There’s nothing more legendary than seeing something becoming a worldwide attraction, the property of everyone, globally. J. League is trying to achieve that, but to do so, you need a global fanbase. And it’s there, although its numbers can certainly rise. In this series of pieces – which will all fall under the label “J. League Worldwide”, we’re trying to tell the personal and professional stories of Japanese football fans all over the world.
Before introducing the eleventh instalment of the series, I want to remind the efforts of Stuart Smith in starting this column (you can find him @Sushi_Football on Twitter, doing a good job in spreading the word for J.League). Twenty-five episodes are done, and in the last one – published a few weeks ago – we talked with Alex (@alexcobra11) about his long-standing passion for the J.League and his support for Kashima Antlers.
And if you can read here his interview with us, for Episode number 26 (and probably for the first time in this column), we don’t have to change country. It’s Italy again, with the land of calcio being torn about missing a third consecutive FIFA World Cup. And that’s when you have to run to find a replacement, your team to support in those hot summer days and with a tough time difference to overcome.
And that’s where Daniele came into play, because he’s been passionate about Japanese football for a long time. So much he’s been able to write about it professionally – being one of the historical authors at “L’Ultimo Uomo”, a sports editorial project with more than a decade of life in Italy – and to follow it personally, despite the distance separating him from the Land of the Rising Sun.
a) Where are you from and when did you first start following the J. League?
I’m an Italian millennial from Rome, so the arrival of Hidetoshi Nakata to Italy and to the Serie A with his successful stint at AS Roma had a big impact on me. Thanks to Nakata, I started following that emerging generation in the national team and because almost all of them played in the J.League, I started following the league as well.
I must say it wasn’t easy, the Internet wasn’t the one of today, but we had a period in which you could even find some matches on the Italian tv sports channels, and that helped a lot.
b) Do you have a favourite team or player?
I always had an affinity with Kawasaki Frontale because of the style of play they implemented years ago with short passes and technique as the core, and the fact that they always had a skilful regista at the centre of it all: at first it was Kengo Nakamura, then Ryota Oshima and now they have Yuto Ozeki in the roster. I also have a soft spot for JEF United Chiba because of the combo of shirt and crest (my favourite in the J.League) and Kyoto Sanga.
And speaking about skilful players my favourite player has always been Shinji Ono; to me he’s still the most talented Japanese player of all time. A joy to watch because of his creativity, a genius not only in the nickname. Of the current players my favourite is Yuya Osako, in terms of style for a striker and for his charisma.
c) We’re used to seeing a lot of coverage around football here in Europe or South America. A tendency growing as well in North America and Asia. How do you keep up with the news regarding the league?
One of the reasons why I started a Twitter account in 2014 was to be able to better follow the J.League, so I would put it as a first source of info. Recently the official YouTube channel of the league with the games free to watch in Italy and the highlights are a must for me. To keep up I also listen to the podcast “The J-Talk Podcast” by Ben Maxwell and I particularly enjoy reading the tactics newsletter “Shogun Soccer” by Ryo Nakagawara.
d) Have you ever been to Japan for some matches? If so, how was the impact? And if not, which match and which aspect are you longing for the most?
I have been on my only trip to Japan 10 years ago. It was a Kawasaki Frontale home game and surprisingly the feeling I had was similar to the one of a Bundesliga match: friendly atmosphere, tifo with loop chants, official merchandise everywhere and amazing food options.
e) From your point of view, how do you think the J. League has been perceived in your own country? And there’s a space to improve the image of the league around the world, just like they’re trying to do?
The J.League in Italy was never actually taken seriously and now is seen as a box of curiosity to open when something peculiar pups up, more than an actual competitive league. I have to say that the main reason is that the general level of football is not the same as a big European league and that in Italy makes it a difficult sell. For me the fact that so many talented players leave the league as soon as they show some promise is the main problem.
Obviously, this exodus of players has helped the growth of the national team and the J.League is now seen as a hot spot for emerging talent, but it has as well created an absence of actual stars in their primes that can bring interest to the league.
We want to thank Daniele for his time – he’s been a huge supporter of Japanese football, and you can read him in Italian about football and basketball at the “L’Ultimo Uomo” (here) or visit his Twitter account (@DanVMor). We hope to bring you soon Episode 27, so stay tuned!
