A New Chapter #沖縄SV

Introduction

Greetings. It has been sometime since I’ve written anything concerning football on the island of Okinawa. Dismayed by poor performances by FC Ryukyu, strange decisions by the management, and just the general direction the club was headed really took its toll on me and my willingness to write about a club I love dearly. But, I’ve been rejuvenated as of late. Though it has nothing to do with FC Ryukyu, but rather another club on Okinawa that I’ve grown very found of the last three years. Okinawa SV.

Bottom Line Up Front

20,000 spectators by seasons end, possibly averaging 2,000 fans per home game to secure promotion to J3 if OSV finds themselves in a place to be promoted.

OSV are a long way away from being promoted as the 2024 campaign has just recently started, but the statement above is pretty much factual in that despite any success on the pitch from Okinawa SV this year, promotion is not guaranteed without the above threshold set forth by the J-league.

So what do they, we, require? Simply put, you. You the citizens of Okinawa and Japan, you the lovers of football, and you the potential supporters from around the globe to help usher in what could be a historic moment for the island of Okinawa: two (2) Okinawa based football clubs plying their trade within the top three tiers of Japanese football. This means we need to attend as many OSV home games as possible (there are 14 left this season), and purchasing goods from their website or at those home matches.

I realize this is no easy task for OSV, or even an ask from all of you since many of us that support (or did support) FC Ryukyu went through these same growing pains starting eleven (11) or even longer (20) years ago. But this is the reality facing OSV and similar to why I started this blog about FC Ryukyu five years ago (strangely after their third ever game in J2 like OSV this year) I want to do my part to increase the exposure of Okinawa SV.

A Very Brief History about Okinawa SV

Founded in 2015 by Naohiro Takahara, OSV played their first competitive matches starting in 2016. The club truly has experienced some great runs of success finishing at, or near the top of many of the leagues they’ve featured in. 2021 saw Okinawa SV make it to the regional playoffs where they fell just short of promotion to the JFL. 2022 saw OSV advance through those playoffs and into the JFL for the first time.

The 2023 JFL campaign was an interesting one for sure. Okinawa SV struggled for goals and results, and despite a late season resurgence, found themselves in the promotion/relegation battle with Vonds Ichihara from the Japanese Regional League.

Though FC Ryukyu have played some meaningful games the past five seasons, and one could argue their bid to stave of relegation in 2022 had plenty of meaningful games, the match versus Vonds Ichihara for Okinawa SV had a totally different feeling and atmosphere than many games I’ve watched for Ryukyu. The weather was terrible, the result was not. Okinawa SV managed to avoid relegation and remain in the JFL for at least one more season.

One side note about the 2023 season was being able to witness the first ever (I say that knowing that FC Ryukyu had faced OSV and Kaiho Bank in previous Emperors Cup/friendly matches before) derby between two Okinawa Clubs in the top 4 tiers of Japanese football. That was a great day and one in which, as a fan of Okinawa football, you came out a winner no matter what.

The end of the 2023 season also saw the official retirement of two players who regularly featured for Okinawa SV: Naohiro Takahara & Naoya Okane. To be fair, I’ve only recently started following Okinawa SV and there is much more information about the club on their official web site as well as transfermarkt.

What’s Next?

I hope to write about Okinawa SV as much as I can and hope that in no small way I may influence others to support the club. I am definitely not the head supporter of Okinawa SV. That distinction belongs to a woman, who I do not know personally, but have seen at every home game, and whom I’ve heard travels from Tokyo to attend every (I mean every) Okinawa SV match. That is the type of support and dedication from a supporter that most Football clubs could only dream about.

I am not sure if/when I’ll write about FC Ryukyu as for now my focus is on the cause of Okinawa SV. A worthy cause as well since they look so much better this season and are having some early season success. Perhaps it is the fact that I never supported FC Ryukyu during their early days in the lower tiers, or the overall approach to growing a football club that Okinawa SV seems to portray that FC Ryukyu has seemingly lost these past few years.

I am not giving up on FC Ryukyu, or at the very least, wishing to have my loyalties tested if these two clubs were to be direct competitors in the J3. Though that is a good problem to have later on down the line. Instead, I will continue to support both clubs with the hope that each achieves levels of success that would be unprecedented for Okinawa. And therefore I will provide as much pre/post match information as I can for Okinawa SV.

Luckily we can all watch Okinawa SV on the JFL YouTube channel without a paid subscription. Granted, there is no commentary, replays, or highlights but that seems Ok for the moment. At least we have the ability to watch Okinawa SV in their early days compared to that of FC Ryukyu in the years prior to DAZN where we were left refreshing the screen every couple of minutes for updates on scores.

Thank you for your time and support.

FC Ryukyu Mid Season Report #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu sit just outside the promotion zone in third place at the halfway point of 2021. Considering they’ve nearly matched their single season win total (14) in only 21 games, it is pretty amazing to see how far Ryukyu have come in only their third season in J2 under Yasuhiro Higuchi. For the most part, Ryukyu have been getting it done on the backs of some seasoned veterans with really strong performances by a select group of young players. Unfortunately for this side, they’ve also been required to deal with multiple injures to key starters that puts the notion of outright promotion in jeopardy.

I was not able to to do a midseason report last year with the condensed fixture schedule so I really wanted to get back to writing something other than the normal match day previews and reports. We will look at the state of the team heading into the halfway point as well as the biggest storylines of the season, the J2 league as a whole and the way forward for the club. I hope you enjoy it.

Squad Overview

FC Ryukyu rank third in the league with 13 different players having scored for this side in 2021. Most of the goals have come from our midfield players which FC Ryukyu ranks 1st in the league with 22 goals. However, they rank 14th in goals scored from forwards. Ryukyu has scored a total of 14 first half goals, good enough for 6th in the league, but their 22 second half goals is only behind Albirex Niigata’s 25. Ryukyu have surrendered 8 first half goals on the season which puts them in 6th place for that stat category, though the 12 goals they’ve conceded in the second half of games ranks 11th in the league.

Biggest Victory: 5-1 defeat of SC Sagamihara (Round 11)

Biggest Loss: 0-3 loss to FC Machida Zelvia (Round 9) & 0-3 loss to Fagiano Okayama (Round 19)

Most Important Win: 1-0 defeat of Jubilo Iwata (Round 1)

Most Deflating Loss: 1-2 loss to Albirex Niigata (Round 16)

The Games that got Away: 0-0 draw with Omiya Ardija (Round 6) & 1-1 draw with Ehime FC (Round 13)

Mid Season MVP

The short list included Junto Taguchi, Tetsuya Chinen and Keita Tanaka. Junto’s emergence began last year but he has been a revelation this season when he recorded 7 shutouts in the 16 games he played going 10-3-3 during that time. Unfortunately Taguchi suffered an injury that has kept him out the past 5 weeks and his play began to dip after the departure of Ryohei Okazaki at CB. Tetsuya Chinen has featured in every single game for Ryukyu this season and has been our best defender. He has yet to score from a set piece this season, but his defensive performances are some of the best in all of J2.

Prior to his recent injury, Keita Tanaka was on a torrid points pace having already contributed 9 assists and 2 goals before the halfway point. His pinpoint accuracy on crosses from the right side add another element to the already lethal FC Ryukyu attack. We desperately need him healthy before the month of September.

Young Player to Watch

Despite the strong performances from the veterans of this team, Ryukyu do have a nice pool of youthful talent. Junto Taguchi, Shunsuke Motegi, Mizuki Ichimaru are just 24 years old, with Tetsuya Chinen, Ren Ikeda at 23 years of age, and then there is Makito Uehara, only 22, and current Ryukyu goal keeper Kosuke Inose at just 20 years of age. If Ryukyu can lock these players up for the next few seasons they will have a very strong nucleus to build around in the coming seasons.

Much like the mid season MVP, both Junto Taguchi and Tetsuya Chinen made the short list here. Tetsuya is one of the most exciting young players we’ve had in our ranks in recent years as this side has never been know for producing defensive talent. He played sparingly in 2020 after joining from Kindai University but has taken his game to a whole other level this season. He can play contained while maintaining an aggressive streak; can win aerial duels; and is always making plays for this side when they need it the most. But the young player that everyone needs to watch, albeit upon his return from injury, is Ren Ikeda.

Ren Ikeda FC Ryukyu Young Player to Watch Photo Credit: jleague.com

Like Chinen in 2020, Ren joined FC Ryukyu from Takushoku University and featured in 38 games that year scoring 4 goals and adding 3 assists. He was asked to fill in at many different attacking positions that year and that is probably why he went 32 games without a goal. When Ryukyu came into this season, I for one thought it would be Kazaki Nakagawa leading Ryukyu through the central attacking midfield role, but it was Ren Ikeda who won the job outright and looked very good early on. In the 18 games that Ren has played this season he has scored 6 goals, 3 of which are considered match winners, and added 1 assist. His injury is a tricky one to return from and his rehabilitation may actually take longer than the initial timeline put forth by the club. The hope is that he can return to his preinjury form sometime in the month of September for a potential big push for promotion.

Early Story Lines from the 2021 Season

1. 80 points. In early February Manager Yasuhiro Higuchi put forth the challenge that this team needs to achieve 80-points this season to be considered for promotion. The number 80 represents a drastic uptick in points for a club that only ever achieved 49 points at this level in their past two seasons. If we considered how the team played the past two seasons when they surrendered 80, and then 61 goals, and only hit the 14-win plateau once, at the very least it meant we needed to double our highest ever win total at this level coincided with a drastic downturn in goals conceded. Ryukyu entered 2021 with limited marquee offseason signings – to go along with the departure of Yoshio Kazumi to Urawa – but they were able to keep a majority of the 2020 squad intact. A fact that is of great importance following the CV-19 ravaged season of 2020 when other clubs experienced a much more violent turnover.

So far, things have gone better than expected as Ryukyu have turned into one of the better defensive sides in J2, though they have been undone lately due to injury, and they have nearly matched their win total from 2020 in the opening half of the season. They’ve also got some good performances out of Koki Kiyotake, who is enjoying his best statistical season in the past three years, as well as from Shintaro Shimizu. The only hard part for Ryukyu is that the target is so small this year with only two sides achieving promotion. Stuart of the @JTalKET so rightly said that “some teams have picked a bad year to have a bad season.” I would echo that sentiment and add that some teams will find themselves a bit unlucky to have a very good, but not great, season without the promotion playoffs. 80 points seems a bit low to achieve promotion in 2021 where the number of points needed could be closer to 90.

2. The battle for the Ryukyu #GK spot. Heading into the season everyone wanted to see who would win the competition between Dany Carvajal and Junto Taguchi for the starting GK spot at Ryukyu. Junto Taguchi won the battle and put in some phenomenal performances that has propelled Ryukyu to their current spot in the table, but like Dany Carvajal, he suffered an injury that has forced him to miss some time during a crucial part of Ryukyu’s season. This has forced Ryukyu to start 20-year-old Kosuku Inose at GK the past few rounds and while he has performed admirably at times, Ryukyu desperately need the veteran presence of either Taguchi or Dany back there after the Olympic break.

The good news is that we should see Dany emerge from his stress fracture in the next few weeks with Junto shortly behind. Ryukyu need both of these players pushing each other in training as without competition, some times complacency can set in.

3. Injuries have thrown promotion into doubt. The table below illustrates the damage that Ryukyu has suffered so far, and been forced to overcome in their quest for promotion. None of these injuries have been of the mild variety outside of Abe’s brief absence for a few weeks and some reports on players and staffers testing positive for CV-19. Both Abe and Makito Uehara dealt with injuries this season but both have returned to the lineup.

The fact that Ryukyu are down two of their top four scorers; two of their starting goalies; and one central defender, has put this team at or near the breaking point. In any season there will be injuries, but I feel some emerged from the rigors of training in between games whereas the oldest team in J2 probably needs more work on technical issues rather than physical preparation.

4. The Reserve League. FC Ryukyu entered the new J-League reserve league, known as the J-Elite league, which has given some of our reserve players valuable playing time. Ryukyu are currently 2-0 in the league with wins over Nagasaki and Fukuoka, but more importantly, it is keeping some of the reserve players that feature for Ryukyu from time-to-time match ready. It also provides an avenue for young players like, Koki Yushin, to gain some valuable match experience against senior level competition. Yushin played really well in his first game as a 16-year-old and the future looks bright for this player who is currently attending the U-16 Japan National team training camp.

