Japan’s Women’s national coach Norio Sasaki names his squad for the London Olympics

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Permalink Reply by Asa on July 2, 2012 at 13:09

Thank you Hiroshi for update

Permalink Reply by Hiroshi Umezu on July 2, 2012 at 13:20

Please let me fill you in on the current situation. Actually, the situation does not turn out so differently from what we expected.

Yuki Nagasato (1. FFC Turbine Potsdam) has just got married, and will assume her husband's surname from now on. Her name is now Yuki Ohgimi.

Most noteworthy is the fact that unlike most typical Japanese goalkeepers, Erina Yamane, who currently plays as a goalkeeper for JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies, is 187 cm tall. Strangely enough, Erina Yamane is two centimeters taller than Eiji Kawashima, a male Japanese goalie playing for Belgian club Lierse S.K. According to informed sources, Yamane's hero is Edwin van der Sar.

It is regrettable that Rumi Utsugi, who currently plays for Montpellier HSC Féminin, was withdrawn from Japan's national Olympic squad due to her injury.

Permalink Reply by Gromit on July 2, 2012 at 14:24

Hi Hiroshi, thanks a lot for your infos. This is my first post on WSU :)

Do you know why Utsugi has been withdrawn from the team ? That's a big surprise !

I'm happy to see that young and talented Mana Iwabuchi will be there again.

Another question : who is the official captain of the team ? Is it still Sawa or is it now Miyama for good ? We saw this one being the Captain quite a lot recently and she did behave as a very good one actually. Can you tell us something about it?

Ami Otaki must be very disappointed to be on the substitutes list.

Last word : for Nadeshiko fans, it doesn't matter that the excellent Nagasato has changed her name as long as : 1) she's very happy to get married ;) and 2) she keeps scoring for Japan !

Permalink Reply by Hiroshi Umezu on July 2, 2012 at 18:34

Welcome to WSU.

Thank you very much for your interest in the Nadeshiko Japan.

In response to your questions, Homare Sawa actually stepped down as a captain of the Nadeshiko Japan, or Japan's national team. Instead, Aya Miyama, who currently plays for Okayama Yunogo Belle Club, has recently captained and will continue to captain the Nadeshiko Japan for the time being.

Utility player Rumi Utugi, who now plays for Montpellier HSC Féminin, has suffered an MCL injury in her right leg since the game against the USWNT at the Volvo Winners Cup.

Yes. I agree with you that Ami Otaki (Olympique Lyonnais Féminin) should have been shoo-in....

On June 10, Mana Iwabuchi (NTV Beleza) hurt the little toe in her right foot during Japan's Nadeshiko League game against INAC Kobe Leonessa, but it seems that Iwabuchi has overcome injury.

Gromit said:

Hi Hiroshi, thanks a lot for your infos. This is my first post on WSU :)

Do you know why Utsugi has been withdrawn from the team ? That's a big surprise !

I'm happy to see that young and talented Mana Iwabuchi will be there again.

Another question : who is the official captain of the team ? Is it still Sawa or is it now Miyama for good ? We saw this one being the Captain quite a lot recently and she did behave as a very good one actually. Can you tell us something about it?

Ami Otaki must be very disappointed to be on the substitutes list.

Last word : for Nadeshiko fans, it doesn't matter that the excellent Nagasato has changed her name as long as : 1) she's very happy to get married ;) and 2) she keeps scoring for Japan !

Permalink Reply by Gromit on July 2, 2012 at 19:29

Thanks a lot for your answer, Iroshi ! And with the video in addition, fantastic :)

Sad to see young Iwabuchi close to tears, but happy to know she'll be alright for the OG.

How did she improve in her playing since last year World Cup ? Do you think she could be in the 11 or rather a substitute ?

And about Miyama as a Captain, you confirm what I was thinking. She seems to be a very good captain actually. During the Volvo matches, I noticed how she was very cheerful, helpful to her team-mates and how she talked a lot to them. But you didn't tell me the reason why Sawa pass  the role to Miyama (well, if you know it but I think you know everything about the Nadeshiko !).

And yes, I'm a great fan of this team and I'm dreaming of a finale between Japan and France :)

Permalink Reply by Hiroshi Umezu on July 2, 2012 at 23:25

There are several Nadeshiko players who can operate in the striker's position. Therefore, 19-year-old Mana Iwabuchi will probably be a reserve player at the London Olympic Games. However, Mana Iwabuchi can certainly be the vital card.

I think both of France and Japan are a possession-oriented team that has technically-gifted players. I look forward to the international friendly match between both countries at Stade Sebastien Charléty on July 19!

Gromit said:

Thanks a lot for your answer, Iroshi ! And with the video in addition, fantastic :)

Sad to see young Iwabuchi close to tears, but happy to know she'll be alright for the OG.

How did she improve in her playing since last year World Cup ? Do you think she could be in the 11 or rather a substitute ?

And about Miyama as a Captain, you confirm what I was thinking. She seems to be a very good captain actually. During the Volvo matches, I noticed how she was very cheerful, helpful to her team-mates and how she talked a lot to them. But you didn't tell me the reason why Sawa pass  the role to Miyama (well, if you know it but I think you know everything about the Nadeshiko !).

