2018 Regista Awards: J2 League

Among the three pro-divisions of Japanese football, J2 is certainly the craziest one. A long season, but still close calls in the end, with all promotion spots to be assigned in Matchday 42. I sat down with some J2-experts and we assigned some awards for this tremendous season. Let’s start!

BEST TEAM – Machida Zelvia (69%)

2. Oita Trinita
3. Renofa Yamaguchi

The first two seasons after promotion from J3 were strange for Machida Zelvia: in 2016 they almost locked a play-off spot, then they fell hard in 2017, finishing far away from the results of the previous year. No one was expecting particular performances from them, but a good manager and a certain structure gave them an unexpected season.

FLOP TEAM – JEF United Chiba (57%)

2. Omiya Ardija
3. Avispa Fukuoka

You would say that missing the POs was hard for Fukuoka and that Omiya Ardija were tipped to be promoted back to J1 directly, but JEF United Chiba have lived another strange year. This time, not even POs; just a sad mid-table finish with many uncomfortable moments and the patience of the fans that seems running then in these days. Esnaider have been confirmed, but you have to wonder: why?

MVP – Taiki Hirato, Machida Zelvia (60%)

2-tied. Leandro Domingues (Yokohama FC) & Ado Onaiwu (Renofa Yamaguchi)

I think Kashima Antlers can’t wait to see him in action back to the base. Alongside Sugimoto, Kakita and other players on loan, Hirato has silently raised his game and you have to wonder if a spot next to Léo Silva is what comes after such a MVP season with Machida.

BEST GOALKEEPER – Masaki Fukui (75%)

2. Victor (FC Gifu)
3. Junki Kanayama (Fagiano Okayama)

Fukui has won by a landslide for two reasons. First: Machida had a proud starter like Takahara and Fukui was able to replace him. Second: he did some really good saves this season.

MIP – Tatsuya Tanaka, Roasso Kumamoto (100%)

2-tied. Seigo Kobayashi (Montedio Yamagata) & Hidetoshi Miyuki (Renofa Yamaguchi)

I’d have personally given more credit to Miyuki (who has been a driving force for Shinoda’s brand of football in Yamaguchi), but there’s no doubt that Tanaka was the light in a tough relegation for Roasso Kumamoto. And there’s no doubt that he might be a bargain for Gamba Osaka, his new club.

BEST ROOKIE – Arata Watanabe, Albirex Niigata (43%)

2. Noriaki Fujimoto (Oita Trinita)
3. Ryotaro Ito (Mito HollyHock)

Even in the worst of times for Albirex Niigata in 2018 – and there have been, really! –, Watanabe was a good discover for the fans and the managers who have trained him. Who knows if Season 2 of his career is going to be as good as his debut one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VHeOi1WsHk

BEST SIGNING (no loans) – Noriaki Fujimoto: from Kagoshima United FC to Oita Trinita (57%)

2. Tatsuya Morita: from Albirex Niigata to Matsumoto Yamaga
3. Yuji Hoshi: from Renofa Yamaguchi to Oita Trinita

I’ve been already long enough on Fujimoto. I think he could be even a pick for JNT, class-wise. He showed such a profound comprehension of the game that J2 fits him tight. Maybe too tight; maybe he’ll surprise us again in J1 next year.

BEST GOAL (tied: 40%) – Masaki Miyasaka @ Kamatamare Sanuki & Ado Onaiwu @ Omiya Ardija

3. Yusuke Goto v Fagiano Okayama

My personal choice would have been Goto’s, but two great goals deserve recognition. And a tie isn’t easy to witness in this category!

BEST MANAGER – Naoki Soma, Machida Zelvia (75%)

2. Kenta Kawai (Ehime FC)
3. Masahiro Shinoda (Renofa Yamaguchi)

Despite Kenta Kawai made the miracle of the year IMHO (Ehime were a solid candidate to go down and face a possible derby with Imabari in 2019 J3), Naoki Soma’s journey has probably reached a turning point. He might stay in Machida, but he seems now ready to take his vendetta against the fate and the short time he has been at the helm of Kawasaki Frontale in 2012.

BEST MOMENT – Tulio escorting a Roasso-player out (36%)

2. Oguro’s 100^th goal in J2
3. Omiya’s PK-routine

The fight was tight, but Tulio has been and always will be a legend. Even for these episodes.

I wanna thank @sushi_football and @CharlieFR for their support in these polls; I wanna also thank @J2KantoBites, because he has been an inspiration to follow J2 and I’m sure he’ll join us next year (maybe with JEF United Chiba in better conditions than now).

Stay tuned for next week, when we’ll talk about J3 League Awards!