5. FC Ryukyu sign their first ever player from Thailand. Sittichok Paso was signed on loan from Chonburi FC of the Thai league and was able to go through the J-League protocols to join FC Ryukyu in May. The U-23 Thai national team player has made on appearance at the senior level for the club but did score in the most recent J-Elite league match at Fukuoka. Ryukyu have switched formations to 4-4-2 as of late and this set up could allow Paso more playing time moving forward. Ryukyu also signed two players from Vietnam but for whatever reason, they’ve been unable to enter Japan, clear the 14-day protocols at the designated J-League facility, and ultimately join the club.

Snapshot of the J2 at the Break

To no one’s surprise, Kyoto Sanga FC finds themselves near the top of the table. Tipped by many to win the league outright in 2021, I do not see that juggernaut slowing down one bit. Jubilo Iwata sputtered off the line with 2 wins in their opening 5 matches before embarking on an impressive streak that has seen them only lose once since Match Day 6. Albirex Niigata led the league the longest this season before a bit of dip in form recently.

The second pack in the table consists of Ventforet Kofu, V-Varen Nagasaki, Montedio Yamagata, and FC Machida Zelvia. These teams have been a bit streaky at times this season but nonetheless are still in the hunt for promotion. I think Nagasaki was also one of the favorites of some to earn promotion after their strong finish in 2020, but things have not gone according to plan this year. Perhaps we see a team (Montedio Yamagata) emerge from this pack with a strong second half and secure one of the promotion spots.

The third and final pack is that of the teams facing relegation. SC Sagamihara was tipped by many to go straight back down to J3 and they’ve done nothing but reinforce that notion. Shockingly, or not, Omiya Ardija find themselves embroiled in this relegation battle but after going through several managerial changes this season, they may have just enough time to pull themselves out of it. Thespakusatsu Gunma have also changed managers after winning only once in their past twelve games. Another team that many expected to struggle is Giravanz Kitakyushu after a massive squad overhaul following the 2020 season. Ehime FC has been at or near the bottom for most of the season but are only separated by 4-points from 15th places Renofa Yamaguchi. Just like a team that could emerge from the pack for promotion, any number of the bottom seven sides could find themselves in J3 in 2022.

The Long Road Ahead

FC Ryukyu are probably in their most favorable set of fixtures for the remainder of the season. They open the second half of the season with 3 of the 4 bottom sides currently in J2, followed by games against two teams in the bottom half of the table with a very tough match against up and coming Montedio Yamagata mixed in. Of the top four teams, it is only Ryukyu who do not own a double-digit undefeated streak for this season.

Obviously these long stretches have propelled the top sides to their current spots, but some have already been broken and it seems unlikely that Iwata’s current form can continue unabated. Ryukyu have a chance, at least on paper, of matching their longest stretch of undefeated games (8) with the remaining fixtures this month and in August. Which all leads towards the make or break month of September for FC Ryukyu.

3-games against the top competition all of which are on the road. Hopefully by this time all of the currently injured Ryukyu starters are back to full fitness as too many dropped points in this month will likely end all thoughts of promotion. But if they do emerge from September unscathed, then they only have 3 tough fixtures to navigate over the remaining months.

Conclusion

There are certainly areas that this side needs to improve over the course of the second half of the season. Primarily their goals scored to conceded ratio away from Okinawa as they have some hugely important road games in the coming months. The club had a few brushes with CV-19 this season and are currently playing behind closed doors. While CV-19 may be a persistent threat until the players and staff are vaccinated, Ryukyu will return from the Olympic break to see no fans in the stands as the State of Emergency here in Okinawa has been extended until August 22nd, which, is unfortunate but necessary. Speaking of the break, it really couldn’t come at a better time for this club with all the injures and travel they’ve logged to date.

I think FC Ryukyu has done enough to hang around near the top and give themselves a punchers chance at promotion. They need to continue to pile up the wins during their remaining 10 home games while achieving some unexpected, in a good way, results on the road.

Thus Endeth the 2021 Preseason #FC琉球

FC Ryukyu wrapped up their final preseason match this Sunday and will now transition into the 2021 regular season. This was the first time that fans were not allowed to attend any of the preseason matches or practices, and considering there were no match sheets produced for the team’s games, there are still plenty of unanswered questions for this squad.

I am not sure how many of you interpret results from the preseason, but I usually like to see the team win at least 1 game, and have some solid performances against tougher sides who traveled to Okinawa for their preseason camps. I also hate seeing any news pertaining to injuries to the squad and fortunately enough, there were no injury news releases this preseason. There are 6 days before the home opener so there is a chance that some press releases may trickle down, but it looks as if the side escaped any major injuries heading into the season.

Overall Preseason Record: 2W1D3L GF: 33 GA: 19

Training Match 1: 1/30/2021 FC Ryukyu (8) v (0) FC Ryukyu U-18s. Nothing needs to be said about this one.

Training Match 2: 2/04/2021 FC Ryukyu (0) v (3) Shonan Bellmare. In their first real test of the preseason, Ryukyu were blanked by the last placed team in J1 from 2020.

Training Match 3: 2/06/2021 FC Ryukyu (1) v (8) Nagoya Grampus. This game was broken up in to 3, 45 minute, periods. The opening period ended 1 all, before the wheels really fell off. There was also some chatter on Twitter that a majority of our U-18s played the final third period where they surrendered 5 of the 8 goals on the day.

Training Match 4: 02/10/2021 FC Ryukyu (3) v (3) Thespakusatsu Gunma. This one was broken up into 4 quarters of 45-35-45-35 minutes each. Ryukyu won the opening round 1-0; drew 0-0 in the second; lost the 3rd 0-2, and won the 4th 2-1. No idea when, or how long, many of our projected starters featured in this game, but not the greatest of results against a team who finished just 1 point behind us in 2020. At least Abe found the net for his second preseason goal, the first occurring against Nagoya, which means he is back to full health after last season’s mysterious ailment.

Training Match 5: 02/14/2021 FC Ryukyu (4) v (5) Vanraure Hachinohe. Three 45 minute periods where Ryukyu won the first period 1-0; lost the second 0-2; and drew 3 all in the third. Not a great result here either, but again, no way of knowing how the squad was set up.

Training Match 6: 2/21/2021 FC Ryukyu (17) v (0) Kaiho Bank SC. Sure, a total demolition of a Kyushu Soccer League side. Cannot, and should not, read anything into this game.

Goals Scored	Players
5	Ramon
3	Koya, Motegi, Ikeda, Hitomi, Akamine
2	Abe, Shintaro, Shinya Uehara
1	Koki, Nakagawa, Yu, Ichimaru, Yamashita, Torikai, Makito Uehara

Summary

Removing both the U-18 and Kaiho Bank SC games, this wasn’t a great set of results in a preseason for FC Ryukyu. They were basically outscored 8-19 in the 4 games that meant something. Maybe we didn’t want to show to much against a division rival in Gunma; maybe we rotated players regularly while they built up their match fitness; maybe Higuchi experimented with several sets of players in order to find the right combination heading into 2021; maybe none of this matters.

In spite of these results, we are still left wondering about some of the key position battles heading into the regular season. Did Dany Carvajal beat out Junto Taguchi to retain the #1 GK slot? Who has taken over for Koizumi at CAM? Is it Nakagawa, Kiyotake, or Ikeda? Has Motegi returned to full fitness and reclaimed the starting LM position? Will we see Ichimaru starting along side Koki each week, thus relegating the Captain Uesato to a reserve role? It is also hard to to tell, who among the squad, had really strong, or really weak, preseasons.

Other News from the Club

FC Ryukyu signed Sittichok Paso from the Thai League’s Chonburi football club. Paso has played in the J-League before when he was a teenager with Kagoshima United FC. In 14 games last season, he scored 2 goals and provided 1 assist out of the central attacking mid field role. He won’t be with the club for at least a few more weeks while he secures his work Visa as well as clears the country’s, and J-League CV-19 protocols. Even then, he has a long road ahead of him to playing time as FC Ryukyu have a wealth of talent in the CMF role and up top at FWD.

The club also announced a partnership with Saigon FC from the Vietnamese first division. They have a similar agreement in place with the Taiwan Premier league as laid out by the JLeague’s Asian strategy. I am not sure if we’ll see any player movement to FC Ryukyu this year, but at the very least, an increased exposure of the club in this country.

Finally, the team released their official LINE account that will provide updates, match day information, programs, free giveaways and stuff pertaining to COVID-19. If you wish to add them to your LINE contacts, click the link below to acquire the QR code. Keep in mind, it is in Japanese so you’ll need a translation tool if you wish to read the announcements in your native language.

http://fcryukyu.com/news/26680/

Well that about does it for the 2021 preseason for FC Ryukyu. I mentioned in the previous entry that Higuchi has laid down the challenge of achieving 80 points this season. While the league may seem wide open, I would rather see this side achieve slightly better results than last year that prevents them from becoming one of the four relegated teams. See you all later this week with the first match day preview of 2021.

FC Ryukyu 2021 Schedule Preview #FC琉球

This year’s schedule preview will look a little different compared to the past entries. While I will still provide my thoughts on the perceived toughest, and easiest, parts of the FC Ryukyu schedule, I will breakdown the schedule based on each opponent. Hopefully, there will be no interruptions to the schedule similar to what we all witnessed last season with COVID-19.

JUBILO IWATA: Match Day 1 (H) & 31 (A). Career Record: 0-1-1

FC Ryukyu open their season against an opponent they’ve only faced on 2 occasions during their history. In their first ever meeting, FC Ryukyu surrendered a 1 goal lead on two separate occasions which saw the match end in a 2-2 draw. Later that season, Ryukyu traveled to Iwata in the mid week and were blown out 3-0. Iwata has stabilized after the drop from J1 in 2020 and this will be a very tough opening test for Ryukyu.

RENOFA YAMAGUCHI FC: Match Day 2 (H) & 37 (A). Career Record: 3-1-5

The last place team of 2020 destroyed FC Ryukyu in their opening match 4-1, and that was after FC Ryukyu opened the scoring in the 7th minute. The return fixture in Okinawa saw Ryukyu eek out a 1-0 victory stemming from a divisive handball call that Koki Kazama converted for his first goal of the year. Renofa will once again be in the thick of the relegation battle with the Match Day 2 fixture probably allowing Ryukyu to recover from a rough opening weekend. In that same vein, Renofa will look to secure points against Ryukyu in the return leg as that will be one of their last, best, opportunities to notch points if they are indeed facing relegation.

THESPAKUSATSU GUNMA: Match Day 3 (A) & 30 (H). Career Record: 3-0-1

Ryukyu and Gunma split the series last year with each winning 1-0 away from home. Gunma finished just 1 point behind Ryukyu in the table last year and surprisingly, had a far better away record than at home, earning 30 of their 49 points on the road. The first match this season could see Ryukyu secure their second win of the season with the return fixture coming on the heels of two tough tests, and just prior to another three challenging fixtures for FC Ryukyu.

V-VAREN NAGASAKI: Match Day 4 (H) & 28 (A). Career Record: 5-1-6

Ryukyu’s toughest test to date will be their Match Day 4 test against everyone’s pick to earn promotion in 2021. Ryukyu earned a 1-1- draw in some of the poorest playing conditions imaginable in the opening round for these teams last year. And then Ryukyu went on to put a serious dent in Nagasaki’s promotion hopes late in the season when they won 1-0 on Match Day 34. In the past 2 seasons, FC Ryukyu have defeated Nagasaki twice, with each side trading 3-2 victories at their home stadium in 2019. For some reason, Nagasaki is one of the teams that Ryukyu always seem to play well against. They will need to continue that trend in 2021 if they wish to reach the lofty expectation of 80 points as laid down by Higuchi in his remarks last month.

JEF UNITED CHIBA: Match Day 5 (A) & 39 (H). Career Record: 0-0-5

Whereas Nagasaki are team that Ryukyu play tough, JEF is the exact polar opposite. Since Ryukyu’s rise to the J2 in 2019, they have failed to earn a single point off of JEF, and even more troublesome, they have yet to score a single goal against JEF. This, despite all the flak JEF receives for doing JEF stuff. In order for Ryukyu to reach 80 points, they will need to reverse this trend, but that seems highly unlikely as this team, more than any other in the league, has Ryukyu’s number.

OMIYA ARDIJA: Match Day 6 (H) & 23 (A). Career Record: 3-0-1

The Omiya game on Match Day 6 puts an end to an interesting run of 3 games for Ryukyu, as noted by their records against Nagasaki and JEF, as Omiya are team that Ryukyu light up for multiple goals every time they face each other. Ryukyu have scored no less than 2 goals in any game they’ve played against Omiya, and I think we all recall the 5-0, and 3-0, hammerings Ryukyu put on Omiya last season during internationally televised games on YouTube. I am not sure that trend can continue as Omiya parted ways with Manager Takuya Takagi in the offseason, the arbiter for so many of these destructions, and it is too fluky of a run of results to be sustainable. But you never know.

