu is choosing it`s the right one. Hope is a dangerous thing especially in the land of Verdy, but so far so good this pre-season. The goals are going in the right end, two J1 scalps and all FORWARDS appear to be doing well. After having only Hiramoto and Inoue as out and out strikers last year, we are looking good in terms of possibilities, combinations and competition for places up top.

David Cameron`s 10 Second Wonder Goo Challenge!

2011-02-12T05:24:00.000-08:00

Koya Shimizu played a grand total of 10 seconds in the last game of the season last year, didn`t touch the ball but seemingly did enough to get a full transfer to Urayasu Junior FC in Chiba...Does this count as news? Errrr..No. I`ll get me coat. Sorry...TAXI FOR NERDY!!

Franca to Verdy??

2011-02-11T05:14:00.000-08:00

Horrible rumour that buoffanted ex-Reysol striker Franca is Verdy bound......nothing concrete yet so let`s hope it`s utter bollocks. He is nearly as old as me and my dancing days are well and truly over bar the "embarrassing dad" turn at a wedding disco.

Two Fingers, One Headband and er...Breasts??

Wrapped up, Stacked up, Numbered up, Packed up!

2011-02-10T23:23:00.000-08:00

Choice is yours Len......

Bloody freezing outside so what better way to spend the afternoon catching up on the Greens? First up some more news from the Shizuoka training camp. The Boys have had another two training matches against University squads and come through unscathed following easy wins in both match ups.

The first a 6-2 result with Inoue netting twice (holy shit!!), new boys Hirashige and Ichikawa finding the target along with Kensuke Fukuda.

The second match up saw The Greens romp home to a 6-0 victory with Hirashige scoring twice, Yoshiaki Takagi, Inoue (this is getting silly....), New boy Marahao and Yuki Kobayashi all getting on the board.

It must be said that both squads are University level so not too much should be read into these wins....except that Verdy were entirely unconvincing against such quality in pre-season 2010. You can only batter into oblivion what is put in front of you and the new boys have seemingly got the bit between the teeth and will be pushing each other all the way for the first eleven on March 6th.

Next up is a match up with J1 Yokohama Marinos at Marinos Town on Sunday, altogether stiffer opposition so let`s see how we do there.

Other news, Brazillian midfielder Leonardo (who has been on Verdy`s books since the dawn of time but always loaned out) has finally been fully transferred to Giravanz Kitakyushu. After 16 appearances and 2 goals for Tochigi in 2010, the crappest team ever to play in Japan have taken a punt on him. He must be delighted to have found a club but he must wonder if he`d be better off picking up his maraca`s, glittery thong, feather head dress and chancing his luck in Asakusa High Street of a weekend. All the best Len and good luck!!

Unkle Derek`s STATE Of The Union Shed!!

2011-02-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

Sometimes talking about Tokyo Verdy isn`t enough so, following the suggestion from a good friend (Unkle "Derek"....you know who you are) we have decided to try to boost the readership of Tokyo Nerdy 1969 with a few pictures of "chicks with tattoo`s" to begin with though we`ll have to see what come`s later. Without further ado, A Big Round of Applause and hefty boot to the back of the shed along with the rusty nails and old hosepipes from all at Tokyo Nerdy 1969 for Entry Number 1!!!!

WHAT A STATE!!!! Back O` The Shed!!

Jesus Christ!!! Inoue Scores The Winner!!

2011-02-06T05:47:00.000-08:00

OK so it`s only a training kick around but The Boys beat Albirex Niigata 2-1 over three halves today. Young Kobayashi equalised a Niigata penalty, then Tokyo Nerdy`s pet hate Taira Inoue poked a stick in the eye of this blog with the winner. "Inoue Scores The Winner!!" I think that might be the first time ever that headline has been written.

Tokyo Derby Is Back!!

2011-02-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

A Happy Dwarf in a Big Fireman`s Hat. I Like It.

