Derby day dialectics
Thursday, 19 February 09, 06:45 PM · Comments(3)
It may only be a pre-season friendly, but there will be plenty of interested onlookers when Shimizu S-Pulse host local rivals Jubilo Iwata for the "SDT Cup" at Outsourcing Stadium Nihondaira tomorrow.
Both teams have been busy with pre-season kickabouts of varying intensity. Shimizu's most recent engagement saw them split two games with Korean giants Seongnam Ilhwa - losing the first 2-0, before winning the second 2-1.
Jubilo beat J2 side Sagan Tosu 2-0 before drawing 1-1 with the same opponents in their most recent matches, but a Shizuoka derby is always going to up the ante - even if it occurs some three weeks before the J. League season kicks off.
S-Pulse fans will no doubt run the rule over new signings Yuichiro Nagai and Frode Johnsen, and there's growing belief in this part of the world that the 2009 vintage could be one of S-Pulse's best teams in years.
A lack of depth in defence leaves an obvious question mark, but compared to Jubilo's threadbare looking squad, the team from the orange half of Shizuoka-ken look in good shape.
By contrast Jubilo haven't managed to attract any decent signings of note - save, perhaps, for the versatile Daisuke Nasu - who swaps the mediocrity of Tokyo Verdy for the potential mediocrity of Jubilo for the current campaign.
The team from Yamaha-town will be leaning heavily on Brazilians Rodrigo and Gilsinho this season, but how new coach Masaaki Yanagishita could do with a return to form of some of Jubilo's other heavyweights such as Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, ex-Sanfrecce Hiroshima man Yuichi Komano and Bobby Cullen.
Only Ryoichi Maeda provided sporadic glimpses of his best last season, but the occasional Japan international will need more support from his team-mates in what could be a make-or-break season for both Maeda and club.
It may be one of a spate of derbies to take place around the globe this weekend, but it could be a confidence-boosting one for either Shimizu S-Pulse or Jubilo Iwata. Plenty to play for then - pre-season friendly notwithstanding.
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MikeTuckerman
AU
3 Comments · Add yours
The Ibaraki Soccer Festival occurs at the same time with Mito preparing to valiantly fight and lose to Kashima. Despite the lack of a division rivalry it tends to attract a decent number of fans in the five figures. How will Shizuoka's derby draw? Is this a yearly preseason meeting?
Heja Vendo. Great to see you checking in, as always.
This isn't an annual clash between the two, but I believe that Shizuoka Broadcasting has stumped up the cash because they're celebrating their 30th anniversary.
Last year S-Pulse played Yokohama F. Marinos in Fuji. I'm all for taking friendlies around the (local) grounds, but I suppose the club expect to draw a few fans tomorrow's game. I've got my ticket!
Haven't Mito built a new stadium? How's it looking? I was flicking through my 2008 J. League Guide just last night and I noticed that Kasamatsu is about as open and expansive as it gets.
New stadium opens in August. It'll be smaller than Kasamatsu which is MUCH too open for crowds of less than 5000. :)