English name - Japanese name - 2006 finishing position
Club Dragons - クラブドラゴンズ - Ibaraki Prefectural League
Furukawa Electrics Chiba - 古河電工千葉 - 3rd
Hanno Bruder - 飯能ブルーダー - 8th, Division 1
Kanagawa Teachers - 神奈川県教員 - 6th
MSDF Atsugi Marcus - MSDF 厚木マーカス - 7th, Division 1
Nirasaki Astros - 韮崎アストロス - 4th
Ome FC - 青梅ＦＣ - 5th
Yonoshu-kai - 与野蹴魂会 - Saitama Prefectural League
Club Dragons - クラブドラゴンズ - Ibaraki Prefectural League
Furukawa Electrics Chiba - 古河電工千葉 - 3rd
Hanno Bruder - 飯能ブルーダー - 8th, Division 1
Kanagawa Teachers - 神奈川県教員 - 6th
MSDF Atsugi Marcus - MSDF 厚木マーカス - 7th, Division 1
Nirasaki Astros - 韮崎アストロス - 4th
Ome FC - 青梅ＦＣ - 5th
Yonoshu-kai - 与野蹴魂会 - Saitama Prefectural League
English name - Japanese name - 2006 finishing position
FC Machida Zelvia - ＦＣ町田ゼルビア - Winners, Division 2
Hitachi Tochigi Uva - 日立栃木・UVASC - Runners-up, Division 2
Luminozo Sayama - ルミノッソ狭山 - Runners-up
Saitama SC - 埼玉ＳＣ - 4th
Toho Titanium - 東邦チタニウム - 6th
Toshiba Fuchu - TFSC - 5th
Yaita SC - 矢板ＳＣ - 3rd
YSCC - YSCC - Champions
FC Machida Zelvia - ＦＣ町田ゼルビア - Winners, Division 2
Hitachi Tochigi Uva - 日立栃木・UVASC - Runners-up, Division 2
Luminozo Sayama - ルミノッソ狭山 - Runners-up
Saitama SC - 埼玉ＳＣ - 4th
Toho Titanium - 東邦チタニウム - 6th
Toshiba Fuchu - TFSC - 5th
Yaita SC - 矢板ＳＣ - 3rd
YSCC - YSCC - Champions
... not yet decided. As reported here on JNFN some months ago, J-League hopefuls Tochigi SC indicated that they would be seeking suggestions from supporters as to a new club name which would serve to inspire them in making the step up from the JFL.
However, Tochigi officals have recently confirmed that for the 2007 season they will keep the existing name and will instead look to make a decision in the autumn with the intention of making a change for 2008. It is believed that a shortlisting process will identify five candidates in the summer, including the possibility of retaining long-term the current moniker.
However, Tochigi officals have recently confirmed that for the 2007 season they will keep the existing name and will instead look to make a decision in the autumn with the intention of making a change for 2008. It is believed that a shortlisting process will identify five candidates in the summer, including the possibility of retaining long-term the current moniker.
Tohoku League Division 1 runners-up Grulla Morioka have announced the startling signing of 21-year-old Taiwanese international keeper Lu Kun-Chi in what is believed to be the first instance of a player from that country moving to play abroad, never mind in Japan. As a teenager, Lu participated in the Asian qualification tournaments for both the Olympics and the World Cup and is nicknamed "the Taiwanese Buffon".
The transfer to Grulla from the China Steel club has come about due to the increasing Japanese influence on football in Taiwan, where the national team is now coached by experienced former Kawasaki Frontale boss Toshiaki Imai. In the summer of 2005, ex-Jubilo Iwata coach Masakazu Suzuki visited the island to deliver a series of lectures and to hold a number of trials for promising young players.
Yer man Lu
Shortly afterwards, Lu went to Japan himself for trials with Yokohama FC and JEF United and despite being rejected by both clubs returned for a further test at Yokohama F Marinos. In the end, Lu has finally managed to arrange a contract beginning in April 2007 with the fourth-tier Grulla, who are hoping to capitalise on the success of local rivals TDK Akita to reach the JFL and then achieve their long-term goal of a J-League place in 2010.
The transfer to Grulla from the China Steel club has come about due to the increasing Japanese influence on football in Taiwan, where the national team is now coached by experienced former Kawasaki Frontale boss Toshiaki Imai. In the summer of 2005, ex-Jubilo Iwata coach Masakazu Suzuki visited the island to deliver a series of lectures and to hold a number of trials for promising young players.
Yer man Lu
Shortly afterwards, Lu went to Japan himself for trials with Yokohama FC and JEF United and despite being rejected by both clubs returned for a further test at Yokohama F Marinos. In the end, Lu has finally managed to arrange a contract beginning in April 2007 with the fourth-tier Grulla, who are hoping to capitalise on the success of local rivals TDK Akita to reach the JFL and then achieve their long-term goal of a J-League place in 2010.
Rosso Kumamoto have announced the extension until 31st January 2008 of their loan deal with Shimizu S-Pulse striker Shinji Suzuki... defender Takayoshi Toda and forward Keigo Kamata have joined SC Tottori from Shonan Bellmare and Hannan University respectively.
After the disappointment of their dismal showing in the Regional League Championship Winners' Play-off tournament, Banditonce Kobe have announced that no fewer than nine of their squad members have been let go at the end of their contracts. Goalkeeper Taiji Furuta returns to J2 side Tokushima Vortis following his loan spell, but the other eight will all have to find new deals elsewhere.
They are defensive pair Keita Fukuda and Kim Myon Hi; midfield players Kenki Tsuyama, Shohei Kamada - formerly with Tokushima - and Yasuharu Otsuka; and finally forwards Mitsutoshi Watada, Hideyuki Yoshizawa and ex-Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Avispa Fukuoka man Kazuyoshi Matsunaga.
They are defensive pair Keita Fukuda and Kim Myon Hi; midfield players Kenki Tsuyama, Shohei Kamada - formerly with Tokushima - and Yasuharu Otsuka; and finally forwards Mitsutoshi Watada, Hideyuki Yoshizawa and ex-Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Avispa Fukuoka man Kazuyoshi Matsunaga.
Hokushinetsu League Division 1 side Fervorosa Ishikawa Hakusan have announced their first major signing in preparation for 2007. Yutaro Abe is a 22-year-old forward who moves to the club from Yokohama F Marinos, although he has spent the last two seasons on loan at J2 outfit Montedio Yamagata.
Abe made his J-League debut for Marinos at the age of just eighteen and his footballing CV also boasts international appearances for Japan at every age group from U15 to U20. Seeking more playing time than a fringe player at one of the country's biggest clubs could expect, he joined Yamagata and in 2005 played 27 league games, scoring five goals. In the season just finished, however, Abe made only seven appearances, squeezed out by the arrival of star Brazilian Leandro.