FC MITO HOLLYHOCK: Match Day 7 (A) & 25 (H). Career Record: 3-0-1

Mito are another team that FC Ryukyu own a favorable record against. Last season Ryukyu defeated Mito twice; a thrilling come from behind victory thanks to two late Shinya Uehara goals, and the ‘Ice Bowl’ of 2020 where Ryukyu won their last game of 2020 during the third ever coldest game on record for the J-league. Ryukyu have been quite adept at siphoning off talent from Mito these past few seasons, possibly due to the connections of their former team president, but there were no such moves this offseason. Mito scored the most goals in J2 last season, but they also surrendered the 4th most. I am not sure they did enough to address those issues at the back, but they certainly loaded up on attacking players to paper over those cracks.

TOKYO VERDY: Match Day 8 (H) & 40 (A), Career Record: 2-1-1

FC Ryukyu defeated Verdy twice last season, 1-0 & 4-0. The first game was a tense back and forth game that was put to bed from an Takuma Abe PK after a Verdy player lashed out with a kick to Uehara’s midsection as they lay on the ground in the 18-yard box. The return leg saw Koizumi (sheds a tear) score a brace. The only loss Ryukyu suffered at the hands of Verdy was a 5-1 beat down at home in 2019 where Verdy marked the special occasion with t-shirts commemorating Junki Koike’s hattrick. Maybe last year was a bit of payback for that nonsense. The two fixtures against Verdy will come at crucial times for FC Ryukyu as we could see them them trying to right the ship on Match Day 8 after a tough run of fixtures, with the return leg on MD 40 representing one of the last best chances for Ryukyu to secure points at the end of 2021 season.

FC MACHIDA ZELVIA: Match Day 9 (A) & 36 (H). Career Record: 4-4-10

Dating back to their time in the J3 in 2014, Ryukyu have only beat Zelvia once. And that was 7 seasons ago. I think most are tipping Zelvia as this years’ Darkhorse team, and I think FC Ryukyu will become privy to that fact on MD 9. Zelvia defeated Ryukyu twice last year with a 4-2 win at home, the only game that FC Ryukyu have scored more than 1 goal against Zelvia, but really shouldn’t count as one of the goals was an own goal by Machida; who, were already in cruise control after 4 first half goals. The latest insult to injury was the 1-0 defeat of Ryukyu at home on the final match of 2020. A positive result in the final leg on MD 36 may provide some relief in the face of a relegation battle, whereas an unfavorable result may push us farther down the table.

VENTFORET KOFU: Match Day 10 (H) & 33 (A). Career Record: 0-0-4

Yet another team that Ryukyu never fare well against. Stacking Zelvia and Kofu back-to-back for Ryukyu means we could see them lose two games in a row for the first time this year. In 2019, Ryukyu had their home undefeated streak snapped when Kofu came back from a 2 goal deficit to defeat Ryukyu 5-2. Kofu then defeated a depleted Ryukyu squad 2-0 to end the 2019 season. In 2020, Kofu beat Ryukyu 2-0, and 1-0, meaning Ryukyu have neve scored at the Yamanashi stadium. Let’s just hope Ryukyu aren’t desperate for points when MD 33 comes around as it seems highly unlikely that Ryukyu will even earn a draw away from home.

SC SAGAMIHARA: Match Day 11 (A) & 22 (H). Career Record: 5-6-3

Ryukyu’s first game against a promoted side, and an opponent they are very familiar with during their time together in J3. SC Sagamihara finished second in J3 in 2020 and the last time these two sides met was back in 2018. A year in which FC Ryukyu defeated Sagamihara 5-2, and 5-1. Obviously these are markedly different sides now, but the story, hopefully, should remain the same for Ryukyu in 2021. Their first test on MD 11 should provide a nice change of pace for Ryukyu, whereas the return fixture on MD 22 may add to a nice little run of positive results. In any event, FC Ryukyu will need to secure 6 points from Sagamihara to keep pace, as well as put some distance between them and the drop.

KYOTO SANGA FC: Match Day 12 (H) & 29 (A). Career Record: 1-1-3

Kyoto are another one of the promotion candidates in 2021 and it has been a mixed bag of results for Ryukyu when it comes to this opponent. In 2019, they fought hard to earn a draw before succumbing to a 3-0 loss in the second fixture. In 2020, they lost 1-0 on the road, but recovered nicely after surrendering an early goal in the return leg, by going on to win 2-1 for their first, and only, win against Kyoto. A favorable result in the first fixture would be great, as they face both Nagasaki and Kyoto in consecutive back-to-back weeks near the end of the season.

EHIME FC: Match Day 13 (A) & 34 (H). Career Record: 3-1-1

FC Ryukyu own a really good record against Ehime FC as the lone loss occurred during a 2011 Emperor’s Cup match. Since then, Ryukyu have gone on to remain undefeated against Ehime by sweeping the 2019 fixtures, and earning one win, and one draw in 2020. The win last season was to the tune of a 6-0 score line. Ehime are probably in a similar place, if not worse off, as last year and Ryukyu simply need to get the job done as they’ve done in the past. Ehime, is a strong contender to finish dead last in the J2 in 2021.

TOCHIGI SC: Match Day 14 (H) & 42 (A). Career Record: 3-5-6

Tochigi SC had a nice run in to end the 2020 campaign since they were one of the stingiest defenses in all of J2. But they’ve ceded some of that talent in the offseason and it will be interesting to see how they recover. In 2020, Ryukyu drew 2 all with Tochigi on MD 13, and it was an impressive draw considering that Tochigi only allowed their opponents to score more than 1 goal in any game just once up to that point. The 4-1 loss away at Tochigi was anything but impressive. Tochigi’s biggest problem last year was their lack of goals scored. They surrendered 39 goals, but only scored 41. I am not familiar with all the names they brought in this year to remedy those issues, but losing starting CB Tashiro to Sagan Tosu, will probably prevent Tochigi from being one of the better defensive sides in J2 this year. The last game of the season for Ryukyu away at Tochigi is likely an important one.

MONTEDIO YAMAGATA: Match Day 15 (H) & 26 (A). Career Record: 0-2-3

Things started out promising for Ryukyu against Yamagata in 2019 when they earned two draws, but 2020 was an unmitigated disaster. Ryukyu lost both their games against Montedio by a score line of 7 goals conceded, 1 goal scored (1-4 & 0-3). One nice thing about this year’s schedule is that Ryukyu will not have to face Yamagata in any adverse (cold) weather conditions based on the timing of these games. That is about the only positive spin I can put on this as Ryukyu have their work cut out for them if they wish to net anything positive from this year’s fixtures.

ALBIREX NIIGATA: Match Day 16 (A) & 41 (H). Career Record: 1-0-3

FC Ryukyu defeated Niigata for the first time in their history on MD 15, but since that time, Ryukyu have lost every game to Niigata, and have been shutout each time. Their first tilt on MD 16 will occur at the tail end of a brutal stretch of games for Ryukyu, whereas the return leg is Ryukyu’s final home game of 2021. Niigata will have another strong attack, and though I have some fond memories of Koji Suzuki when he was with Ryukyu in 2019, I also recall him tearing the back out of the Ryukyu nets when he played for Zelvia in the J3. Niigata may once again start strong and fade just after the halfway point, so hopefully Ryukyu can catch them on their downward spiral at the end of the season.

BLAUBLITZ AKITA: Match Day 17 (A) & 27 (H). Career Record: 10-6-10

FC Ryukyu has played no other team in the J-League more than Akita. Dating back to their time in the JFL, Akita notched 8 of their 10 total wins to date. However, they’ve only beaten FC Ryukyu twice in the last 6 seasons. While Akita were impressive during their J3 championship run, it is fair to wonder how much they lost in the offseason, as well as what they may have added. I think they’ll get a bit of the “new boy bounce” but may struggle as the season progresses.

GIRAVANZ KITAKYUSHU: Match Day 18 (H) & 24 (A). Career Record: 3-3-4

Giravanz were a bit of a surprise last season but have seen a massive talent drain in the 2021 offseason. Ryukyu got drilled 4-0 the first time these teams met on MD 3, and then both teams played to a 1-1 draw on MD 35. Since 2017, the series between these two teams is an even 2-2-2 split. Considering Giravanz’s recent departures, I think FC Ryukyu have a good chance at taking maximum points off this squad on both match days. The games surrounding each match against Giravanz next year are also very favorable so we could see an impressive run by Ryukyu when these two sides lock horns in 2021.

FAGIANO OKAYAMA: Match Day 19 (A) & 32 (H). Career Record: 1-2-3.

Whereas Kitakyushu were a bit of a surprise in 2020, Okayama were a bit of a disappointment. Okayama made a flurry of signings last offseason that included Satoki Uejo and Shuhei Tokumoto from FC Ryukyu. Two of our best players from 2019, and they still had prolific scorer, Lee Yong-Jae, on the books. But Okayama couldn’t tie it all together with all the injuries and ended up finishing as one of the lowest scoring teams of 2020. Ryukyu took advantage of their plight by defeating Fagiano 2-1 and the drawing 1-1. The first game for these two teams comes at the end of an easy (perceived) stretch of games for Ryukyu, with the second leg being sandwiched in between two tough fixtures for Ryukyu. I doubt that Fagiano will be as weak as they were in 2020, so these games will be a good indicator for just how far Ryukyu have come, or fallen.

MATSUMOTO YAMAGA FC: Match Day 20 (H) & 35 (A). Career Record: 3-0-3

Ryukyu did the double over Yamaga last season with 6-1, and 2-0, victories. Yamaga repaid the favor by plucking one of our better, and definitely fastest players, in Shuto Kawai. Though some teams can make a quick return to the top tier after relegation, others, like Yamaga, take a few seasons to get back to where they once were. Both of these match days fall in favorable spots for Ryukyu and I hope we can take advantage of the scheduling.

ZWEIGEN KANAZAWA: Match Day 21 (A) & 38 (H). Career Record: 5-3-7

Ryukyu have failed to defeat Zweigen in the J2, with their last victory dating back to 2014. In fact, a majority of Ryukyu’s wins over Zweigen occurred in the JFL. Zweigen finished one point behind Ryukyu and the teams shared a nearly identical record for goals scored/conceded last year. I think some out there believe Zweigen are in for a rough year, but seeing how we haven’t had much success as of late against them, I am not overly optimistic. Once more, the scheduling of these games is favorable for Ryukyu, but like so many other games against teams in and around Ryukyu in the table, it will be a measuring stick for success.

The Good: Match Days 21-25; Zweigen, Sagamihara, Omiya, Giravanz and Kitakyushu.

The Bad: Match Days 31-33; Jubilo, Fagiano and Kofu.

The Ugly: Match Days 28 & 29; On the road in consecutive weeks against Nagasaki and Kyoto.

Of Note

FC Ryukyu have 3 mid week games and 1 game on a Monday. They will be on the road for 3 out of the 4 of those games.
Ryukyu have 3 sets of back-to-back home, and back-to-back away games this year. However, two of the double stacked road games occur during a stretch where FC Ryukyu will be on the road for 5 out 7 weeks. Though the start of that run coincides with the Olympic break in July/August.
Ryukyu open with 3 home games in 5 matches, and end the season the same way.

The Drive to 80 points

Higuchi made a comment last month at the new season press conference where he said he wants this side to achieve 80 points this year. Obviously many teams declare their desire for promotion but never come remotely close. 80 points would be a 30 point increase from Ryukyu’s highest ever total in the J2. 80 points is what Nagasaki achieved last year, who just missed out on promotion, and we all know the quality that resides in that team. Do you think we can say the same about FC Ryukyu?

The lone marquee signing was bringing back Kazaki Nakagawa on loan from Kyoto, but we also saw another supremely talented player, Yoshio Koizumi, depart. I have little doubt that Ryukyu will be an all out attacking club, one that eschews defense for the sake of goals, but I am not sure we get to 80 without a huge reduction in goals conceded, and simultaneous uptick in matches won. Relying on two, aging, projects at CB, is not a recipe for success in my opinion.

The final thing we should consider is all the teams that FC Ryukyu have failed to beat during their time in the J2: Kofu, JEF, Zweigen, Yamagata, Zelvia, Kitakyushu, and Iwata. It would be these matches, along with not dropping points against perceived weaker teams, where Ryukyu would need to garner the 30 points they covet. No easy task as it would mean FC Ryukyu need to surpass their single season (2018) win total of 20, and be closer to 23/24 wins. An increase of roughly 9-10 wins from the past 2 seasons in the J2.

