Coach Kato has ferried the team up to J1 last winter, and managed to keep it up this season. He will be the coach for next season as well, trying to guarantee to Kyoto at least the 15th place, that would mean a third season in J1, a record for the club. While quite a few fans are not enthusiastic about Kato's soccer, I believe he still is the right person for a club and a team that must really keep its feet on the ground. The J.League system is getting gradually more demanding, and the struggle of clubs such as Cerezo Osaka and Avispa Fukuoka should teach how hard it is to achieve and resist in J1.
In the meantime Morioka has announced his retirement. Sadly he was not given the opportunity to play in the season's last game, but at least a lucky coincidence allowed him to celebrate with both Sanga and his former S-Pulse fans.
It is unlikely he will stay at Sanga: first of all his role might overlap with that of Akita, already a former defender coaching the top team, but also it seems that there is no much love between Coach Kato and Morioka, an impression confirmed by the fact that the veteran has seen the field only for 245 minutes in 7 games--while Kyoto defender conceded embarrassing goals such as the first one versus S-Pulse.
In any case, a huge "otsukare" to Morioka, and good luck wherever he will decide to coach. I till hope it is Sanga.
0 comments:
Post a Comment