Yutaro Abe and some dodgy geezer
Fervorosa will be hoping that his arrival in Ishikawa will serve to make the team more able to cope with life in the fiercely competitive Hokushinetsu League. 2006 saw them end up fifth out of eight teams, well off the pace of the likes of Matsumoto Yamaga Club and title winners Japan Soccer College.
Abe made his J-League debut for Marinos at the age of just eighteen and his footballing CV also boasts international appearances for Japan at every age group from U15 to U20. Seeking more playing time than a fringe player at one of the country's biggest clubs could expect, he joined Yamagata and in 2005 played 27 league games, scoring five goals. In the season just finished, however, Abe made only seven appearances, squeezed out by the arrival of star Brazilian Leandro.
Yutaro Abe and some dodgy geezer
Fervorosa will be hoping that his arrival in Ishikawa will serve to make the team more able to cope with life in the fiercely competitive Hokushinetsu League. 2006 saw them end up fifth out of eight teams, well off the pace of the likes of Matsumoto Yamaga Club and title winners Japan Soccer College.
Hokushinetsu League Division 2 side Toyama Shinjo Club have announced the appointment of Tadashi Takemoto as their new coach. Takemoto spent his playing career with Shinjo and has subsequently gone on to coach at High School and University level, although last year his career took on an altogether more surprising dimension when he took charge of the national team of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands.
Toyama Shinjo Club were formed as long ago as 1968, their players coming from amongst the pool of local graduates. For fully 35 years, they participated in suburban and city leagues, as recently as 2003 deciding to take things more seriously and aim for the Regional League. A revamped squad took the Toyama Prefectural League title the following year and gained promotion to Division 2 of the Hokushinetsu League.
There Shinjo made an immediate impact, finishing 2005 as runners-up to Matsumoto Yamaga Club. They nevertheless just lost out in a promotion / relegation play-off with Niigata University of Management and the 2006 campaign was a major disappointment in comparison as Shinjo slumped to a sixth-place finish.
With neighbours Valiente Toyama having moved up to Division 1 and aiming to provide a credible challenge from their home prefecture at Regional level, Takemoto will in the forthcoming season need to work hard to keep motivation levels high amongst his players. But Division 2 looks wide open and Shinjo may still be able to fight for a promotion place.
Toyama Shinjo Club were formed as long ago as 1968, their players coming from amongst the pool of local graduates. For fully 35 years, they participated in suburban and city leagues, as recently as 2003 deciding to take things more seriously and aim for the Regional League. A revamped squad took the Toyama Prefectural League title the following year and gained promotion to Division 2 of the Hokushinetsu League.
There Shinjo made an immediate impact, finishing 2005 as runners-up to Matsumoto Yamaga Club. They nevertheless just lost out in a promotion / relegation play-off with Niigata University of Management and the 2006 campaign was a major disappointment in comparison as Shinjo slumped to a sixth-place finish.
With neighbours Valiente Toyama having moved up to Division 1 and aiming to provide a credible challenge from their home prefecture at Regional level, Takemoto will in the forthcoming season need to work hard to keep motivation levels high amongst his players. But Division 2 looks wide open and Shinjo may still be able to fight for a promotion place.
In front of a home crowd of more than 3000 on Saturday afternoon, FC Gifu coasted past Honda Lock in the second leg of their play-off to reach the JFL for 2007. After a 4-0 win in the away game last weekend it would have taken a stunning result for Gifu to have thrown it away, but a goal from forward Atsushi Katagiri mid-way through the first half settled any nerves that his side might have had.
The same player was on target again just after the hour and further late scores from Hiromi Kojima and Tetsuya Ito confirmed the superiority of Tokai League champions Gifu. Lock managed a consolation in the dying moments through top scorer Shoma Mizunaga, but after a disappointing league campaign and two crushing defeats in the play-offs, the Miyazaki-based outfit slip out of the JFL and back to fourth-tier football in the Kyushu League.
Atsushi Katagiri in action against rubbishy old Honda Lock
General scenes of Gifu-esque merriment
Sat 23 Dec: FC Gifu 4-1 Honda Lock (FC Gifu win 8-1 on aggregate)
The same player was on target again just after the hour and further late scores from Hiromi Kojima and Tetsuya Ito confirmed the superiority of Tokai League champions Gifu. Lock managed a consolation in the dying moments through top scorer Shoma Mizunaga, but after a disappointing league campaign and two crushing defeats in the play-offs, the Miyazaki-based outfit slip out of the JFL and back to fourth-tier football in the Kyushu League.
Atsushi Katagiri in action against rubbishy old Honda Lock
General scenes of Gifu-esque merriment
Sat 23 Dec: FC Gifu 4-1 Honda Lock (FC Gifu win 8-1 on aggregate)
Osaka's Hannan University Club will compete on 14 January with Kumiyama FC from Kyoto for the one automatic promotion place to Division 2 of the Kansai League. The two sides won their Prefectural Promotional Play-off Semi-Finals on Saturday against Estrela Tsuda and Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai respectively. The losing team in the January Final will then take on Kohga School for the last spot in the Regional League for 2007.
Sat 23 Dec: Hannan University Club 3-1 Estrela Tsuda
Sat 23 Dec: Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai 0-4 Kumiyama FC
Sat 23 Dec: Hannan University Club 3-1 Estrela Tsuda
Sat 23 Dec: Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai 0-4 Kumiyama FC
Rosso Kumamoto have announced two pre-season friendlies against J-League clubs, that will be staged as part of celebrations to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Kumamoto Castle. They play J1 newcomers Yokohama FC on Sat 10 Feb and Jubilo Iwata on Sun 18 Feb.
Hiroki Kishida, a leading light in YKK AP's forward line over the last couple of years, has moved back to Vissel Kobe, newly promoted back to J1... midfielder Daishiro Hara and ex-Yokohama FC defender Shunsuke Mori have also left the Toyama club... on 13 January, FC Kariya will host a selection event to try to identify new players for 2007. It will also be attended by scouts from other JFL clubs YKK AP, Yokogawa Musashino, Rosso Kumamoto, Alo's Hokuriku, SC Tottori, JEF Club and Ryutsu Keizai University...
After a disastrous first year at JFL level, in which they won just six out of 34 matches, FC Ryukyu have stunned the world of Japanese non-league football with the announcement of their new coach. Following the departure at the end of the season of Jorge Yonashiro, the ambitious Okinawans have snapped up none other than outgoing Honda FC boss Hideo Yoshizawa.