And yes, I'm a great fan of this team and I'm dreaming of a finale between Japan and France :)

Permalink Reply by Hiroshi Umezu on July 3, 2012 at 13:42

Related YouTube Video (Japanese)

Permalink Reply by Gromit on July 3, 2012 at 16:40

Thanks, Hiroshi, for this video. Great to watch it (even if I am unable to understand a single word spoken).

As I wrote in my profile, I particularly enjoy watching Kogumai playing. She is so secure and cold-blooded. I think she can become the "female Beckenbauer" (my childhood and teenagehood idol !). My other favourite Nadeshiko players are Nagasato, tremendous stricker, always so calm in front of the posts, Miyama who perefectly sees the game and whose quality of pass is oustanding, and the goal-keeper Kaihori. The quality of goal-keepers is so important at international level ! France suffered in a decisive way because of that at last World Cup. And Kaihori has such a broad smile, she makes me laugh  ! And, of course, Homare Sawa. Because... well... she is just Homare Sawa and there is no one else like her, isn't there ? But, I repeat, if I had to vote for no more than one, that would be Kogumai !

Permalink Reply by Hiroshi Umezu on July 4, 2012 at 13:23

I would like to provide complementary information about the Nadeshiko Japan.

Aya Sameshima is going to transfer from Montpellier HSC Féminin to another team. The press claims that either Vegalta Sendai Ladies or VfL Wolfsburg has become her first choice. Vegalta Sendai Ladies currently belongs to the L. League Division 2, or Japan’s Challenge League. In regard to this matter, however, it is difficult to tell the difference between fact and rumor.

Technically speaking, your most favorite player is Saki Kumagai, who plays as a central defender for the Nadeshiko Japan, even though I understand that English has its own set of rather peculiar spelling rules but Japanese is different and that the Japanese language is unfamiliar to you. I personally think 21-year-old Saki Kumagai (1. FFC Frankfurt) is a complete package.

Gromit said:

Thanks, Hiroshi, for this video. Great to watch it (even if I am unable to understand a single word spoken).

As I wrote in my profile, I particularly enjoy watching Kogumai playing. She is so secure and cold-blooded. I think she can become the "female Beckenbauer" (my childhood and teenagehood idol !). My other favourite Nadeshiko players are Nagasato, tremendous stricker, always so calm in front of the posts, Miyama who perefectly sees the game and whose quality of pass is oustanding, and the goal-keeper Kaihori. The quality of goal-keepers is so important at international level ! France suffered in a decisive way because of that at last World Cup. And Kaihori has such a broad smile, she makes me laugh  ! And, of course, Homare Sawa. Because... well... she is just Homare Sawa and there is no one else like her, isn't there ? But, I repeat, if I had to vote for no more than one, that would be Kogumai !

Permalink Reply by Gromit on July 4, 2012 at 15:04

Oh yes, of course, I was meaning Saki Kumagai and I'm so sorry to have mispelt her name ! Shame on me... and thanks a lot for correcting me.

I'm not sure that when I was 11 y.o. and discovered my new idol, Frantz Beckenbauer, I was really able to spell his name correctly, ah ah !

What do you mean by "a complete package" about Kumagai, by the way ? That she has all the various qualities asked for  a great player ?

I was seriously thinking of going to Charléty stadium on July 19th to watch the friendly France-Japan but, well, I'm living in south of France and it's a long way from home... So, I'll watch it on French Tv since the match will be broadcasted on public channel (Direct 8), as the first two friendlies (France-Roumanie tonight) and France-Russia next week.

Hiroshi Umezu said:

Technically speaking, your most favorite player is Saki Kumagai, who plays as a central defender for the Nadeshiko Japan, even though I understand that English has its own set of rather peculiar spelling rules but Japanese is different and that the Japanese language is unfamiliar to you. I personally think 21-year-old Saki Kumagai (1. FFC Frankfurt) is a complete package.

Permalink Reply by Hiroshi Umezu on July 4, 2012 at 15:56

By saying that Saki Kumagai is the complete package, I was trying to tell you that she possesses almost all the requisites of a first-class central defender.

That practice match held at Stade Charléty will be broadcast live on TV in Japan as well.

 
Gromit said:

Oh yes, of course, I was meaning Saki Kumagai and I'm so sorry to have mispelt her name ! Shame on me... and thanks a lot for correcting me.

I'm not sure that when I was 11 y.o. and discovered my new idol, Frantz Beckenbauer, I was really able to spell his name correctly, ah ah !

What do you mean by "a complete package" about Kumagai, by the way ? That she has all the various qualities asked for  a great player ?

I was seriously thinking of going to Charléty stadium on July 19th to watch the friendly France-Japan but, well, I'm living in south of France and it's a long way from home... So, I'll watch it on French Tv since the match will be broadcasted on public channel (Direct 8), as the first two friendlies (France-Roumanie tonight) and France-Russia next week.

Permalink Reply by Håkon Mørk on July 5, 2012 at 9:58

Hi Mr Umezu,

I would like to ask what you think about all 18 players also being World Cup winners in Germany last year? Are there really no other players who have done well this season and deserve a call-up? I see you have already mentioned Ami Otaki, who was not selected. Do you think coach Sasaki is too loyal to his gold medallists?

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