What do you think?

The 2021 FC Ryukyu Squad Preview #FC琉球

Members of the team are currently taking their PCR tests ahead of the opening of training camp in just a few days so let’s take a look at the players FC Ryukyu will deploy in the upcoming season. Keep in mind, Ryukyu could still sign a few players in the days leading up to camp, or even after, as well as send some of the players out on loan.

Goal Keeper

Name	Age	Career Games Started	Years at the Club
Dany Carvajal	32	65 (J.League Only)	3
Junto Taguchi	24	37	2
Kosuke Inose	20	1	3
Keisuke Tsumita	27	8	6

Dany Carvajal became the incumbent starter after he arrived at FC Ryukyu from Mito Hollyhock in 2019, and he played some remarkable football before an ankle injury, that ultimately required offseason surgery, derailed his 2019 campaign. Dany followed up his inaugural season at Ryukyu by starting in 28 of 42 matches in 2020. But a strange turn of events led to his demotion at the end of 2020 where he only played in 2 of the last 10 games. I presumed that Dany was under contract with Ryukyu through the 2022 season, but that wasn’t the case when his contract was renewed at the beginning of the month. I believe Dany will open the season as the starter and could have a resurgent 2021 campaign.

Junto Taguchi signed from Albirex Niigata last offseason and quickly found himself in the starting role with Dany out injured. Taguchi hadn’t started any games in 2019 and the rust was evident in his first game where he surrendered an early goal and committed a nearly fatal turnover. Taguchi was able to recover from that rough opener and then found himself the 1st choice keeper to close out the 2020 campaign. The battle between him and Dany for the Ryukyu #1 GK spot will be the most hotly contested position battle in this squad all year.

Kosuke Inose has only ever featured one time for FC Ryukyu. And that was back in 2019 when he filled in for an injured Dany, and ineligible Ishii, against Mito Hollyhock where Ryukyu lost 3-1. Inose shouldn’t trouble Dany or Taguchi for playing time this year and is likely to avoid a loan out of the club.

Keisuke Tsumita has been with FC Ryukyu since 2016 but has never featured in a match since his inaugural season. A mere depth piece in the event that we lose the top 3 GKs, I wouldn’t expect any appearances for Tsumita outside of a reserve appearance in a cup competition. He is a strong candidate for a loan move.

Defenders

Name	Pos.	Age	Career Goals	Career Assists	Years at the Club
Keigo Numata	LB	30	15	21	2
Reo Yamashita	LB	22	0	0	1
Lee Yong Jick	CB	29	18	7	2
Tetsuya Chinen	CB	23	1	1	2
Ryohei Okazaki	CB	28	0	1	3
Yusuke Murase	CB	22	0	0	1
Keita Tanaka	RB	31	45	28	6
Yuya Torikai	RB	32	37	33	3
Felipe Tavares	RB	26	0	0	2
Makito Uehara	RB	22	1	0	2
Ryoji Fukui	DF	33	9	5	3

Keita Tanaka was without a doubt one of the most important players for FC Ryukyu in 2020. He reinvented himself as an RB which in turn rejuvenated the Ryukyu attack. Tanaka enjoyed his best statistical season in the past 3 years when he scored 2 goals and added 6 assists. Those were the most assists he’s contributed in any campaign and he has an absolute stranglehold on the starting RB position heading into 2021.

Lee Yong Jick signed from Tokyo Verdy in 2020 Lee went on to start, or feature, in 38 of FC Ryukyu’s 42 games in 2020. I was excited to see FC Ryukyu add a player with his height, but Yong Jick failed to score from a set piece, or open play, which is perplexing. As a whole, I don’t think FC Ryukyu were great from set pieces in 2020, but I rarely saw Yong Jick attempt to stick his head in there while towering over the competition. Yong Jick was also plagued by some shaky play in defense that resulted in several goals for the opposition. He will enter 2021 as one of the starting 2 CBs for FC Ryukyu.

Ryohei Okazaki signed for FC Ryukyu in 2019, and similar to Yong Jick, contributed little on set pieces while becoming a liability in defense. Okazaki featured sparingly in 2020 while he recovered from a multitude of injuries, and I cannot fathom why Higuchi has so much faith in this player. Both he and Yong Jick are nearing 30 and haven’t turned into the defensive force that many believe they could be. CB is undoubtedly the weakest link in the team heading into 2021. It sure would be nice to see two of our tallest players become more involved on set pieces, but I am hesitant to believe they actually will.

Keigo Numata joined Ryukyu in 2020 from Zweigen Kanazawa and took over for the talented Tokumoto who departed for Okayama. Numata, like Tanaka, enjoyed one of his finest seasons on record. In fact, his 3 goals and 7 assists were the most points in a single season for Numata. Keigo featured in 39 contests in 2020 but there where visible cracks at times, specifically in his fitness. This is understandable considering the role our full backs fulfill in Higuchi’s 4-2-3-1, plus we had no true back up to provide any rest for Numata. I would expect Numata to have another good campaign next year as our starting LB.

Yuya Torikai returned to FC Ryukyu in the summer of 2019 and was the starting RB for Ryukyu in 2020 before a drop in form, and the emergence of Tanaka, saw Torikai drop completely out of the lineup. Torikai has only amassed 5 points in the past 4 seasons combined and he didn’t add a single point last season. Torikai’s contract renewal should be viewed as nothing more than a depth signing in the event of several injuries to our back 4. He can also fill in at MF/Winger is needed so his versatility is what keeps him around.

Makito Uehara was a special designated player for FC Ryukyu back in 2020 but will compete for playing time with both Tanaka and Tavares in 2021. He was unknown to many of us until he announced his presence with a thunderous goal against Omiya Ardija. Makito has many of the traits you like to see in a defender but is still a little raw and needs more playing time to refine his craft. I’ll say this again for thousandth time, I think Makito could be an absolute beast if he was able to switch to a CDM role instead of trying to compete for playing time in a packed RB depth chart.

Felipe Tavares came to FC Ryukyu from Sociedade Esportiva do Gama in Brazil’s Serie D last year. Tavares ended up starting the first game of the season for FC Ryukyu at RB where he put in a decent shift, created several chances and dead ball kicks, and nearly scored from a set piece when his header hit the frame. After that performance, along with the lengthy break in the season, Tavares all but disappeared until a few cameo appearances near the end of 2020. He will find it difficult to usurp Tanaka, or even leap frog Makito, on the depth chart, but I think he could develop into a fine player for Ryukyu. Heck, he was more involved on set pieces in his lone start than any of our CBs the past 2 seasons.

Tetsuya Chinen is someone we all need to keep a close eye on in 2021. He has the frame, attitude, and desire that you covet in a CB, despite the fact that he is smaller than your prototypical central defender. He has better burst and long distance speed than the incumbents, is far more aggressive, and isn’t afraid to stick his nose in tough areas to win contested balls in the air. I am very excited about his long term prospects here at Ryukyu and when either Yong Jick or Okazaki falter, or are injured, Chinen will be the next man up at CB. He has already matched both Yong Jick’s and Okazaki’s point totals from the past few seasons in fewer than 12 games.

Ryoji Fukui is one the most versatile players on the FC Ryukyu roster. Fukui can fill in at so many positions across the back line, as well as in the MF, which is why he remains on the team in 2021. You always need to hold your breath when Fukui goes in for a challenge, and he can be consistently caught of position when defending, but he is rarely injured which must be why Higuchi keeps him around. Fukui will appear when injuries or suspensions warrant it.

Yusuke Murase & Reo Yamashita join FC Ryukyu from college, and like Ren Ikeda and Tetsuya Chinen in the past, could find their way into playing time in their first year at the club. FC Ryukyu have been able to find talent in the unlikeliest of places in the past, and while these two have a long road ahead of them for playing time, it is not unfathomable that they get their chance. I haven’t seen any film on either of these players but both are intriguing.

Central Mid Fielders

Name	Age	Career Goals	Career Assists	Years at the Club
Kazumasu Uesato	34	30	20	3
Koki Kazama	29	27	30	3
Mizuki Ichimaru	23	1	15	2
Lee Ji Seong	22	0	0	2

Kazumasa Uesato is the current captain of FC Ryukyu and despite his age, is also one of the most important players on the current roster. Uesato doesn’t possess the speed he once had, but he still has precision passing, lethality in free kicks and directs the attack from his central mid field role. It is a shame we could never sign a player of Uesato’s caliber in his heyday, and while this could very well be his last year at Ryukyu, his offseason signing was so vital to the success of this team.

Koki Kazama has signed on for his third season at Ryukyu, and while last year was marred with injury and a drop in playing time, he, along with Uesato, play a crucial role in the attack as well as on set pieces. Both Koki and Uesato will have a hard time fending off Ichimaru, but based on recent history, Koki is likely to start along side Uesato at CM to open the year.

Mizuki Ichimaru is at the crossroads of his career. Mizukui was a product of Gamba Osaka’s youth system as well as having brief stints at FC Gifu, the Gamba Osaka U-23s, and a loan to Ryukyu, before joining FC Ryukyu permanently this year. The big question is; can he finally put it all together and become the highly touted player he was thought to be? Well, there is no better place to figure that out than Ryukyu, and Ihcimaru will certainly get his shot in 2021. He is only a few solid performances, and free kicks, away from taking one of the CM spots permanently.

Lee Ji Seong is an unknown commodity. Signed in 2020 with a little hype, he never dressed and could very well take the same path of so many other players we’ve signed who will never feature. He certainly has the temperament for a CM, but he returned home in the middle of the lay off due to CV19, understandably, and was never seen again until the final team photo in December. I am not sure if the language barrier plays a part in his apprehension to stay, but that too is also understandable. Maybe if things were different he could flash but there is no indication he will be with the team for 2021. To be honest, I never know the length of the contracts we ink with college players so he could be under terms for a while longer. Does anybody outside of J1 know honestly know?

Attacking Mid Fielders

Name	Pos.	Age	Career Goals	Career Assists	Years at the Club
Koya Kazama	RM	27	41	30	3
Yu Tomidokoro	LM/RM	30	33	36	9
Shunsuke Motegi	LM	24	14	9	2
Ren Ikeda	CAM	23	4	3	2
Koki Kiyotake	CAM	29	48	23	1
Kazuki Nakagawa	CAM	25	21	15	4
Ramon	RM	22	0	3	2
Sho Sawada	RM/LM	17	0	0	1

Koya Kazama was the leading scorer for FC Ryukyu in 2020. Koya reached double digit goals for the first time in his career, and he also registered the most assists (7) he has had in any given season. Koya was the first Ryukyu player to score a hat-trick in a game since Yu Togashi in 2017. It was really great news that FC Ryukyu were able to retain the services of Koya after such a stellar season and he could be in for an even bigger season this year.

Kazaki Nakagawa returns to FC Ryukyu on loan from Kyoto Sanga FC and will immediately challenge for the central attacking midfield position vacated by Yoshio Koizumi. Those familiar with Ryukyu know the history and accolades that Nakagawa achieved during his first 3 years at Ryukyu. They will also recall the shock and disappointment of his departure in early 2019 after leading Ryukyu to a 3-0 start while adding 3 assists. Nakagawa has only played in 20 games since his departure, so he will need some time to regain his top form.

Shunsuke Motegi had a rough past season due to COVID-19. Motegi joined Ryukyu from Mito Hollyhock in 2020 with much fanfare and promise. Motegi featured in 8 games prior to testing positive for CV19 where he scored one goal, and added one assist. However, Motegi only appeared in 13 games after returning from CV19, but only started in three of them while failing to register a point. Hopefully Motegi is fully recovered and ready to take his place in the starting 11 at LM.

Koki Kiyotake joins FC Ryukyu after scoring 3 goals in 20 games for Tokushima Vortis in 2020. Kiyotake will immediately challenge for the starting CAM role, and similar to Nakagawa, is only a few seasons removed from his best statistical output. Koki scored double digit goals in back to back seasons at Kumamoto and JEF, and came close to hitting the 20 point mark. One thing we’ve seen from players that have lost their place at their former clubs and then go on to join Ryukyu, is that they can have a bit of a late career renaissance. When Ryukyu made their thrust up and out of J3 in 2018, it was on the backs on three excellent MFs. Could this be the case in 2021 with Koya, Nakagawa and Kiyotake?