Yoshizawa is only 34 but has spent the last two years in charge at Honda. Previously he fulfilled a role on the Hamamatsu-based side's coaching staff and prior to that was a member of the first team squad as a defender for fully ten years, having originally joined Honda in 1991. 2007 will therefore provide for Yoshizawa a very different challenge, having won the JFL at a canter with a club very well established at this level of football and in an environment with which he was naturally very familiar.
In contrast, Ryukyu struggled to assert themselves after promotion from the Kyushu League, despite an apparently reasonable squad and a consistently good level of support. With this single appointment, though, the club have taken a gamble, but at the same time confirmed their determination to progress towards the ultimate ambition of a J-League place.
Yoshizawa is only 34 but has spent the last two years in charge at Honda. Previously he fulfilled a role on the Hamamatsu-based side's coaching staff and prior to that was a member of the first team squad as a defender for fully ten years, having originally joined Honda in 1991. 2007 will therefore provide for Yoshizawa a very different challenge, having won the JFL at a canter with a club very well established at this level of football and in an environment with which he was naturally very familiar.
In contrast, Ryukyu struggled to assert themselves after promotion from the Kyushu League, despite an apparently reasonable squad and a consistently good level of support. With this single appointment, though, the club have taken a gamble, but at the same time confirmed their determination to progress towards the ultimate ambition of a J-League place.
Okinawa Kariyushi have announced the departure of fully half their 2006 first team in what amounts to a no-holds-barred clear-out at the end of what has in fact been a reasonably successful Kyushu League season. Nine players - including five regular starters - have left the club, who bounced back from an eighth place finish in 2005 to re-establish themselves as a competitive team at Regional level.
Football in the Okinawa archipelago finds itself in something of a state of flux at the moment, at the end of an unexpectedly turbulent season at neighbours FC Ryukyu. Kariyushi meanwhile seemed to be returning to an even keel after having collapsed as a result of their failure to reach the JFL several seasons ago, but fans will have to wait and see if such a drastic change as has just occurred reaps rewards next year.
Football in the Okinawa archipelago finds itself in something of a state of flux at the moment, at the end of an unexpectedly turbulent season at neighbours FC Ryukyu. Kariyushi meanwhile seemed to be returning to an even keel after having collapsed as a result of their failure to reach the JFL several seasons ago, but fans will have to wait and see if such a drastic change as has just occurred reaps rewards next year.
In the Hokushinetsu League during 2006, there were supposed to be a good four teams in with a chance of taking the title in one of the closest of the nine Regional Leagues. Japan Soccer College, Matsumoto Yamaga Club and Nagano Elsa all participated in a thrilling championship race - but Zweigen Kanazawa slipped out of contention almost immediately to end up a distant fourth, a disaster for their sponsors and management, given the expense incurred in relaunching the club from their previous Kanazawa SC manifestation.
There has since the end of the season been some evidence of first-team players being allowed to leave the Ishikawa-based side and fans will have been concerned about the stability of the organisation, given the failure in recent years of the likes of Grulla Morioka and most obviously Okinawa Kariyushi. A more positive recent move, however, is the engagement as Zweigen coach of former Matsushita Electric player Shinobu Ikeda, who has previously coached the Japan women's team before moving into club football at Gunma FC Horikoshi. Indeed, he oversaw their promotion from the Kanto League to the JFL in 2003, a promotion which earned him the job of coach at Avispa Fukuoka.
The Hokushinetsu League may be a tough one to win, but it is an even more difficult competition to get out of in an upwards direction, as demonstrated by the poor record of clubs from that part of Japan in the Regional League Championship Winners' Play-off. One of the challenges facing Ikeda for next season, therefore, is to make Zweigen competitive not only at Regional level, but also to improve the overall quality to the point where his new team can look to compete on a national stage.
There has since the end of the season been some evidence of first-team players being allowed to leave the Ishikawa-based side and fans will have been concerned about the stability of the organisation, given the failure in recent years of the likes of Grulla Morioka and most obviously Okinawa Kariyushi. A more positive recent move, however, is the engagement as Zweigen coach of former Matsushita Electric player Shinobu Ikeda, who has previously coached the Japan women's team before moving into club football at Gunma FC Horikoshi. Indeed, he oversaw their promotion from the Kanto League to the JFL in 2003, a promotion which earned him the job of coach at Avispa Fukuoka.
The Hokushinetsu League may be a tough one to win, but it is an even more difficult competition to get out of in an upwards direction, as demonstrated by the poor record of clubs from that part of Japan in the Regional League Championship Winners' Play-off. One of the challenges facing Ikeda for next season, therefore, is to make Zweigen competitive not only at Regional level, but also to improve the overall quality to the point where his new team can look to compete on a national stage.
Coach Jorge Yonashiro has already departed the club following FC Ryukyu's very disappointing first year in the JFL - but it's just been announced that no fewer than nine players have followed him out of Okinawa. The biggest name to leave is defender Christiano, a regular in the first team and one of the few members of the squad who more or less managed to live up to the pre-season hopes of Ryukyu's army of fans.
But substitute striker Tatico follows him back to Brazil and Bruno also vacates the squad, which is sure to have a very different look to it in 2007, as the club work towards their ambition of J-League associate membership and a purpose-built 10,000 seater stadium. The other departures in the meantime are goalkeeper Shota Wada; defender Jun Kato, who has experience in Brazil; young midfield player Kenshiro Higa; Sho Tajima, a midfielder formerly with Kyushu League side Kaiho Bank; well-travelled forward Shinji Fujiyoshi; and striker Tomoki Oguri.
English name - Japanese name - 2006 finishing position
Fagiano Okayama - ファジアーノ岡山FC - Champions
FC Central Chugoku - FCセントラル中国 - 2nd
Hiroshima Fujita SC - 広島フジタSC - 5th
Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado - 日立製作所笠戸 - 7th
JFE Steel Western Japan Fukuyama - ＪＦＥスチール西日本福山 - 6th
Mazda SC - マツダSC - Hiroshima Prefectural League winners
Renofa Yamaguchi - レノファ山口 - 4th
Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku - 佐川急便中国 - 3rd
Fagiano Okayama - ファジアーノ岡山FC - Champions
FC Central Chugoku - FCセントラル中国 - 2nd
Hiroshima Fujita SC - 広島フジタSC - 5th
Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado - 日立製作所笠戸 - 7th
JFE Steel Western Japan Fukuyama - ＪＦＥスチール西日本福山 - 6th
Mazda SC - マツダSC - Hiroshima Prefectural League winners
Renofa Yamaguchi - レノファ山口 - 4th
Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku - 佐川急便中国 - 3rd
The final places in the Chugoku League for 2007 were confirmed on Sunday, with the second leg ties of the Promotion / Relegation Play-offs being staged. Yamaguchi prefecture's Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado kept their place in the Regional League for what will be a fourth successive year with a comfortable 6-1 aggregate victory over NTN Okayama, but Iwami SC are relegated back to the Shimane League.
