Friday, March 2, 2007

J. LEAGUE 2007

By JAMES MULLIGAN

Staff writer

Last season: 7th

Manager: Sef Vergoossen (Netherlands)

Prospects: A similar finish to last season

One to watch: Frode Johnsen, strong Norwegian striker.

Johnsen bagged 10 league goals in 17 appearances after arriving in midseason last year, so a lot of goals are promised from the target man during a full season.

The Norwegian, though, is perhaps the only exciting thing about Nagoya.

The club has pots of Toyota money to play with, but all that has bought is a team of faceless underachievers who drift around in mid-table.

One thing that has happened under Vergoossen's watch is that the age of the team has been reduced, and it may be that he is building more for the future than the coming season.

Even so, Vergoossen would surely welcome ex-national team forward Keiji Tamada realizing at least some of his undoubted potential this season, before he is labeled as one of the biggest wastes of talent of the past few years. Remember, Tamada was the guy who thrashed in the opener against Brazil in the 2006 World Cup.

National teamer Seigo Narazaki is still an excellent 'keeper, and with Masayuki Omori still present, Nagoya has a solid-ish spine, but it's still not enough for a club that has the means to be so much better.

See related stories: Osim Jr. feels the pressure Captain Sato wants 3rd cup triumph S-Pulse's Fujimoto eyes national team Manager Oliveira places faith in forwards Vissel Kobe coach Matsuda welcomes changing of the guard German Osieck embraces Reds challenge Sef tips Grampus young guns

2007 J. LEAGUE TEAM-BY-TEAM ANALYSIS Urawa Reds Kawasaki Frontale Gamba Osaka Shimizu S-Pulse Jubilo Iwata Kashima Antlers Nagoya Grampus Eight Oita Trinita Yokohama F. Marinos Sanfrecce Hiroshima JEF United Chiba Omiya Ardija FC Tokyo Albirex Niigata Ventforet Kofu Yokohama FC Kashiwa Reysol Vissel Kobe

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