In Ren Ikeda’s first season at Ryukyu, he scored 4 goals and added 3 assists. It was an up and down season for Ren as he initially started out as the CAM before losing that job to Koizumi. Ren scored 2 goals within his first 8 games but then went on a stretch of 18 games without a single point, and 32 games without a goal. Ren was asked to fill in at multiple positions across the MF as well as at FWD last season so this most likely left him unsettled and unable to get into any rhythm. He faces a massive uphill battle to regain the starting CAM role and I am not sure he can unseat any of the starters on the flanks. If Ryukyu remains injury free up to the summer transfer window, a loan move away from Ryukyu may do him some good.

Mr. Ryukyu, Yu Tomidokoro, returns for his 9th season with the club. Yu has struggled to crack the starting 11 on a consistent basis since Ryukyu joined the J2, and a hamstring injury ended his 2020 season after appearing in 16 games without scoring a single point. Yu is two seasons removed from his best ever statistical season but I am not sure he will ever get back to those lofty heights. Yu was unquestionably the best spot kick taking player Ryukyu has ever fielded, but is rarely asked to take free kicks these days. Even when he was healthy in 2019, he took so few kicks compared to Uesato and Koki, but did score an absolute cracker from the spot. Yu will likely feature as a substitute for most of the season, but there is a chance he could challenge Motegi for the starting LM spot.

Ramon came to FC Ryukyu in the summer of 2019 when the team was in desperate need of reinforcements. Ramon started 2 games, played in 9 total games, and added 2 assists in the fall of 2019. Ramon was then loaned to Gainare Tottori for the entire 2020 season, but played sparingly before a hamstring injury ended his season. From what I saw of Ramon in 2019, he is a powerful player who is not easily moved off the ball, and he reminds me a lot of Koizumi with his style of play. If Ramon stays with Ryukyu in 2020, I think he has a real shot at making an impact and possibly forcing his way into the lineup.

Sho Sawada joined FC Ryukyu in November of 2020. If he stays with the senior team, he will be the youngest player at 17, and would be the youngest player to ever play for the club. I have nothing more on this player other than, in the brief history of FC Ryukyu, they have signed one other player from Spain. His name is Kazaki Nakagawa.

Forwards

Name	Age	Career Goals	Career Assists	Years at the Club
Takuma Abe	33	73	37	2
Shintaro Shimizu	28	32	11	1
Shinya Uehara	34	35	20	3
Takuya Hitomi	23	1	0	2

Takuma Abe will return for his second season at Ryukyu after scoring 13 goals and adding 2 assists. This was the first time since 2012 that Abe reached double digit goals and it looked as if he would push for more goals before a very strange set of events saw Abe miss the final 7 games of the season. Perhaps this was due to fatigue from playing in nearly every match up to that point, but no news was released by the club to indicate that Abe was dealing with any ailment. Abe looked really good during last season and is still a very potent player. He scored several highlight reel goals last season and the same will be expected of him in 2021.

Shintaro Shimizu joins FC Ryukyu after spending 2020 with Fagiano Okayama where he scored 3 goals in 24 games for the club. Shimizu has bounced back and forth between Omiya Ardija, Mito Hollyhock and Fagiano Okayama since he came into the league in 2013 and his best ever year was 2019 with Mito when he scored 8 goals and added 2 assists. Shintaro doesn’t have any single season that can compare with Abe, but he also doesn’t have nearly the same amount of games played. Perhaps Shintaro can make something of himself here at Ryukyu like so many others have done in the past. But it certainly helps having another experienced, and younger, striker in the squad.

Shinya Uehara returns for his 3rd season at Ryukyu, and his 13th season overall. Uehara scored the most ever goals in a single season for his career last year at Ryukyu. His 6 goals, and 3 assists, was the most points he’s accumulated in any season since 2013 and though he is not asked to play the role that Abe fulfills, Uehara plays a vital role in the side. Uehara is an excellent late game sub that can get himself into scoring position and contribute meaningful goals. The Mito and Tochigi games stand out from last year and there were the goals he scored against Niigata, Yamagata, Kanazawa, and Fukuoka in 2019. It is truly amazing to go back and see the timing of Uehara’s goals since he’s joined Ryukyu and I would expect more of the same from him in 2021. That is, if he can stay healthy, something Uehara has struggled with during his time at Ryukyu.

Takuya Hitomi signed with FC Ryukyu from Rissho University in 2020. Hitomi missed a large part of the season while recovering from knee surgery before appearing in 9 games and scoring 1 goal. There is a lot to like about this player, but he is the future for this team, not the present. He needs time to mature against this level of competition so I would expect Hitomi to fulfill a reserve role with an occasional spot start in cup competitions. Keep in mind, that both Abe and Uehara have dealt with injuries this past year so Hitomi’s path to playing time isn’t nearly congested as some of the other younger prospects on the team.

Early 2021 Season Predictions

Team MVP	Koki Kiyotake (CAM)
Comeback Player of the Year	Shunsuke Motegi (MF)
Top Young Player of the Year	Tetsuya Chinen (CB)

FC Ryukyu 2020 Season Review #FC琉球

This was FC Ryukyu’s second season in the J2, and while there were some lofty expectations for this club, mainly on the part of the fans, but also from some of the management, the improvements were minimal, and the direction of the club is not trending in the right direction. Remember, four teams from the J2 will be relegated in 2021, and though FC Ryukyu have found themselves well out of the danger zone these past two seasons, we are ceding too much talent each season to be anything more than hopeful dreamers.

Chart 1 illustrates the small improvements I mentioned in the introduction. Here we can see that FC Ryukyu vastly improved their goals conceded from 2019 (80) to 2020 (61). A positive sign indeed considering they were the worst team in goals allowed in J2 in 2019, whereas they finished 17th this year. Better defending? Possibly, Better Goalkeeping? Sure. But I attribute much of this to having a relatively settled back 4 compared to 2019. Tanaka and Numata were constants in the lineup, as well as Yong Jick. I don’t think Yong Jick is the long term answer at CB, but we at least have an exciting prospect in Chinen who will be called upon early and often in 2021. Tanaka’s presence on defense added a bit of aggressiveness that FC Ryukyu have lacked in the past and it was amazing to see the impact of Tanaka’s transition, both for the team, and in his individual play in 2020.

You can also glean from this chart that FC Ryukyu only made improvements in their total points, and goals scored, by +1 each. In 2020 FC Ryukyu scored 4 goals or more in 4 games compared to just once in 2019. Those four games (5-0,6-1,4-0 & 6-0) represent 36% (21 of 58) of all the goals scored by FC Ryukyu in 2020. In 2019, FC Ryukyu were kept off the score sheet 9 times, in 2020, that number jumped to 12. That is a bit alarming for a side that prides itself on attacking football. But FC Ryukyu doubled their total shutouts of their opponents from 5 to 10 in 2020. That really isn’t painting this team in the best light but it does mean that we were far better defensively this year than we may have initially thought.

Chart 2 takes a deeper look into the results from each of the past seasons. As mentioned earlier, FC Ryukyu did improve their point total this year, but did so with only 1 more win than 2019. FC Ryukyu may have won more games on the road in 2020 – which is an important marker for measuring a team’s success- but they also lost more games on the road compared to 2019. Match Day 2 in 2019 saw us win our first ever J2 road game, but it would take us until Match Day 35 of that year before we’d win another. While FC Ryukyu were more balanced in their road wins throughout the season this year, getting your doors blown off at Giravanz, Renofa, Machida and Tochigi – all games we surrendered 4 goals – isn’t that great. All told, FC Ryukyu surrendered 4 goals in a game on 5 occasions this year which matched their total from 2019.

In the end, all I can say is this; FC Ryukyu just took a different path to end up in the same place they did last year. 2019 started fast, whereas 2020 started slow for FC Ryukyu. Each each season had a bit of a slump between Match Days 16 and 30, and each had strong finishes; 2019 5-3-4; 2020 5-2-5.

FC Ryukyu 2020 MVP

MF Yoshio Koizumi: There was no better player in this side that put forth a consistent effort from game to game, and book end to book end this year. Sure, Koya, Abe and Tanaka each were close to earning this honor, but Koizumi was just scintillating to watch and stood out against so many of his peers. He will be sorely missed, but he was a joy to watch in his first full season at FC Ryukyu. Imagine how much better he could’ve been had Higuchi stuck with him in 2019 after his debut against Tokyo Verdy in early March when he flashed his talent for a brief moment? That certainly was enough to catch my eye.

FC Ryukyu 2020 Comeback Player of the Year

RB/MF Keita Tanaka: No doubt as to who this was going to be. Tanaka reinvented himself as a fullback and his contributions to this team were immense. Tanaka doubled his goals (2) and assists (6) tally from 2019 and was shockingly good in defense. It goes to show, talent will get you so far, but desire and effort can make all the difference.

The early candidates for this award next year are Shunsuke Motegi and Yu Tomidokoro. If we retain them of course. Motegi’s season was cut short by CV-19 and he looked extremely talented in his limited time early in 2020, and Kawai’s departure definitely opens the door for Motegi to take over the LM role. Yu, like Motegi, lost this past season to injury but the more departures at MF that FC Ryukyu suffer in the transfer window, the more Yu will be pushed back up the depth chart.

FC Ryukyu 2020 Young Player of the Year

GK Junto Taguchi: Not as young as you might like, but at 24, and recently signed for another season, Taguchi played really well in his starts for FC Ryukyu. Taguchi won 5 games, drew 3 times with 6 losses in his 14 appearances for FC Ryukyu while recording 5 shutouts. He is not as young as you may want in a prospect, but comparatively speaking, he offers some nice upside for FC Ryukyu moving forward and has caused quite a stir here in Okinawa by creating a bit of controversy at the GK position with the incumbent, Dany Carvajal.

The two players you need to watch next season that could win this award in 2021 are CB Tetsuya Chinen, and RB Makito Uehara. Chinen is not nearly as raw as Daisei Suzuki was in his starts this year, and plays with far more intensity and skill than Yong Jick. Only injuries and CV-19 prevented Chinen from becoming the #2 CB for FC Ryukyu this year. Uehara is another exciting prospect. He has size, speed, burst, tenacity, power and skill, but is probably better suited at CDM than RB with this team. That laser beam goal he scored against Omiya on Match Day 30 brought me out of my seat and put me on notice. We will need a replacement for Uesato soon, and Uehara certainly looks the part. It will largely depend on whether Higuchi, and the new strengthening coach, Takuya Jinno’s, can recognize what they could have in Uehara, and make the switch to CDM.

More Charts and Stats

Top 5 Games for FC Ryukyu in 2020

It would be easy to just add the biggest win totals for Ryukyu to this section, but there were several key games for FC Ryukyu throughout the year that didn’t finish with such lopsided score lines. Here are the top 5.

#5 Match Day 34: V-Varen Nagasaki 0-1 FC Ryukyu. A completely unexpected performance by FC Ryukyu against a superior side in Nagasaki that derailed their promotion hopes. The Ikeda to Koizumi, to Ikeda, to Kawai finish!

#4 Match Day 29: FC Ryukyu 2-1 Kyoto Sanga FC. Kyoto’s season wasn’t quite cooked at this point, but FC Ryukyu responded to a 4′ minute goal from Kofu by two of their own in the second half from Koya and Abe.

#3 Match Day 13: FC Ryukyu 2-2 Tochigi SC. FC Ryukyu were faced with the stiff prospect of cracking a Tochigi defensive back line that had surrendered the fewest goals in the league up to this point. Despite an early Tochigi goal, Dany Carvajal was in fine form before Shinya Uehara came on and equalized for Ryukyu. Tochigi SC responded shortly after that equalizer to push the score line to 2-1, before Uehara answered the call once more with another equalizer in the 87′ minute. Up to that point, Tochigi SC had only surrendered more than 1 goal once in their previous 12 games.

#2 Match Day 9: Fagiano Okayama 1-2 FC Ryukyu. FC Ryukyu had not won a game all season, and once again surrendered an early goal. Then Uesato nailed one from the dead ball spot with Abe adding the finishing touch in the 84′ minute to give FC Ryukyu their first win of 2020. On the road of all places.

#1 Match Day 20 FC Ryukyu 3-2 Mito Hollyhock. Yoshio Koizumi opened the game with a beautiful first half goal before two Mito second half goals. FC Ryukyu looked all but done before Uehara once again came on and scored 2 goals in the final 6 minutes. One of which was deep in stoppage time to give FC Ryukyu the victory.