Iwami have been playing Chugoku League football for five years, but lost home-and-away in their play-off with one of the former powerhouses of football in the area, Mazda SC. Eight-time champions in just a decade from the end of the 1980s, Mazda went into decline around the turn of the millennium and were eventually relegated to the Hiroshima Prefectural League at the end of 2003, when they were by coincidence defeated at this very same stage by Hitachi Kasado.
Sun 17 Dec: Mazda SC 4-1 Iwami SC (Mazda SC won 7-3 on aggregate)
Sun 17 Dec: NTN Okayama 0-3 Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado (Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado won 6-1 on aggregate)
Iwami have been playing Chugoku League football for five years, but lost home-and-away in their play-off with one of the former powerhouses of football in the area, Mazda SC. Eight-time champions in just a decade from the end of the 1980s, Mazda went into decline around the turn of the millennium and were eventually relegated to the Hiroshima Prefectural League at the end of 2003, when they were by coincidence defeated at this very same stage by Hitachi Kasado.
Sun 17 Dec: Mazda SC 4-1 Iwami SC (Mazda SC won 7-3 on aggregate)
Sun 17 Dec: NTN Okayama 0-3 Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado (Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado won 6-1 on aggregate)
The final round of matches in the group stage of the Kansai League Prefectural Promotional Play-offs - by which clubs achieve promotion from the Prefectural Leagues to Division 2 of the Kansai League - was staged over the weekend. The full batch of group results and tables is as follows:
A Block
Sun 03 Dec: FC Kishiwada 0-2 Estrela Tsuda
Sun 10 Dec: Estrela Tsuda 2-0 Kainan FC
Sat 16 Dec: FC Kishiwada 3-1 Kainan FC
1 Estrela Tsuda 6 (+4)
2 FC Kishiwada 2 (-)
3 Kainan FC 0 (-4)
B Block
Sun 03 Dec: Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai 1-0 Kinki University Wakayama
Sun 10 Dec: Kinki University Wakayama 3-0 BSC ROSAGE
Sun 17 Dec: Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai 0-0 BSC ROSAGE (PK 5-4)
1 Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai 5 (+1)
2 Kinki University Wakayama 3 (+2)
3 BSC ROSAGE 1 (-3)
C Block
Sun 03 Dec: Porvenir Kashihara 1-2 FC Nishiomiya A
Sun 10 Dec: FC Nishiomiya A 1-2 Kumiyama FC
Sat 16 Dec: Porvenir Kashihara 0-5 Kumiyama FC
1 Kumiyama FC 6 (+6)
2 FC Nishiomiya A 3 (-)
3 Porvenir Kashihara 0 (-6)
D Block
Sun 03 Dec: Hannan University Club 1-0 Shiga FC
Sun 10 Dec: Hannan University Club 3-0 Tonan Club
Sun 17 Dec: Shiga FC 2-0 Tonan Club
1 Hannan University Club 6 (+4)
2 Shiga FC 3 (+1)
3 Tonan Club 0 (-5)
The fixtures for this coming Saturday's semi-finals are confirmed as follows:
Sat 23 Dec: Hannan University Club - Estrela Tsuda
Sat 23 Dec: Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai - Kumiyama FC
What happens subsequently is that the winners of the resulting final, to be staged on 14 Jan, will be promoted automatically to the Kansai League. The losers will have one further chance to make the leap up to regional football the following weekend, when they take part in an additional play-off against Kohga School, who finished next-to-bottom in the Kansai League Division 2.
A Block
Sun 03 Dec: FC Kishiwada 0-2 Estrela Tsuda
Sun 10 Dec: Estrela Tsuda 2-0 Kainan FC
Sat 16 Dec: FC Kishiwada 3-1 Kainan FC
1 Estrela Tsuda 6 (+4)
2 FC Kishiwada 2 (-)
3 Kainan FC 0 (-4)
B Block
Sun 03 Dec: Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai 1-0 Kinki University Wakayama
Sun 10 Dec: Kinki University Wakayama 3-0 BSC ROSAGE
Sun 17 Dec: Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai 0-0 BSC ROSAGE (PK 5-4)
1 Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai 5 (+1)
2 Kinki University Wakayama 3 (+2)
3 BSC ROSAGE 1 (-3)
C Block
Sun 03 Dec: Porvenir Kashihara 1-2 FC Nishiomiya A
Sun 10 Dec: FC Nishiomiya A 1-2 Kumiyama FC
Sat 16 Dec: Porvenir Kashihara 0-5 Kumiyama FC
1 Kumiyama FC 6 (+6)
2 FC Nishiomiya A 3 (-)
3 Porvenir Kashihara 0 (-6)
D Block
Sun 03 Dec: Hannan University Club 1-0 Shiga FC
Sun 10 Dec: Hannan University Club 3-0 Tonan Club
Sun 17 Dec: Shiga FC 2-0 Tonan Club
1 Hannan University Club 6 (+4)
2 Shiga FC 3 (+1)
3 Tonan Club 0 (-5)
The fixtures for this coming Saturday's semi-finals are confirmed as follows:
Sat 23 Dec: Hannan University Club - Estrela Tsuda
Sat 23 Dec: Kyoto Fushimi Shuyu-kai - Kumiyama FC
What happens subsequently is that the winners of the resulting final, to be staged on 14 Jan, will be promoted automatically to the Kansai League. The losers will have one further chance to make the leap up to regional football the following weekend, when they take part in an additional play-off against Kohga School, who finished next-to-bottom in the Kansai League Division 2.
Details have been announced of the play-offs by which teams achieve promotion from the local Prefectural Leagues to Division 2 of the Tokai League. An eight-team knock-out tournament will be held over a weekend in mid-January, the two finalists going on to replace relegated sides Morishin's FC and FC Kawasaki, both of whom were immediately relegated back out of the Regional League having moved up only twelve months ago.