A big hats off to the schedulers for J2 this season, the Tokyo Derby First Round will be an evening kick off at Ajinomoto Stadium on May 4th in Golden Week. An absolute bumper crowd will be out for that one I would have thought and I for one will be buying tickets as soon as they are on sale. Round Two will again be at Ajinomoto on Sunday October 30th.

Stadium wise, nearly everything is at Ajinomoto this season, with only three games at the Olympic Stadium one at Komazawa and rather disappointingly none at Nishigaoka. So plenty of seats for everyone all season, micrpohones in front of the stands for the people watching on TV and a funeral parlour atmosphere for all involved. APART FROM the FC Tokyo games which will be absolute barnstormers. If there are any casual football fans reading this out there considering taking in a game whilst in Tokyo; don`t think for one second of going to any other game involving either team apart from the two listed above. And if you are going to buy a ticket, get one in the Green side!!
Please click on the fan below to check the full list of fixtures. Pencils at the ready!!

KA-BOOM!!!

2011-01-29T03:41:00.000-08:00

Went a volcano (no shit!!) in Miyazaki-ken today so the Boys are on the way back early, then off to Gotemba in Shizuoka instead. That is all.....hopefully we can get a pissed up Scotsman in to give his feelings on the eruption...

The King Of Camp

2011-01-26T03:20:00.000-08:00

I`ll tell you all about it back at mine Barack....

So here we go again, the holidays are done, everyone is back to work including the Boys. First week back and it`s off to Miyazaki-ken for a week of tents, bbqs, swimming in the river, fishing and general allround outdoor goodness. I would do that at camp but unfortunately for the Boys; they are off for a training camp and team bonding mission. This probably involves loads of running, fitness testing, more running, exercise, bleep tests, running, sprinting, cross country, up steps, down steps, press ups, star jumps and maybe a Micheal Jackson dance-off at the end to keep the spirits up.
In amongst all the running, they have a few a training games lined up against two University squads, plus Tokushima Vortis, Roasso Kumamoto and Yokohama Marinos. Hopefully, Verdy will blitz everybody and come back having met some loose local Miyazaki girls, with tall tales of holiday romace aplenty.
The new guys will be brown-nosing Kawakatsu to try and get the nod for the opening game and we shall be keeping tabs on who scores the goals. Surely, with 137 strikers now on the books at least ONE must be good on sheer probability alone. Joey Tempest has turned on his mic, flicked his mane and is ready to begin....d-d-du,duuuuh-du-d-d-d-duuuu!!

The Undisputed King Of Camp....Colonel, that`s a fine looking tent.

New Kit Stripy Minty Celtic Zebra Shocker??

2011-01-24T03:51:00.000-08:00

New owners so why not a new kit?? Stripes?? Controversial but why not eh?? If the Green Zebra`s can sneak past the lion, wee in his dinner and make it to the waterhole of J1 then the stripes can be deemed a resounding success. If we stay down, blame the stripes. Ridiculous idea.

Anti-Nostradamus!!

2011-01-24T02:52:00.000-08:00

The New Boy!!

After a couple of hours ago suggesting we were done for new signings, Verdy today announced THREE new signings. First up and initially the most exciting is the signing of Venforet Kofu hitman Luis Martins who plays under the name "Maranhao" or rather confusingly ”マラニヨン”. He has hit 37 goals over 91 games for the Mountain Men over the last 3 seasons. He has signed for a loan period that runs out on New Years Day 2012. First of the 3 foriegner slots is filled and we will now wait with eager anticipation to see whether he turns out to be another Hulk (unlikely) or yet another Random Samba Merchant of Questionable Pedigree. 27 years old, so should be in his prime.
Second signing of the day, is ANOTHER forward Koki Takenaka (18) who will be playing for the Greens whilst staying on at some University. Finally goalkeeper Shota Arai (21) has been signed from another University squad to add cover for Doi (assuming he comes back) and Shibasaki.

It`s the Final Countdown!!! We`re leaving Venus and still we sta-and tall!!

2011-01-20T04:51:00.000-08:00

The hair is an absolute disgrace in 2011.....but 1987?? Smokin`!!