Leaning forward into 2021

We are in the middle of the “exodus” part of the transfer season for FC Ryukyu were many of our talented players will depart for larger clubs, and larger contracts. In fact, we’ve already lost Koizumi (Urawa) and Kawai (Yamaga), while letting Shinji Ono and Yamaguchi (AC Nagano) sign elsewhere. These players will not be the last to leave, and I stated that we should all be prepared for the “catastrophic failure” event where we see Koya Kazama leave FC Ryukyu before the transfer window closes. Thus essentially ripping out our attacking midfield that contributed to so many goals in 2020 before we set foot on the pitch in 2021.

This is life as we know it as FC Ryukyu fans. We neither possess the money to retain, or sign, top talent in their prime. We simply find talent, nurture it, develop it, and then let it depart when we cannot afford it anymore. But maybe we shouldn’t look at these early departures as a bad thing. Those that have left, or will leave, never got this club above 16th place all season so maybe we know what we’re doing. There is no doubt that some of the departures are talented, Koizumi for sure, but they lacked other playmakers around them that would justify paying a high price to retain them at the cost of not filling the other holes in the lineup.

Conclusion

That ties a bow on the 2020 season for FC Ryukyu. After we find out all the comings and goings for 2021, I’ll write up a brief transfer summary next year. For now, stay safe, please be smart about how you conduct your daily lives in these unpresented times with CV-19, and enjoy your New Year celebrations responsibly.

Match Day 38 Report: (18) FC Ryukyu vs (15) Zweigen Kanazawa 12/2/20 #FC琉球

Intro

Disjointed, out of synch, and wasteful is the best way to describe the result from last night’s loss to Zweigen Kanazawa. FC Ryukyu had several chances to grab the early lead, but failed to do so. This allowed Kanazawa to take charge of the match early in the second half and grab the easy win.

Match Day 38 Highlights

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhoe6aL64kc

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3468304

Man of the Match

Zweigen Kanazawa MF Raisei Shimazu. The guy scored a ridiculous goal last night, possibly a contender for goal of the year, and put this game out of reach for FC Ryukyu.

Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Possess and Press: Likelihood 4. FC Ryukyu had the foot on the gas early but failed to get across the line. The possession rate was high, but so were the turnovers and missed opportunities. The turnovers in the second half really killed any forward momentum and prevented them from scoring.

2. Get Koya firing Again: Likelihood 4. Koya didn’t start, and when he came on as a sub, coupled with the aforementioned turnovers, he could not get into any rhythm.

Key Takeaways from the Match

1. Turnovers killed us last night. It was difficult to keep track of the number as there were so many of them. And they occurred at both ends of the pitch. The ones in the attacking area derailed many of our attacks and led to our players exerting more energy that necessary to defend the quick change of possession for Kanazawa. The ones in our end provided Kanazawa with very short counter attacks. FC Ryukyu were lucky to leave the first have level due to a poor turnover that gave Kanazawa a free look on goal with no defender in sight. It was only because of a mental error on the part of the second Kanazawa attacker that resulted in an offside call. The turnovers in the second half completely killed off any chance of equalizing the game.

2. A major contributing factor for the failure to score last night was the bevy of changes that Higuchi made within the FC Ryukyu starting 11. Still without the services of Takuma Abe and Shinya Uehara, Higuchi turned to Hitomi to lead the FC Ryukyu front line. Additionally, Yamaguchi made his first start in quite some time and Ichimaru started over Uesato in the CM. These three players have very little time to make their mark before the season ends while 2021 contracts hang in the balance. Therefore, you cannot fault these guys for trying to “shoot their shot,” but that led to the attack taking a very different look than weeks past.

Ichimaru had a rough night last night as he was a major contributor in the turnover category for this side. Yamaguchi came close to scoring twice, but was off the mark on both occasions. Hitomi had a great chance to score off a Koizumi pass, but the shot went high over the keeper. In the case of Yamaguchi and Hitomi, these can all be contributed to a lack of playing time. As far as Ichimaru is concerned, it was just one of those days where he was due for a bad game.

3. @Kanazawadreamin was right in regards to the fact that playing a much tougher opponent the game prior, and achieving some level of success, buoyed the confidence and play of Zweigen. Kanazawa had zero wins, only two goals scored, along with ten conceded, over their last five road games coming into last night. That meant, when they play a lesser opponent, and the level of push back is much less, then things will seem easier for them. I would expect much of the same this Sunday when Okayama come to Okinawa after drawing with Avispa.

4. The midfielders will be expected to lead this attack for the remainder of the year as there has been no word on the status of either Abe or Uehara. Without a true talisman up top, FC Ryukyu will need to grab early leads to see out wins. Hitomi will get a chance to cut his teeth these last few games so he will need to step up in a big way to help this side. The good news is, if he does, we could have a very young prospect up top for years to come. If he doesn’t, then FC Ryukyu have some tough questions to answer heading into 2021.

Match Day 38 in J2

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j2-league/startseite/wettbewerb/JAP2

Tokushima are now one win away from securing promotion, and two wins away from winning the league. Avispa Fukuoka were unable to defeat Okayama but still have a four-point lead over Nagasaki who lost to Kyoto Sanga FC. Kyoto have pulled off quite a nice “hate and discontent” run here at the end as they have beat 2 of the top 3 sides in the table, and thus delayed the promotion race for a bit. Kyoto face Fukuoka in 10 days and a win there could really boost the chances of Nagasaki pulling off a comeback.

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j-league-division-2/tabelle/wettbewerb/JAP2/saison_id/2019

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sno91A44ItU

Conclusion

In a meaningless season for this team, the only thing that counts at the end is effort. The players did put forth a good amount of effort yesterday, but it wasn’t focused in the right areas so the end result was ugly. With four games remaining, all any of us want to see is for this team to end the season on a high note. That means nothing more than wins at home.

“All we need is a Miracle” Match Day 34 Preview: (3) V-Varen Nagasaki vs (18) FC Ryukyu 11/14/2020 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu head to Nagasaki to face a side that: has won 4 in a row; are undefeated in 7 straight games; have only lost once in their past 10 matches; and scored 14 goals during their last 4 games!

Match Day 33 Recap: V-Varen Nagasaki vs Fagiano Okayama (5-0)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC5aPHptoVs

Match Day 33 Recap: FC Ryukyu vs Avispa Fukuoka (1-3)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw_clUdfcu8

Team Previews

V-Varen Nagasaki: Within reach of returning to the J1, V-Varen Nagasaki will look to keep pace, or even make up some ground on leaders Tokushima Vortis, when they face FC Ryukyu on Sunday. Nagasaki finished 12th in the table in 2019 after coming down from J1 and they split the series with FC Ryukyu with consecutive 3-2 wins for both sides. These two teams last faced each other on Match Day 5 in very poor conditions here in Okinawa with the game ending 1-1.

I made the mistake last week of saying that FC Ryukyu had experienced a modicum of success against Avispa Fukuoka in the past and therefore they may play them tough and even eek out a win. Well I am not that confident in that same sentiment this week even though it rings true based on past results. July was a long time ago, and V-Varen Nagasaki are peaking at just the right time aided by some of the best players in J2.

Do not be fooled into thinking Nagasaki lack a true goal scorer by the table above which indicates their isn’t one player in double digit goals for the number three side in the table. Nagasaki are well supplied with talent and any number of players can score from almost anywhere on the pitch. In the likely event that V-Varen Nagasaki follows in the footsteps of many other sides, who rotated the squad against FC Ryukyu, they can still field a very potent lineup.

The addition of Edigar Junio to this side makes the prospect of netting even a point on Sunday for FC Ryukyu, an almost impossible task. Junio – who has taken up the role of talisman for Nagasaki – has scored 4 times, while adding 1 assist, in the 4 games since his signing this fall. FC Ryukyu’s defenders will struggle to contain Junio and they will still have to contend with Ibarbo, Togashi, Cesar, Tamada, Luan, and Maikuma.

FC Ryukyu: Winners of 4 out of their last 7, all of FC Ryukyu’s losses occurred on the road during that stretch. The lone 3-0 win over Omiya Ardija away from Okinawa stands out as an outlier as FC Ryukyu only scored 2 goals, compared to 8 goals conceded, in the three losses. Without Takuma Abe anchoring the attack up top, FC Ryukyu have struggled for goals.

FC Ryukyu came close to scoring first against Fukuoka but Koizumi was denied by the post. What may have seemed like FC Ryukyu taking charge of the latter stages of the most recent game, was actually nothing more than Avispa Fukuoka sitting on their laurels while enjoying a 3 goal lead.

Ren Ikeda has filled in at striker during Abe’s absence, but it has not produced the results Higuchi might have hoped for. Ikeda can be out of position at times, as evidenced by some of the passes where the attacking midfielders expected him to be, only to see those passes end up as turnovers in the box.

It is obvious that FC Ryukyu must look elsewhere for that spark up top, with the logical choice being Shinya Uehara. If you recall last season, Shinya filled in at fullback due to injuries at the position, so he is more than capable of playing the full match. But since we still do not know why Abe has been left off the roster this past week, Higuchi may be forced into resting Uehara as much as he can in case of a lengthy return to fitness for Abe. Keep in mind, Uehara is our only healthy striker at this point in the season.

If FC Ryukyu wish to net anything positive from this match, they will need to rely on Koizumi creating chances; Koya finishing drives; and Uesato scoring from the free kick spot.

Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen

1. V-Varen Nagasaki must overlook FC Ryukyu: Likelihood 1. Unfortunately, that is all I could come up with. It cannot be anything else as we know about Nagasaki’s quality, and FC Ryukyu simply cannot match them skill for skill. Our hopes rest on Nagasaki looking past this match and towards future tougher contests. But even that seems highly unlikely when you consider their upcoming opponents are JEF UTD Chiba and Matsumoto Yamaga F.C.

Match Day 34 Prediction

If Abe does not make the lineup, or the reserves, this one could end badly if the flood gates burst open for the FC Ryukyu defense. V-Varen Nagasaki are the joint-second top scoring team in J2 this year while FC Ryukyu are third worst when it comes to surrendering goals. FC Ryukyu’s away goal difference is quite bad and on a short week, this doesn’t bode well for the boys from Okinawa. 4-1 for V-Varen Nagasaki.

Match Day 34 in J2

(1) Tokushima Vortis travel to (7) Montedio Yamagata in what should be a tightly contested match. Any wobble by Vortis will allow (2) Avispa Fukuoka, and (3) V-Varen Nagasaki to gain crucial ground on them as Fukuoka and Nagasaki play teams at the bottom of the table. (4) Ventforet Kofu join Fukuoka and Nagasaki as they also have a relatively easy test against (21) Ehime FC.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQWkIfLRNec

Conclusion

Let us end this entry on an a positive, uplifting idea. I want you all to consider that every once in awhile in sports, a much stronger team will overlook their weaker opponent. That weaker opponent can sometimes shell-shock that stronger opponent when they quickly post some early points, thus, forcing the stronger side to recover from an unexpected punch in the mouth. Often times these stronger teams cannot recover because they were unprepared for that level of performance by their opponent. This means that any team has a fighting chance on any given day. Can that happen on Sunday? Well, “all we need is a miracle.”

Taking a Look at the Newly Revamped FC Ryukyu 2020 Fixture List #FC琉球

We are inching ever so closer to the restart of the J2 with kickoff scheduled for the June 27/28 weekend. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the newly revamped schedule for FC Ryukyu. Also, in case you do not know, the J-League will not allow any fans inside the J2 grounds until after the July 11^thset of fixtures (think that is right) and then there will be the hard limits of 5,000, or 50% of the stadium capacity moving forward. But that is still being debated among the powers to be in the J-League.

FC Ryukyu have 41 games left to play to close out the 2020 season (aka meet the sponsorship demands), provide a brief off-season for the players, and head into the 2021 campaign with training camps set to start in January 2021. It is hard to believe they haven’t played a competitive fixture in well over 120 days by the time they kick off against Avispa Fukuoka on 28 June, but that is the case.

“The Big Picture”

FC Ryukyu will play 41 matches inside of 176 days for an average of 1 game every 4.3 days.

2. Since they played the opening fixture away to JEF Chiba UTD back in February, FC Ryukyu have 21 home games and 20 road matches remaining in 2020.

3. Those 41 matches broken down per month with the home and away splits indicated (H/A) are as follows: June-1 (1H), July-6 (3H/3A), August-7 (3H/4A), September-8 (4H/4A), October-6 (3H/3A), November-8 (3H/5A) and December-5 (4H/1A).

4. FC Ryukyu will play 13 of their 21 home matches on a weekend (roughly a 7/6 split between Saturday and Sunday depending on the flexible scheduling by the league near the end of the year) with the remaining 8 falling on a Wednesday evening.