The participants at Suzuka's Sports Garden will be as follows:
Aichi: FC Goal - FＣゴール - and Toyota Football Group - トヨタ蹴球団
Gifu: Yoro Club - 養老クラブ - and Ogaki FC Kogans - 大垣FCコーガンズ
Mie: Ise Personna FC - 伊勢PERSONNA.FC and MIE Rampole - M.I.E.ランポーレ
Shizuoka: Yamaha Motors - ヤマハ発動機 - and Fujieda Nelson - 藤枝ネルソン
First Round
Sat 13 Jan: Yamaha Motors - Ogaki FC Kogans
Sat 13 Jan: FC Goal - MIE Rampole
Sat 13 Jan: Yoro Club - Fujieda Nelson
Sat 13 Jan: Ise Personna FC - Toyota Football Group
The participants at Suzuka's Sports Garden will be as follows:
Aichi: FC Goal - FＣゴール - and Toyota Football Group - トヨタ蹴球団
Gifu: Yoro Club - 養老クラブ - and Ogaki FC Kogans - 大垣FCコーガンズ
Mie: Ise Personna FC - 伊勢PERSONNA.FC and MIE Rampole - M.I.E.ランポーレ
Shizuoka: Yamaha Motors - ヤマハ発動機 - and Fujieda Nelson - 藤枝ネルソン
First Round
Sat 13 Jan: Yamaha Motors - Ogaki FC Kogans
Sat 13 Jan: FC Goal - MIE Rampole
Sat 13 Jan: Yoro Club - Fujieda Nelson
Sat 13 Jan: Ise Personna FC - Toyota Football Group
Tokai League champions FC Gifu have about one-and-a-half feet in the JFL 2007 after the first leg of their play-off with Honda Lock ended in a crushing 4-0 win for the men in green. Lock, who have struggled all season long in the JFL, held Gifu to 0-0 at half-time but after the interval the Regional Leaguers took control of the match and of the tie.
The goals came from Koji Nakao, a defender who moved to the club from deadly local rivals Shizuoka FC,, striker Atsushi Katagiri, ex-Nagoya Grampus 8 man Ryuji Kitamura and another former Nagoya star, 37-year-old forward Yasuyuki Moriyama. Next Saturday sees the second leg, to be played in Gifu.
Honda Lock line up for a drubbing
Some of Gifu’s dorkier fans slurp down a half-time snack
Sun 17 Dec: Honda Lock 0-4 FC Gifu
The goals came from Koji Nakao, a defender who moved to the club from deadly local rivals Shizuoka FC,, striker Atsushi Katagiri, ex-Nagoya Grampus 8 man Ryuji Kitamura and another former Nagoya star, 37-year-old forward Yasuyuki Moriyama. Next Saturday sees the second leg, to be played in Gifu.
Honda Lock line up for a drubbing
Some of Gifu’s dorkier fans slurp down a half-time snack
Sun 17 Dec: Honda Lock 0-4 FC Gifu
JFL side Yokogawa Musashino have changed their status to become an NPO, a move that management hope will cement the club's relationship with the local community as a general sports facility. The name of the new organisation will simply be Musashino Sports Club.
Yokogawa were in 1999 founder members of the JFL in its current format, a sixth-place finish in 2006 being their highest ever. Under the name of Yokogawa Electrical, the club were previously dominant in the Kanto League, with three titles in five years from the mid-90s.
Yokogawa were in 1999 founder members of the JFL in its current format, a sixth-place finish in 2006 being their highest ever. Under the name of Yokogawa Electrical, the club were previously dominant in the Kanto League, with three titles in five years from the mid-90s.
Another team in the lower reaches of Japan's football pyramid are now staking a claim for a piece of the big time. MIE Rampole are based in the small city of Nabari in Mie prefecture, the name coming from a corruption of Rampo Edogawa, an author of detective novels and a native of the club's home town. Originally formed in 1980, Rampole were most recently known as Nabari Admiral and took on their spectacular new moniker at the start of 2006, when they competed in Division 1 of the Mie Prefectural League.
But like a good number of clubs from across Japan, Rampole have their sights set on a J-League place, "ideally in four years' time," says their website, a trifle ambitiously. To be fair, however, the team has been boosted by the arrival from FC Gifu of defensive midfielder Narita Takagi - formerly with Verdy Kawasaki and Yokohama FC among others - and defender Keiichiro Hashimoto.
Kaito-kun, MIE Rampole’s Mascot of Mystery
The new coach is Naoki Kurimoto, who played extensively in the old JSL before retiring in 1980. Having subsequently coached at ANA SC before working with the goalkeepers at ANA's pro manifestation, Yokohama Flugels. Since that time, he has spent time with both Consadole Sapporo and Kyoto Purple Sanga. But as well as taking their name from author Edogawa, Rampole have adopted a mascot that they feel is representative of his work in all its spookily mysterious glory. Who knows if he and Kurimoto will guide the team to glory.
But like a good number of clubs from across Japan, Rampole have their sights set on a J-League place, "ideally in four years' time," says their website, a trifle ambitiously. To be fair, however, the team has been boosted by the arrival from FC Gifu of defensive midfielder Narita Takagi - formerly with Verdy Kawasaki and Yokohama FC among others - and defender Keiichiro Hashimoto.
Kaito-kun, MIE Rampole’s Mascot of Mystery
The new coach is Naoki Kurimoto, who played extensively in the old JSL before retiring in 1980. Having subsequently coached at ANA SC before working with the goalkeepers at ANA's pro manifestation, Yokohama Flugels. Since that time, he has spent time with both Consadole Sapporo and Kyoto Purple Sanga. But as well as taking their name from author Edogawa, Rampole have adopted a mascot that they feel is representative of his work in all its spookily mysterious glory. Who knows if he and Kurimoto will guide the team to glory.
The JFL's top scorer for the 2006 season - Sagawa Kyubin Tokyo's 26-goal striker Tetsuya Okubo - has moved to the ranks of the pros at J1 newcomers Kashiwa Reysol.