Joey Tempest... probably the prettiest boy in pretty boy rock with the prettiest hair....and probably the only worldwide smash rock hit renowned for it`s.......erm......keyboard riff...ahem. Still the boufanted wonder probably bagged more birds than I`ve had hot dinners and all this done on the back of a Lion-o from Thundercats "do" , a zebra shirt and a keyboard. Can`t be doing with keyboards. The old rule in my house as a teenage metalhead was "If they have a keyboard player they must be shit". It was true in 1988 and I`m sure it still applies. How can you "rock" on a keyboard? Not possible.
Anyway Tempest The Mulleted 80`s Love God has inspired the opening title of the opening bit of news about the opening games of the season.The Countdown is on...... First up is March 6th........drum roll...... Roasso Kumamoto...same opening opposition as last year, thought his time Away. Lost 2-1 last year with a goal from Goal Machine operating in a ridiculous left back role. First home game is 13th March, Mito Hollyhock have been invited to come and play at our house. Let`s hope we can steal their sweets, break their toys, poke them with a stick and play poo-pickers with them. (Poo pickers is a potentially unsanitary game involving a long stick, dog shit, and a deft flick of the wrist). Reasonably popular in the summer holidays amongst the bored youth of Staffordshire as I recall.
Just had the strangest feeling that I wrote the same introduction before sometime.....or did I dream of Joey Tempest.

Goodbye... See You.

2011-01-12T04:44:00.000-08:00

Masashi Oguro has signed for Marinos and will score for them being as he scores everywhere he goes (in Japan). Masahiro Nasakawa spent last season on loan at SC Tochigi and did enough to earn a full transfer. We still haven`t signed Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo (though I would only be happy to sign that twat to have every person I know poke him with very sharp sticks indeed) or a time travelling Steve Bull, BUT there is still time!!

Forward Thinking...

2011-01-07T05:34:00.000-08:00

Seems like Kawakatsu knows what the problem was last year...not enough goals. The solution?? Sign as many forwards as possible before the opening game. Joining today (for a loan I think) is Masahiko Ichikawa from Omiya Ardija`s sattelite squad/bench. 25 years old, limited J1 experience but another body to at least give some competition for places. I for one applaud the signings as it shows the Boss can see where the problems were last season. Verdy will never bother the big kids with Hiramoto/Inoue/Iio/Kawano as strikers as the latter two aren`t full on forwards and the second one is shit. At least we will be able to give each new forward the benefit of the doubt until we see them. WITH INOUE AS BACK UP YOU KNOW THE OUTCOME WILL BE SHIT. These new guys have a chance to make a name for themselves and let`s hope they can grab their opportunity with both hands.

Must be cold in the photoshop.....

According to Furtho at Go!Go! Omiya Ardija " I think Ichikawa could do okay for Verdy, despite his stats. He came to us from university in 2008 but didn't get a sniff of the first team that year, then started to get some playing time at the start of 2009 but very unluckily picked up a serious injury against Gamba in April 09 that kept him out for months.

Ichi was looking pretty promising in this first few appearances and scored at Hiroshima but I think he's found it hard to recapture that since the injury. He did get a decent amount of playing time - mostly, although not all, as sub - in 2010, but if anything he's just a bit too keen. You can tell he's just absolutely desperate to do well and take the chances that come his way... which he then hasn't really done, probably because of that desperation.

I'd say there's a reasonable chance that a year in J2 will enable him to get his confidence back and to reassure himself that he can score goals. He seems like a good kid and I think Ardija fans would love to see him succeed". A decent review, and let`s hope he can do the business!!

Happy New Year!!! A New Slogan!! New Year!! New Slogan!!

2010-12-31T19:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!!

