Guest fountainhall Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Japan going well also. Great performance from Mr Honda too. I'd like to score with him. I have lifted this remark from the earlier thread "How Do You Feel About The World Cup?" 24-year old Japanese soccer star Keisuke Honda not only scored one of the great goals of that tournament, he was one of the most handsome, and attracted the notice of several posters, with such subtle comments as the one about his great long balls . Unfortunately for regular soccer watchers on TV, he was contracted to a Moscow soccer team, and we all know how often Russian league games appear on True - never! Now, however, Honda-watchers may be in for a treat. It appears the young man is considering a move further west and that a transfer may be in the works within a week. Liverpool are said to be the early leaders in the chase. My money is on Arsenal, though. Not only did Arsenal's manager coach in Japan for a couple of years, he also brought another Japanese to London, Junichi Inamoto. The young Inamoto also played for the same Japanese club as Honda. Honda appeared on a 30-minute TV special on CNN some weeks ago. Much comment was made by CNN's Moscow correspondent, Matthew Chance, that whilst he is married, he gives the impression of enjoying a more gay style of life. Young Honda merely talked about how his wife cooked his meals, and so what if he liked to wear designer watches on both arms and the latest trendy fashion! Hum! http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/49351/Agent_Honda_meetings_confirmed_.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 That should brighten up Match of The Day. I wouldn't like to speculate on which team he would join. All the big ones have some level of global scouting networks. I'm not sure he would be making the first 11 at Arsenal or Manchester United though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fountainhall Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'm not sure he would be making the first 11 at Arsenal or Manchester United though. I really cannot see why Arsenal and AC Milan are reportedly interested in signing him (along with Liverpool and Aston Villa) unless they plan to have him in their first team squads. The facts that he played 54 matches captaining his club Venlo in a couple of seasons in the Dutch Top League before his transfer to CSKA Moscow, played for CSKA in the Champions League, and has represented his country 26 times, point to the fact that he is an outstanding player. As one Arsenal website reported last year under the title "Is Keisuke Honda the Man To Replace Fabregas and Lead Arsenal to Glory?" in my opinion, Arsene Wenger needs to take a bold decision and splash the cash to secure the services of Keisuke Honda, as soon as it is possible. Wenger was impressed by what he saw from Honda in the world cup, and labelled him as the best player in the world cup. Honda was exceptional for Japan, and carried them, almost single-handedly to the knockout phase. He is a versatile player, who is comfortable playing as a second striker or as an attacking midfielder. Though he is a different player to Fabregas, he has the attributes need to be a success at the Emirates. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/486556-arsenal-is-keisuke-honda-the-man-to-replace-fabregas-and-lead-arsenal-to-glory If Honda moves from Moscow to western Europe, I'll wager a large drink it will only be as a member of the first team squad and a regular in the starting eleven, like Park Ji-Sung at Manchester United. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fountainhall Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 On a slightly related topic, Japan beat Australia last night in the final of the Asian Cup. South Korea came 3rd. All three teams are guaranteed a place in the next competition to be held in Australia in 2015. As the commentators mentioned, the future of soccer is in Asia. Several posters have revealed their admiration for Keisuke Honda. LIke others, he plays in the top European leagues. A list of top Korean and Japanese players in such leagues would include - Park Ji-sung, Manchester United Lee Chung-yong, Bolton Son Heung-min, Hamburg Ki Sung-yong Glasgow Celtic Cha Du-rim, Glasgow Celtic Park Chu-young, Monaco Suk Hyun-jun, Ajax Shinji Kagawa, Borssuia Dortmund Keisuke Honda, CSKA Moscow Makoto Hasebe, Wolfsburg Tomoaki Makino, Koln Atsuto Uchida, Schalke Maya Yoshida, Venlo Akihiro Ienaga, Mallorca And until recently there was one of my favourite players, Shunsuke Nakamura, formerly with Celtic and Espanyol, who is now back in Japan. I'll bet that more Japanese and Korean players will be in the English Premier League before too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fountainhall Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Repeat - please delete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Park Ji-Sung is easily the most accomplished & successful of that group. What's a non-Asian country doing in the final of an Asian competition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fountainhall Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 What's a non-Asian country doing in the final of an Asian competition? During the 1980s, Australia (and I assume also New Zealand) made strenuous diplomatic efforts to be included as part of Asia. You find this in lots of organisations, both official and unofficial. Clearly it was a political and economic necessity with Britain, as head of the Commonwealth, entering the old Common Market and the favourable trade relationship with Australia going out of the window. It was a very astute move for Australia who now find their economy far more linked with Asia than ever before and consequently reaping the economic benefits of a much closer association with the rest of Asia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fountainhall Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 It seems the prediction about 'he of the "great long balls"' moving to England was incorrect, alas. Keisuke Honda had a miserable season last year that was blighted by injury. In the meantime, however, Manchester United has picked up one of the best Japanese players, 23-year old Shinji Kagawa, after two years playing with German League leaders Dortmund. The young man can certainly play - I should hope so with an annual salary estimated at close to £5 million, and keeps the TV screens interesting with his gorgeous pop-star smile. Photo: The Sun Newspaper Much media interest has surrounded his girl friend who happens to be a celebrated porn star in Japan! I guess he must know a few tricks off the field as well as on it! I'll bet some of the back-page headlines will make interesting reading when he scores goals The English Premier League has a few other cute faces around. New recruit 21-year old Brazilian Oscar at Chelsea is well worth watching, as is his longer-established but still baby-faced compatriot Rafael at Manchester United. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Much media interest has surrounded his girl friend who happens to be a celebrated porn star in Japan! I guess he must know a few tricks off the field as well as on it! Let's hope Ryan Giggs doesn't try to score there as well. Actually, Mr Kagawa has made a very promising start in England. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fountainhall Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 I'm sure a lot of wags have been discussing how this will affect the WAGS club - WAGS being short for the wives and girlfriends who are often seen at major matches. Given the philandering of their husbands, no doubt they will be picking up hints as to how to keep their men fully occupied at home. Some erotic eastern tricks, perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