5. FC Ryukyu will also play an even 7/6 split for their 13 weekend road games with only 7 road games occurring on a Wednesday night.

“The Long Winding Road”

6. FC Ryukyu’s Road fixtures that fall on a Wednesday night in order of farthest expected distance to be traveled: (1) Zweigen Kanazawa September 2^nd , (2) Matsumoto Yamaga FC September 23^rd , (3) Tochigi SC October 21^st , (4) Mito Hollyhock December 16^th , (5) Ventforet Kofu November 4^th , (6) Jubilo Iwata November 25^th and (7) Avispa Fukuoka November 11^th.

7. FC Ryukyu have 6 instances where they play back-to-back road games; 2 of which occur in the month of November. Of those 6 instances, 3 have a break of only 3 days between games; Zweigen/Machida in September, Omiya/Kofu in November as well as Fukuoka/Nagasaki that same month.

“The Comforts of Home”

8. FC Ryukyu’s Home fixtures that fall on a Wednesday night in order of farthest distance traveled by their opponents: (1) Albirex Niigata September 30^th, (2) Zweigen Kanazawa December 2^nd, (3) Ventforet Kofu August 12^th, (4) Tochigi SC August 19^th, (5) Thespakusatsu Gunma October 14^th, (6) Omiya Ardija September 9^th, (7) Jubilo Iwata July 29^th and (8) V-Varen Nagasaki on July 15^th.

9. FC Ryukyu have 5 instances of back-to-back home games this year with two of those occurring in succession for an outstanding 4 home matches in a row between November 28^th to December 13^th(roughly 2 weeks).

“Of Note”

10. Out of FC Ryukyu’s 8 Wednesday Night opponents they face at home, only 1 (Kofu) has an away match the weekend prior. Jubilo and Nagasaki each have one after their mid-week match up against FC Ryukyu. Compared to their Wednesday opponents they face at home; FC Ryukyu have 2 instances of back to back away-away matches with the first match of the series falling on a weekend.

11. FC Ryukyu will play Jubilo Iwata, Ventforet Kofu, Zweigen Kanazawa and Tochigi SC only on Wednesday’s this year.

12. FC Ryukyu play 6 out of their final 8 fixtures at home in 2020.

“Estimated Toughest Stretch of Games based on last season’s finish and expected finish in 2020”

1. 09/09/2020-10/11/2020 (8 games in 4.5 weeks): Omiya (H), Kyoto (A), Mito (H), Matsumoto (A), JEF (H), Niigata (H), Tokushima (A) and Montedio (A).

2. 10/24/2020-11/04/2020 (3 games in 10 days): Kyoto (H), Omiya (A) and Kofu (A)

“Estimated Easiest Stretch of Games based on last season’s finish and expected finish in 2020”

1. 08/16/2020-08/19/2020: Gunma (A) and Tochigi (H)

My Thoughts

We should all be glad there is no relegation this season as these fixtures will certainly test the depth of the FC Ryukyu squad. The squad currently has 2 healthy strikers on the team. That means we will likely see some of our MFs playing the role of a “false-9” to spell the 2 strikers. Hopefully there are some loan signings the team can make throughout the season as we are approaching the summer transfer window because injuries and suspensions will crush this team. But you have to wonder if the larger J1 clubs, that usually loan players, may decide to hold onto them in the event they face the same situation in addition to the real possibility of players contracting COVID-19 and being forced to stay away from the team for an extended period of time.

Easing into the season is nice but the 15 games in August and September, in this Okinawa heat, may become a factor as far as fatigue for the players. On that note, the worst part of the schedule has to be November based on the 8 fixtures, of which 3 are road trips during the mid-week. Again, good thing relegation is off the table for 2020.

There are some limited opportunities for the club to cost costs during their road schedule if they opt to stay on mainland Japan between matches. There normal cost of lodging, transportation and food for the traveling element will increase based on the extra days spent on mainland but it may result in reduced injuries and fatigue to the players who have to board a plane every other day. This would also require some coordination with local municipalities for the use of a training ground while they are away from Okinawa. Professional NFL teams who travel from either coast of the U.S., and have consecutive games in those time zones, often due this to mitigate much of what is stated above (in addition for the players to adjust their internal clocks to times zones that are 3 hours apart).

The end of November and December sets up nicely for us to enjoy a run of 4 home games in a row as well as to close out the season in 2020 at home. If, and that is a huge IF at this point, FC Ryukyu somehow found their way into a promotion spot, that schedule would prove massive for the club.

In closing, I am looking forward to the restart of the season as I expect many of you are as well. Who knows what the future holds for the league, and whether or not COVID-19 will let us complete the 2020 season? In the meantime, enjoy the football we do have and I cannot wait to see how FC Ryukyu navigate this schedule in 2020.

Link to the new FC Ryukyu Schedule: http://fcryukyu.com/result/

The J-League Interview Series Part 6: Tokyo Verdy (@Verdy_Eng) #verdy #FC琉球

It has been a long 6 weeks since the last entry in this series dropped with the fabulous duo of Alex and Thomas from the FC Tokyo Kai Guys Twitter account. A lot has changed for many of us with the ongoing battle against COVID-19 and the struggle to maintain some semblance of normal life. In my case, it has been a mix of struggles and joy. It was really hard trying to explain to my young children why they can, or cannot, frequent some establishments and play with their friends while juggling my career. It has also been a blessing to spend so much time with them that I might not have otherwise been able to do had CV-19 not came to the forefront.

While it seems Okinawa, in addition to other places around the world, are experiencing some success at combating the spread of CV-19, we should not let our guard down or rush a return to a way of life before the virus took hold this past January. It is all our responsibility to limit the impact of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and probably 20th wave of CV-19 by adhering to the protective measures put in place by the local authorities as well as using a bit of common sense.

Even with all of this, the protests in the U.S., and rest of the world, show us that there are far more important things than football in this world. Complex problems require complex solutions and just because things are unsettling to discuss or are difficult to solve does not mean we should’t make every effort to do so.

With that being said, this Blog is here to provide an insight into FC Ryukyu as well as provide some enjoyment for those that love the sport of football. I will always remain true to those ideas but I have a responsibility to mention things outside of football from time to time that are just too important to ignore.

On that note, we are quickly approaching the return of the J-League here in Japan with a target date of June 27th for the J2/J3 and July 4th for the J1. That means I will be transitioning out of this interview series and back into the normal match day previews, reviews and oped pieces. Please enjoy this interview and as always, stay safe.

Just a reminder since it has been so long between entries, my questions and responses will appear in bold on here. Enjoy the interview.

Today we are lucky enough to speak with the author of the unofficial Tokyo Verdy Blog, https://verdyunofficialenglish.wordpress.com/, as well as the https://jleaguefanchris.wordpress.com/ blog, Chris. Chris, welcome, it is a pleasure to finally be able to conduct this interview. I began following your Tokyo Verdy blog shortly after it started last season as I truly enjoy the perspectives from all those that blog or tweet about their J2 team in English.

What I didn’t know was that you started blogging back in 2013 with your JLeaguefanchris blog. Over 7 years of blogging is pretty impressive my friend considering the amount of time and effort (unpaid at that) it requires to conduct these labors of love.

So, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you came into supporting the J League, Tokyo Verdy and most importantly, why you began your two blogs?

First off, it’s a pleasure to do this interview. Well my name is Chris and I am a wrestling/anime and manga/video game fan along with being a big football fan. I have loved football since I was very young and then I got into anime and manga when I was in my teens, which made discovering the J-League no surprise after doing some research and getting to know the teams in the league.

When I was in college at about 16, I actually got into supporting Tokyo Verdy as I saw they were dealing with financial problems at the exact time that the old Spennymoor club (United), a team I followed, folded. I really felt sorry for both set of fans who love Verdy as much as I did United so I kind of started keeping my eye on Verdy. But it was the 2012 World Cup in Japan and South Korea where I really became heavily invested in the JLeague and when I began the JLeagueFanChris twitter account/blog.

A few years later I actually started the Verdy twitter account/blog because I found Verdy to be my kind of club with all of the problems they’ve had before and I’ve had to deal with while supporting Spennymoor United.

Q. Apologies to all for switching gears, but I have to ask Chris about the town of Spennymoor England that he lists as his location on Twitter. I have never been that far north in England and I had to poke around Wikipedia to see what the town was all about.

I see that it is a relatively small town of around 20,000 people but there is a football club, Spennymoor Town FC, that ply their trade in the 6^th tier of English football known as the National League North -where they currently sit 6^th and well inside the promotion playoff bracket- but with the season suspended it remains to be seen how their bid for promotion will play out.

Do you support this club or do you fancy one of the larger clubs that are in relative proximity to your current location? They do have a fantastic crest and kit though!

Well I do support Spennymoor Town and I have done since the new club came around in 2005. I was 10 years old since I started following The Moors (the nickname for the club) when my dad brought me along to a cup final game in the Durham Challenge Cup (County Cup for the Durham FA). After Spennymoor United folded in 2005, a new club called Town rose from their ashes and started in the Northern League Division 2 and have spent a couple of seasons in that league.

The 2019-20 season sees the club in the National League North – missed out on promotion to the National League losing on penalties in the Play Off Final to Chorley last season but it was a fantastic time overall. I’ve been to see a couple of Newcastle games, one FA Cup game and a Europa League game but I follow Spennymoor Town Home and Away, it’s my main passion in life and I’ve lived here all my life.

That’s awesome. I can relate to your sentiments on following smaller clubs that are trying mightily to make their way up the lower leagues with aspirations of achieving lofty goals. It makes it all the better when they do.

I’m actually a volunteer for STFC – I sell programs and then go off to start filming the games for highlights to be made for YouTube (MoorsTV). I actually started filming clips of the goals in 2005 and uploaded them to YouTube but now it’s turned into recording the full 90 minutes.

I couldn’t hold it together for a full 90’ minutes as a FC Ryukyu fan to film their games.

Spennymoor Town’s progress has been amazing – the people behind the scenes who have built the club up have done such amazing job – the ground, the STFC youth’s pitches, the moors tavern pub and the sports bar in the ground – just got a ladies team this season as well and they have done really well.

Spennymoor, like a lot of places in the north, was a coalmining town with the village called Tudhoe also known for coal mining coal. Rothmans International (Cigarette Factory), Thorns Lighting, Electrolux, Black & Decker and Woolworths were some of the big shops/companies that were in the main high street/out of the town but only Thorns is left out of the 4 and the main high street is looking pretty bad with only a very few shops remaining. Greggs/A Local Opticians, the post office, charity shops, amusement shops and plenty of pubs and newsagents around the town as well. It has a lovely park called the Jubilee Park, a leisure center, a library, a hardware shop and plenty of supermarkets. Spennymoor has its own bus station at the bottom of the main high street which goes into Bishop Auckland/Durham/Newcastle since the 60’s

That was a very nice introduction to your hometown, thanks for that.

Q. Seeing how your JLeagueChris blog dates back to 2013, where you one of the original bloggers in English for the J league at the time? What information, blogs, podcasts or twitter accounts were around in 2013 that covered the J League in English?

I’m not sure on being one of the original ones to start blogging about the JLeague, that’s probably down to the likes of JSoccer Magazine (@JSoccermagazine), the JTalk Podcast (@JTalkPod) and a few other bloggers that were around before me like Fujieda MYFC and Stuart Smith’s FC Gifu blog. But I think was the first one to blog the scores from J1/2/JFL at the time as only limited info on the league was available in English on sties like Wikipedia and Soccerway. I probably used them the most in the early days of JLeagueFanChris

Q. You first ever tweet from the Unofficial Tokyo Verdy English Twitter Account was the match preview vs. V-Varen Nagasaki back in August of 2017 but how long was the Unofficial Verdy English blog around before that tweet?

The blog was probably around maybe a month or so prior as I spent a majority of my time designing it, making the layout presentable and gathering as much info about the players/coaches as I could before making the match preview against V-Varen. I also needed to make sure the tags are all there and so much more – it was a lot of work but when I got started, I just started to enjoy making the matchday preview’s/reviews.

I am with you there; I think my match day previews are both my favorite to write as well the best thing I put forth. My match day recap usually contains a lot of the frustrations (or praise) depending on the week’s result. I am not as good as the boys on the J-Talk Pod series who have a much better take on the games from a technical perspective and can offer a far better post-match analysis than my usual rants and raves.