It`s been exactly one year since Tokyo Nerdy 1969 re-opened for business following the midseason shutdown in 2009. So what has changed in the last year?? Well this time last year we were on the brink of going out of business recieving special permission to even enter J2. This year we are fired up and ready to go, players have been signed, sponsorship secured, cash in the bank and we`re all good and ready for the magic leap to J1 right??
That of course would be fantastic but let`s consider the circumstances...we finished 5th last season which was a superb achievement considering where we were at the start of the season. However, at the start of the season there was ZERO expectations with Coach Kawakatsu himself saying he didn`t think we had a chance of promotion. And he was right. At no point in the whole year did we occupy a top three spot, we got to 4th with a few games to go but blew it when facing the big boys JEF and Avispa eventually finishing a rather large 11 points and 16 goals out of 3rd place.
How are we going to do next season? It`s anybodys guess at the moment but looking at who is coming down, Bellmare, Sanga and FC Tokyo....Sanga and Tokyo will be battling to get straight back up though Bellmare will probably come down and stay down after their nightmare of a season. We will be checking the transfers and rosters when they are released and come back with a (probably not very) indepth pre-season report outlining all the runners and riders for J2. For the moment, The Emperors Cup Final is on in a minute so......Happy New Year!! Enjoy the Day!! Enjoy The Year!! And we`ll be back soon!! Still Shit!! Still Here.....Tokyo Nerdy 1969

Two`s Up!!

2010-12-30T01:55:00.000-08:00

Welcome back...er...Kohei was it? Sorry yes!! Kohei Kiyama!!

Verdy have really got the bit between the teeth and have signed another forward and another defender. Hopefully bothering the onion bag next season will be Kohei Kiyama (who played 1 game for us back in 2006 (??!!) don`t remember him at all but since leaving us he went to Fagiano and did very well in the JFL bagging 18 goals in 32 games. However once Fagiano were promoted, his stats read a far more sombre 4 in 68 games.......shocking I know. Another "let`s hope he was an attacking midfielder?" Well I`ll hope he was a defender with 4 in 68....

One for the ladies....Kota Fukatsu!!

Hopefully keeping them out of the Green onion bag will be Kota Fukatsu. Plenty of experience in J2 having served time at Mito and got promotion from the JFL with Gifu. Fukatsu has spent the last two seasons at neighbours Machida FC. Looks like he will be back up for Tsuchiya and Tomisawa. Never seen him in action but looks solid enough as a back up.

Kim Jong Il, Kim Il Sung, Kim Deal, sKIMmed milk, Kimchi...Everyone needs a KIM!!

2010-12-29T02:48:00.000-08:00

Kim Tae Yon

And now Verdy have signed one from Fagiano Okayama. Our version is Kim Tae Yon who will be battling for a midfield spot after seeing (a little) playing time at Kobe before settling in to the starting line ups at Ehime, Mito and Fagiano. Looks like Kawakatsu has chosen him to replace Shibasaki and at 22 years old still has plenty of time to prove he can play higher up the league. Welcome aboard!!

Out,Out,Out,Out, In....Good Lord!! Verdy sign a striker!!

2010-12-24T06:28:00.000-08:00

Squad guys Koya Shimizu, Ryu Narushi and Hiroki Ebisawa got their marching orders today and Nigerian defender Adebayor went back to Reysol. The four players put in a stirling 40 seconds of first team action all season, this coming in the very last game with Shimizu coming on to replace Goal Machine in second half injury time.

Welcome aboard!!

However, more interestingly Verdy welcome aboard a new striker today Ryuichi Hirashige from Tokushima Vortis. Vortis were decent at times last season though Hirashige`s stats don`t read that well...77 games between Sanfrecce from 2007-09 and Tokushima last season knocking in 10 goals toatal. I will assume that he is more an attacking mid than an out and out striker, let`s hope so as if he`s a forward with those stats, we might have another Inoue on our hands God forbid!!

Merry Christmas From All at Tokyo Nerdy 1969

2010-12-24T03:32:00.000-08:00

Arses to "Winter Holiday Season".....Hope all readers of Tokyo Nerdy 1969 eat too much, drink too much, row with the family over cherades and enjoy drowning their unwanted fluffy puppies on Boxing Day. We at Tokyo Nerdy will be doing all of the above though not necessarily in the same order. First pint is for you Jesus!! Cheers!!