English name - Japanese name - 2006 finishing position
CUPS Niigata - CUPS NIIGATA - Niigata Prefectural League champions
FC Antelope - ＦＣアンテロープ - 5th
FC Kanazu - FC 金津 - 2nd
Maruoka Phoenix - 丸岡フェニックス - 4th
Ohara School JaSRA - 大原学園ＪａＳＲＡ - Nagano Prefectural League champions
Teihens FC - テイヘンズＦＣ - 8th, Division 1
TOP Niigata - トップ新潟 - 3rd
Toyama Shinjo Club - 富山新庄クラブ - 6th
CUPS Niigata - CUPS NIIGATA - Niigata Prefectural League champions
FC Antelope - ＦＣアンテロープ - 5th
FC Kanazu - FC 金津 - 2nd
Maruoka Phoenix - 丸岡フェニックス - 4th
Ohara School JaSRA - 大原学園ＪａＳＲＡ - Nagano Prefectural League champions
Teihens FC - テイヘンズＦＣ - 8th, Division 1
TOP Niigata - トップ新潟 - 3rd
Toyama Shinjo Club - 富山新庄クラブ - 6th
English name - Japanese name - 2006 finishing position
AC Nagano Parceiro - AC長野パルセイロ - 3rd, as Nagano Elsa
Fervorosa Ishikawa Hakusan - フェルヴォローザ石川・白山 - 5th
Japan Soccer College - ＪＡＰＡＮサッカーカレッジ - Champions
Matsumoto Yamaga Club - 松本山雅クラブ - 2nd
Niigata University of Management - 新潟経営大学 - 6th
Ueda Gentian - 上田ジェンシャン - 7th
Valiente Toyama - ヴァリエンテ富山 - Winners, Division 2
Zweigen Kanazawa - ツエーゲン金沢 - 4th
AC Nagano Parceiro - AC長野パルセイロ - 3rd, as Nagano Elsa
Fervorosa Ishikawa Hakusan - フェルヴォローザ石川・白山 - 5th
Japan Soccer College - ＪＡＰＡＮサッカーカレッジ - Champions
Matsumoto Yamaga Club - 松本山雅クラブ - 2nd
Niigata University of Management - 新潟経営大学 - 6th
Ueda Gentian - 上田ジェンシャン - 7th
Valiente Toyama - ヴァリエンテ富山 - Winners, Division 2
Zweigen Kanazawa - ツエーゲン金沢 - 4th
English name - Japanese name - 2006 finishing position
Barefoot Hokkaido - ベアフット北海道 - 2nd
Blackpecker Hakodate - ブラックペッカー函館 - 4th
Hokushukai - 北蹴会 - Northern Block League champions
Norbritz Hokkaido - ノルブリッツ北海道 - Champions
Sapporo FC - 札幌蹴球団 - 3rd
Sapporo Winds - 札幌ウインズ - Central Block League champions
Tokachi Fairsky - とかちフェアスカイ - 6th
Toyota Motors Hokkaido - トヨタ自動車北海道 - 5th
Barefoot Hokkaido - ベアフット北海道 - 2nd
Blackpecker Hakodate - ブラックペッカー函館 - 4th
Hokushukai - 北蹴会 - Northern Block League champions
Norbritz Hokkaido - ノルブリッツ北海道 - Champions
Sapporo FC - 札幌蹴球団 - 3rd
Sapporo Winds - 札幌ウインズ - Central Block League champions
Tokachi Fairsky - とかちフェアスカイ - 6th
Toyota Motors Hokkaido - トヨタ自動車北海道 - 5th
Results now from the Shikoku League Promotion Play-offs held in Tokushima over the weekend. In a remarkable tournament involving the participants playing three games in just two days, Ehime's Hisaeda FC took top spot on goals scored thanks to a 3-0 win over Shuyukai from Tokushima. Kagawa's Minami Club squeeze through as runners-up, despite going down 1-0 to rivals Showa Club in the last match.
The resulting Hisaeda - Sanwa Club fixture in one of the ties to decide the last two positions in the Shikoku League for next season will bring back memories of a stunning match at exactly the same stage in the competition in January this year. Sanwa overcame the challenge of their Prefectural League opposition with a 6-5 win in the first leg followed by a 2-2 draw a week later to retain their status.
Sat 09 Dec: Showa Club 1-0 Shuyukai
Sat 09 Dec: Hisaeda FC 1-2 Minami Club
Sun 10 Dec: Showa Club 0-1 Hisaeda FC
Sun 10 Dec: Shuyukai 0-1 Minami Club
Sun 10 Dec: Showa Club 1-0 Minami Club
Sun 10 Dec: Shuyukai 0-3 Hisaeda FC
1. Hisaeda FC 6 (+2)
2. Minami Club 6 (+2)
3. Showa Club 6 (+1)
4. Shuyukai 0 (-5)
Promotion / Relegation Play-off Fixtures
Sun 28 Jan: Sanwa Club - Hisaeda FC
Sun 28 Jan: Alex SC - Minami Club
Sun 04 Feb: Hisaeda FC - Sanwa Club
Sun 04 Feb: Minami Club - Alex SC
The resulting Hisaeda - Sanwa Club fixture in one of the ties to decide the last two positions in the Shikoku League for next season will bring back memories of a stunning match at exactly the same stage in the competition in January this year. Sanwa overcame the challenge of their Prefectural League opposition with a 6-5 win in the first leg followed by a 2-2 draw a week later to retain their status.
Sat 09 Dec: Showa Club 1-0 Shuyukai
Sat 09 Dec: Hisaeda FC 1-2 Minami Club
Sun 10 Dec: Showa Club 0-1 Hisaeda FC
Sun 10 Dec: Shuyukai 0-1 Minami Club
Sun 10 Dec: Showa Club 1-0 Minami Club
Sun 10 Dec: Shuyukai 0-3 Hisaeda FC
1. Hisaeda FC 6 (+2)
2. Minami Club 6 (+2)
3. Showa Club 6 (+1)
4. Shuyukai 0 (-5)
Promotion / Relegation Play-off Fixtures
Sun 28 Jan: Sanwa Club - Hisaeda FC
Sun 28 Jan: Alex SC - Minami Club
Sun 04 Feb: Hisaeda FC - Sanwa Club
Sun 04 Feb: Minami Club - Alex SC
Rather belatedly, here are the available results from the Tohoku League Promotion Play-offs, followed by a list of the teams that will be competing in next year's divisions, all three of which will have eight clubs participating. In Division 2 (North), Saruta Industry from Akita prefecture make their first ever appearance at regional level, while Iwate's Omiya Club return after a four-year absence. The Southern section will include for the first time Soma SC and Nakaniida SC from Fukushima and Miyagi respectively.
Tohoku League Division 2 (North) Three-Prefecture Challenge League
Participants:
Akita: Saruta Industry - 猿田興業
Aomori: Libero Tsugaru - リベロ津軽
Iwate: Omiya Club - 大宮クラブ
Sun 05 Nov: Omiya Club 7-1 Libero Tsugaru
Sun 12 Nov: Saruta Industry 3-2 Omiya Club
Sun 19 Nov: Saruta Industry 2-1 Libero Tsugaru
1. Saruta Industry 6 (+2)
2. Omiya Club 3 (+5)
3. Libero Tsugaru 0 (-7)
Saruta Industry were therefore automatically promoted. Omiya Club as runners-up played an additional Play-off against TDK Shinwakai, who finished bottom in the Tohoku League Division 2 (North) 2006.
