J2 – Page 13 – J.League Regista

Regional previews: Kansai

Kansai is the area usually defined as Kyoto in the east, to Kobe/Hyogo in the west. And this year it is a hotbed of interesting storylines. We are starting this…

Regional previews: Hokkaido & Tohoku

In doing a preview of the season, we are going to break it down into bite-sized, regional chunks. We are starting from the north and are going to work all…

¡Hola! – to the managers in J2

In the first of two parts, J.League Regista investigates the sudden Spanish speaking influence in Japan’s J.League 2… When you think about foreign players & coaches in the J.League, thoughts…

The Master of Promotion

Shinji Kobayashi. You might not know his name, but you might recognize his work. Here, @nellosplendor looks at the career of the promotion specialist. Sometimes it’s amazing how life makes…

J2: The Final Day

This Sunday promises to be a momentous day in Japan’s second tier. At the top, it is a high stakes game of musical chairs, as three teams try to fit…

J2 – The final straight

Whilst J1 wrapped up last Saturday (well, the regular season wrapped up, the ‘Championship Stage’ is yet to come….), the promotion & relegation races in the Japanese second tier are…

A Goalkeeper’s Tale

It isn’t easy being a goalkeeper. The last line of defence is always the loneliest, and there is no hiding place.

Fukuoka Pride

We all know about the “derby” situation in Japan. You have the “real” ones that are borne out of proximity and have grown organically over time. Examples of these would…

The Kumamoto Comeback

On Sunday June 26, Roasso Kumamoto scored a last kick winner to beat FC Gifu 3-2 away from home. In a regular season, you’d think it would be one of…

The Rough (football) guide to….Okayama

So you want to visit Okayama for some football and possibly some sightseeing? And you don’t have the foggiest idea how to go about doing it? No worries. @FortressNozuta recently…