Q. Have you been to Japan before to see Tokyo Verdy live?

No, I would love to go to Japan and see Verdy live though. I wouldn’t just see Verdy though. I’d spend time exploring the Tokyo area and maybe take in a Verdy away game as well so I can see how people travel to away games in Japan compared to here in the UK.

Let me tell you, away games are a blast. First, you get to experience another part of Japan that you may not have otherwise and for anyone considering taking in any match in Japan, home or away, you need to refer to Chris’s Lost in Football Blog/Vlog (@LiFJapan) as he breaks everything down in spectacular fashion so even those of us living in Japan, who don’t speak Japanese (me!), can navigate to the stadium and enjoy the local area.

Q. How often do you tune into the Tokyo Verdy matches each week? Do you watch them on Bet360 similar to how @DanielVVN does?

I just watch the Tokyo Verdy highlights from the official JLeague YouTube channel or off Verdy’s own YouTube channel

Q. It should be noted that you are no longer going to conduct the Match Day Preview/Recaps for Tokyo Verdy moving forward. While I will miss reading your entries each week, I completely understand that sometimes life gets in the way of our hobbies. May I ask what happened? I do see that you will still provide information regarding your club on the blog though.

To be honest, I just feel like I was copying the same thing over and over again for each preview/review. I thought it would be better to stop them but I won’t stop blogging info about players/new coaches etc because I like to know about all the players who will be playing in the green shirt of Verdy and their history when it come to prior clubs they’ve played for and where they come from.

Whatever happens in the future, I hope you can return to form as it provided a great glimpse into the club each week.

Q. On that note, whenever this season resumes, or when the 2021 campaign begins, I would love to solicit your input in any match day preview/review when FC Ryukyu and Tokyo Verdy square off if you wouldn’t mind.

I wouldn’t mind it at all.

Q. Speaking of 2019, that was a truly exciting match the first time that FC Ryukyu faced Tokyo Verdy in April 2019. The return leg in Okinawa made me want to vomit though as we would lose that match, plus the remaining 3 games at home in 2019 while being outscored 11-3 in that small stretch! But, that first game over a year ago was exciting.

I saw the highlights on the JLeague YouTube page and that first game as a Verdy fan was a sickener when FC Ryukyu equalized in injury time but the away game was a big win with a hat-trick for a Verdy player. As a fan of Spennymoor it’s happened this season with a 3-0 loss away to Kings Lynn but a 5-1 win over Gloucester City at home – football can be full of highs and lows.

Well said brother. The emotional roller-coaster ride every week makes football great.

You can see all of Chris’s work on these matches at the links below.

https://verdyunofficialenglish.wordpress.com/2019/04/12/matchday-9-2019-season-preview-tokyo-verdy-v-fc-ryukyu/

https://verdyunofficialenglish.wordpress.com/2019/04/18/matchday-9-2019-season-review-tokyo-verdy-1-1-fc-ryukyu/

https://verdyunofficialenglish.wordpress.com/2019/10/11/matchday-36-2019-season-preview-fc-ryukyu-v-tokyo-verdy

https://verdyunofficialenglish.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/matchday-36-2019-season-review-fc-ryukyu-1-5-tokyo-verdy/

Q. What was your outlook for Tokyo Verdy heading into the 2020 season? What transfers, in and out, really impacted the squad this year?

It’s kind of hard to know only after one game being played before the halt due to COVID-19. I really don’t know how the new players will impact the team but Verdy usually have a fair few player coming in and going out with some of them coming in from their fantastic Youth teams. I hope Verdy finish in the top 10 this year but I’d prefer they fight for the playoffs after a few seasons of getting into the top 6 but finishing 13th place last year.

It seems so many questions still surround the restart of the season, where games will be played if broken down geographically and then of course, how promotion will work.

Q. So, what have you been doing to occupy your time during this “interim” period between Verdy matches?

Getting into football in other countries that are still playing despite what is going on in the world right now with CV-19. For example, I’ve started watching football from Belarus and South Korea since it’s been strange to have no football occurring at all in the UK but football, but there is talk of restarting behind closed doors here.

Q. Tokyo Verdy were founded in 1969 (as Yomiuri FC). I am not sure if that makes them one of the oldest, or oldest, remaining clubs still in existence today but that is a lengthy history. What are some of the more memorable, and forgettable moments, in the club’s long history?

Yes, it’s a long history for Verdy or as Yomiuri FC when it started in 1969. It was Yomiuri who made the rapid rise into the JSL (Japan Soccer League) Second Division and winning 2 titles and getting promoted to the JSL First Division and winning 5 titles. Then the JLeague started in 1993 (winning the JLeague Cup in 1992) and winning 2 league titles as Verdy Kawasaki along with winning a couple of Emperors Cup’s along the way have provided some great moments for this club.

But the forgettable moments began with having to leave the Kawasaki area after low crowds and then relegation from J1. Though they only spent 2 seasons in J2 and returned to the J1 for 1 season before being relegated again in 2009 and have remained in the J2 ever since. It hasn’t been all bad for Verdy in J2 – even though the average crowds is lower than you would want- Verdy has had some success in J2 recently .

I took in a Tokyo Verdy vs Ehime FC match last year at the Ajinomoto and it has to be nearly impossible for Verdy to fill that stadium each week due to the overall size. Not sure if they’d prefer playing at one of the smaller pitches That would make for a better atmosphere or they simply won’t based on the history of the club and some perceived notion that they must play in the Ajinomoto as an original plank-holder of the J-league.

Q. Considering that Tokyo Verdy has been around for 51 years, who are their bitter rivals and what makes for the best derby match?

Probably Verdy’s rivals are their fellow Tokyo side at Ajinomoto Stadium, FC Tokyo, along with JEF United Chiba and FC Machida Zelvia.

Q. I see that you also do some work on the women’s national league here in Japan, the Nadeshiko League. How did you begin following women’s football and do you follow Women’s Football throughout Europe as well? I ask, as I would assume the European Leagues, and not sure which one in particular, have some of the best women’s players in the world?

I did a bit of research on Verdy and also did some research on the team in NTV Beleza who were formed in 1981 as Yomiuri SC Ladies Beleza. They are probably the most successful Women’s team in Japan having won Division 1 of the Nadeshiko League a whopping 17 times and finishing runner up 12 times. They have also won the Empress Cup 14 times, league cup 7 times and even the Super Cup twice and done the domestic treble twice (2007 and 2018).

As England have the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship – women’s football has been growing a lot in England’s top Women’s leagues and all the way down to the local leagues in each region. I’m really glad the women’s game is actually getting more support.

Q. If not mentioned earlier, what other sports and teams do you support? (if you like esports as well that’s great)

FC Krumkachy (Belarus First Division).

Wasn’t expecting that, nice answer.

Q. What is a typical match day routine for you in England with the J-League and whatever other teams you follow?

Matchday for Spennymoor home games begins with me waking up and having breakfast and listening to the radio until about 12pm. I then get dressed in my typical match day attire consisting of trousers/polo shirt, jumper and a nice pair of shoes. I then get a lift down to the football ground around 1pm and have a meeting with the stewards before getting ready to receive the fans coming to the ground.

I prepare the match day programs to sell to people and then at a certain time I go off to start recording the players and officials coming out of the tunnel. After the match, I’ll head to the tunnel to a get an interview with the management and/or a player(s) and then give the SD Card to my media man so he can do the highlights for YouTube

For away games it begins by going to the pub before catching the bus that takes us to the game where ever it maybe. I’ll pick up my media pass/ticket for the media area where I will film the game and then leaving the footage with the media team before heading back home and returning to the pub where I started the day.

Match days are quite busy for you it seems. Love the pub routine on the book ends of the away trip.

Q. What has been Tokyo Verdy’s best kit throughout it’s history? (Have a pic?)

There are a couple of famous Yomiuri FC kits that look so nice but it’s kind of tough to really choose but I got my own shirt, it was the 2015 Tokyo Verdy home shirt.

Pic?

Q. It seems at times that Verdy can get a lot of Shtick when it comes to results and promotion. Why is that? Is this a side that many like to hate or a just unfortunate at times which has developed its own reputation?

I guess it was because Verdy were such big name in back in the 90’s and now they are struggling to secure promotion or large crowds in the J2. But a lot of teams in any country start off small and then grow big and some teams struggle with low crowd sizes or other things like financial problems.

I am experiencing all of that right now -as far as from a financial and crowd size perspective – for FC Ryukyu.

It’s a real shame for those who follow Verdy through with all these ups and downs for the club but they support the team through thick and the thin. And they love going to Verdy games to fly the green flags and supporting the players through it all.

Q. I missed a massive opportunity when I was in England to partake in some pies from the birthplace of these delectable items. For a guy whose only ever eaten a pie in Thailand from an Expat restaurant, or the frozen type out of the Japanese Max Value, please describe the best kind of pie and the best way to eat one of these things?

As a vegetarian of 30 years, it’s tough for me to even have any sort of pie when it comes to the meat sort. As a dish I usually have is vegetables and Yorkshire puddings – it’s really the best as my parents make some lovely Yorkshire puddings.

Q. Since we are on the subject of food, what are some of the best places to eat where you live and what are their specialties?

Frankie and Benny’s or TGI Friday’s is usually where me and the family go. But there are some great Italian/American restaurants here, but if we stop off when the driver needs a break then it’s McDonalds, WHSmith’s or Burger King or something else like that.

Q. Who is your favorite player in the 2020 Tokyo Verdy squad and who is your all-time favorite to dawn the green?

Takahiro Shibasaki – Goalkeeper – Number 1 – as a bit of a goalkeeper when I was younger, I always go for the goalkeepers, so Shibasaki is my pick and he’s currently probably one of the longest serving players at Verdy. But Verdy has some really good players in the squad this year.

All-time favorite players have to be Naoto Kamifukumoto – another goalkeeper, just the name stands out and he really didn’t miss many games in the 2018 and the 2019 seasons (played 42 times each season). Another player was Alan Pinheiro – probably one of my favorite forwards at Verdy and scored a fair amount of goals before he left for fellow Tokyo team in JEF United Chiba.

Q. In your opinion, how well does the club release information to the fans across their official accounts and web pages and what would you like them to change/address in the future?

Verdy actually do a good job releasing information regarding the season tickets or players signing/being released/signing a new contract etc. Tokyo Verdy’s website also has English/Spanish/Brazilian/Thai languages in addition to Japanese, so it’s makes for a fantastic experience for many readers looking to find any info regarding the history of the cub or match day info.

The 5 language options are very impressive.

Q. Also, have you had any contact with the club, in any form for any reason once you’ve started your blog or as a supporter?

Not really, I got a follow back which I’m very happy about and I’ve had a retweet from the official account regarding the 4-3 win over FC Gifu a few seasons ago and that’s about it.

That’s solid.

Q. Have you met any famous footballers (J-League or other) during your time as a fan of the sport?

Peter Reid (opened one of the main stands at Spennymoor United), Peter Beardsley (been at a few Spennymoor Town games last season) and I’m sure there have been a few players for teams like Middlesbrough/Newcastle/Sunderland who have had pre-season games here that I may have bumped into.

Q. Tell us the name of the podcasts/twitter Football accounts, outside of the J-League, you follow and why we need to as well?

For podcasts it’s usually the World Football Phone In, The Peter Crouch Podcast, Fighting Talk and BBC F1 Podcasts – a lot of BBC podcasts usually and for video games is Dreamcast Junkyard Podcast and for non-league football – it’s the Non-League Football Show.

Q. How has life changed for you and friends and family during these difficult and unprecedented times with COVID-19?

For me personally, life hasn’t changed all that much. Like everyone else being stuck inside their house, I’ve had to deal with life without football.

For the family, it’s affected my dad from going to work but he can still work from home, but my mom cannot go out and help her mother and friends with anything like shopping or cleaning the house like she normally would.

Missing my friends at the football club but there are some people at the football club that have continued to take care of the football pitch and any other things that need doing when football does return.

The floor Is yours Chris. Please talk/discuss/point out anything you wish.

A genuine thank you to you for letting me do this interview – please make sure you and your family and friends stay safe as well. Let’s hope we can get through this really strange time and go back to seeing football but most of all, taking care of people/family and friends.

Well said.

Well, Chris, it was an absolute pleasure. Please stay safe and I hope the long layoff between Tokyo Verdy matches can rekindle the fire you had for producing the Tokyo Verdy Match Day Previews and Reviews. You can follow Chris at his two Twitter accounts of @Verdy_Eng and @JLeagueFanChris along with his Tokyo Verdy Blog, https://verdyunofficialenglish.wordpress.com. Until next time; stay safe, stay at home and let’s all kick this COVID-19 thing together!