Sun 10 Dec: TDK Shinwakai 2-3 Omiya Club
Tohoku League Division 2 (South) Three-Prefecture Challenge League
Participants:
Fukushima: Soma SC - 相馬ＳＣ
Miyagi: Nakaniida SC - 中新田ＳＣ
Yamagata: Sakata Mikakutomo Club - 酒田琢友クラブ
Sun 05 Nov: Soma SC 2-0 Sakata Mikakutomo Club
Sun 12 Nov: Sakata Mikakutomo Club 0-2 Nakaniida SC
Sun 19 Nov: Nakaniida SC 2-1 Soma SC
1. Nakaniida SC 6 (+3)
2. Soma SC 3 (+1)
3. Sakata Mikakutomo Club 0 (-4)
English name - Japanese name - 2006 position
Tohoku League Division 1 - Teams 2007
FC Primeiro - ＦＣプリメーロ - 4th
Furukawa Battery - 古河電池 - Winners, Division 2 (South)
Grulla Morioka - グルージャ盛岡 - 2nd
Morioka Zebra - 盛岡ゼブラ - 7th
NEC Tokin - ＮＥＣトーキン - 3rd
Nippon Steel Kamaishi - 新日鐵釜石 - 8th
Sendai Nakata Club - 仙台中田クラブ - 5th
Wiese Shiogama - ヴィーゼ塩竃 - 6th
Tohoku League Division 2 (North) - Teams 2007
FC Akita Cambiare - ＦＣ秋田カンビアーレ - Winners
Fuji Club 2003 - 富士クラブ2003 - 4th
Hokuto Bank - 北都銀行 - 6th
Mizusawa Club - 水沢クラブ - 2nd
Omiya Club - 大宮クラブ - Three-Prefecture Challenge League Runners-up
Saruta Industry - 猿田興業 - Three-Prefecture Challenge League Winners
Tono Club - 遠野クラブ - 3rd
Vanraure Hachinohe - ヴァンラーレ八戸 - 5th
Tohoku League Division 2 (South) - Teams 2007
FC Perada Fukushima - FCベラーダ福島 - 6th
Kanai Club - 金井クラブ - 4th
Kureha Chemicals - 呉羽化学 - 7th
Marysol Matsushima - マリソル松島 - 2nd
Nakaniida SC - 中新田ＳＣ - Three-Prefecture Challenge League Winners
Shichigahama SC - 七ヶ浜ＳＣ - 5th
Soma SC - 相馬SC - Three-Prefecture Challenge League Runners-up
Viancone Fukushima - ビアンコーネ福島 - 3rd, as Northern Peaks Koriyama
Tohoku League Division 2 (North) Three-Prefecture Challenge League
Participants:
Akita: Saruta Industry - 猿田興業
Aomori: Libero Tsugaru - リベロ津軽
Iwate: Omiya Club - 大宮クラブ
Sun 05 Nov: Omiya Club 7-1 Libero Tsugaru
Sun 12 Nov: Saruta Industry 3-2 Omiya Club
Sun 19 Nov: Saruta Industry 2-1 Libero Tsugaru
1. Saruta Industry 6 (+2)
2. Omiya Club 3 (+5)
3. Libero Tsugaru 0 (-7)
Saruta Industry were therefore automatically promoted. Omiya Club as runners-up played an additional Play-off against TDK Shinwakai, who finished bottom in the Tohoku League Division 2 (North) 2006.
Sun 10 Dec: TDK Shinwakai 2-3 Omiya Club
Tohoku League Division 2 (South) Three-Prefecture Challenge League
Participants:
Fukushima: Soma SC - 相馬ＳＣ
Miyagi: Nakaniida SC - 中新田ＳＣ
Yamagata: Sakata Mikakutomo Club - 酒田琢友クラブ
Sun 05 Nov: Soma SC 2-0 Sakata Mikakutomo Club
Sun 12 Nov: Sakata Mikakutomo Club 0-2 Nakaniida SC
Sun 19 Nov: Nakaniida SC 2-1 Soma SC
1. Nakaniida SC 6 (+3)
2. Soma SC 3 (+1)
3. Sakata Mikakutomo Club 0 (-4)
English name - Japanese name - 2006 position
Tohoku League Division 1 - Teams 2007
FC Primeiro - ＦＣプリメーロ - 4th
Furukawa Battery - 古河電池 - Winners, Division 2 (South)
Grulla Morioka - グルージャ盛岡 - 2nd
Morioka Zebra - 盛岡ゼブラ - 7th
NEC Tokin - ＮＥＣトーキン - 3rd
Nippon Steel Kamaishi - 新日鐵釜石 - 8th
Sendai Nakata Club - 仙台中田クラブ - 5th
Wiese Shiogama - ヴィーゼ塩竃 - 6th
Tohoku League Division 2 (North) - Teams 2007
FC Akita Cambiare - ＦＣ秋田カンビアーレ - Winners
Fuji Club 2003 - 富士クラブ2003 - 4th
Hokuto Bank - 北都銀行 - 6th
Mizusawa Club - 水沢クラブ - 2nd
Omiya Club - 大宮クラブ - Three-Prefecture Challenge League Runners-up
Saruta Industry - 猿田興業 - Three-Prefecture Challenge League Winners
Tono Club - 遠野クラブ - 3rd
Vanraure Hachinohe - ヴァンラーレ八戸 - 5th
Tohoku League Division 2 (South) - Teams 2007
FC Perada Fukushima - FCベラーダ福島 - 6th
Kanai Club - 金井クラブ - 4th
Kureha Chemicals - 呉羽化学 - 7th
Marysol Matsushima - マリソル松島 - 2nd
Nakaniida SC - 中新田ＳＣ - Three-Prefecture Challenge League Winners
Shichigahama SC - 七ヶ浜ＳＣ - 5th
Soma SC - 相馬SC - Three-Prefecture Challenge League Runners-up
Viancone Fukushima - ビアンコーネ福島 - 3rd, as Northern Peaks Koriyama
Ambitious Tohoku League Division 2 (North) outfit FC Akita Cambiare failed to achieve their target of promotion to Division 1 in the two-legged play-off with Nippon Steel Kamaishi in Miyagi prefecture over the weekend. A 2-2 aggregate draw leaves both sides staying where they are for the 2007 campaign, meaning a seventh consecutive year in the top flight for Nippon Steel.
Sat 09 Dec: Nippon Steel Kamaishi 2-2 FC Akita Cambiare
Sun 10 Dec: FC Akita Cambiare 0-0 Nippon Steel Kamaishi
(First leg played at Rifu, Miyagi; second leg played at Natori, Miyagi)
Sat 09 Dec: Nippon Steel Kamaishi 2-2 FC Akita Cambiare
Sun 10 Dec: FC Akita Cambiare 0-0 Nippon Steel Kamaishi
(First leg played at Rifu, Miyagi; second leg played at Natori, Miyagi)
Some details now of the Prefectural Promotion Play-off to get into the 2007 Shikoku League. The format of the competition is that one team representing each of the four prefectures on Shikoku island meet in a round-robin group played over Sat 09 and Sun 10 Dec, which this year is staged in Tokushima.
Whichever clubs finish first and second go through to the final stage, a two-legged affair scheduled for weekends at the end of January and beginning of February. The top side will be matched up 2006 Shikoku League wooden spooners Sanwa Club, while the team ending up in second place take on Alex SC, who finished next to bottom in the Regional competition.
The participants are as follows:
Ehime: Hisaeda FC (久枝ＦＣ)
Kagawa: Minami Club (南クラブ)
Kochi: Kochi Toyopet Sanwa Club (高知トヨペット・昭和クラブ)
Tokushima: Shuyukai (蹴友会)
Whichever clubs finish first and second go through to the final stage, a two-legged affair scheduled for weekends at the end of January and beginning of February. The top side will be matched up 2006 Shikoku League wooden spooners Sanwa Club, while the team ending up in second place take on Alex SC, who finished next to bottom in the Regional competition.
The participants are as follows:
Ehime: Hisaeda FC (久枝ＦＣ)
Kagawa: Minami Club (南クラブ)
Kochi: Kochi Toyopet Sanwa Club (高知トヨペット・昭和クラブ)
Tokushima: Shuyukai (蹴友会)
The first leg ties of the play-offs to decide the last two places in the Chugoku League for 2007 took place on Sunday, with Prefectural Play-off winners NTN Okayama and Mazda SC being matched up with the bottom teams in this year's Chugoku League, Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado and Iwami SC. Hitachi and Mazda both go into next Sunday's second legs with a slight advantage, although there is still everything to play for.
Sun 10 Dec: Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 3-1 NTN Okayama
Sun 10 Dec: Iwami SC 2-3 Mazda SC
Sun 10 Dec: Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 3-1 NTN Okayama
Sun 10 Dec: Iwami SC 2-3 Mazda SC
Fresh from a somewhat disappointing JFL season in 2006, SC Tottori have announced that they intend to set up a separate management company to oversee the team's affairs in preparation for what they hope will be significant development in the foreseeable future. Indeed, the club have already indicated that they aim to achieve associate membership of the J-League, but are now suggesting that their overall target is a J2 place as soon as 2008.
The success of TDK Akita in reaching the JFL has had ramifications further down the Regional League pyramid as well. In order to maintain the number of teams in Division 1 of the Tohoku League at eight following the promotion of the 2006 champions, the promotion / relegation play-off between Division 1 and Division 2 will feature not Morioka Zebra but Nippon Steel Kamaishi, who finished bottom of Division 1 and had expected to be automatically relegated. Nippon Steel will take on the loser of October's play-off between the two Division 2 winners, FC Akita Cambiare, in a double-header over this weekend.
After a disappointing 2006 campaign, Kyushu League side Volca Kagoshima have announced their intention to press ahead and work towards achieving associate membership of the J-League as soon as 2009. At present, only one club - Rosso Kumamoto - is in possession of this status, which was defined and established by the J-League in March as a required step on the way to joining J2, although both Tochigi SC and SC Tottori have firm plans to make successful applications in the coming months.
Volca, ten years old in their current form but founder members of the Kyushu League in 1973 as Kagoshima Teachers, have long been considered also-rans in their regional competition, which has become probably the toughest in the country in recent years. The club have nevertheless indicated that they believe the way to tackle this and thereby mount a serious challenge to the likes of champions V Varen Nagasaki and other top sides is to harness local support and to identify and sign up better players from Kagoshima itself.
Volca, ten years old in their current form but founder members of the Kyushu League in 1973 as Kagoshima Teachers, have long been considered also-rans in their regional competition, which has become probably the toughest in the country in recent years. The club have nevertheless indicated that they believe the way to tackle this and thereby mount a serious challenge to the likes of champions V Varen Nagasaki and other top sides is to harness local support and to identify and sign up better players from Kagoshima itself.
Four players have left Sony Sendai's first-team squad, after the disappointment of their 2006 campaign. 30-year-old defender Masato Ishikawa and 28-year-old forwards Yuji Fukuda and Tomotsuna Kobayashi will all concentrate on their day jobs with the company, while former Vegalta Sendai keeper Taiki Maekawa, 27, is seeking to continue playing elsewhere.
Similarly, five players have departed Rosso Kumamoto. They are Akira Takabe, 24, a forward; ex-Vissel Kobe midfielder Kazuhiro Mori, 25; ex-Ventforet Kofu midfielder Hirotaka Uchibayashi, 23; Teru Hamada, a 28-year-old midfielder and yet another midfield player, Naoto Osera, 24.
Similarly, five players have departed Rosso Kumamoto. They are Akira Takabe, 24, a forward; ex-Vissel Kobe midfielder Kazuhiro Mori, 25; ex-Ventforet Kofu midfielder Hirotaka Uchibayashi, 23; Teru Hamada, a 28-year-old midfielder and yet another midfield player, Naoto Osera, 24.
Continuing here JNFN's look back at the 2006 Japanese non-league season, here concentrating on the Regional Leagues and on team of the moment, Tohoku League champions and JFL new boys for next season, TDK Akita.
TDK have been more or less consistently the top side in the Tohoku League for almost ten years - ever since Sony Sendai were promoted to the JFL in 1997, in fact. In recent seasons they have shrugged off the challenge of other teams like Grulla Morioka, NEC Tokin and Fukushima's FC Primeiro, while fourteen wins in fourteen league matches this year gave TDK their fifth consecutive title in some style.
But being top dogs in one of the regions is not the same thing as being competitve in a national league, as Chugoku's Mitsubishi Mizushima and Honda Lock from Kyushu have discovered since they gained their places in the JFL at the end of 2004 (in two se
TDK have been more or less consistently the top side in the Tohoku League for almost ten years - ever since Sony Sendai were promoted to the JFL in 1997, in fact. In recent seasons they have shrugged off the challenge of other teams like Grulla Morioka, NEC Tokin and Fukushima's FC Primeiro, while fourteen wins in fourteen league matches this year gave TDK their fifth consecutive title in some style.
But being top dogs in one of the regions is not the same thing as being competitve in a national league, as Chugoku's Mitsubishi Mizushima and Honda Lock from Kyushu have discovered since they gained their places in the JFL at the end of 2004 (in two se