Back on track: Junya Tanaka is determined to help J. League champions Kashiwa Reysol climb the table. KYODOKASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — Last year may have been a dream come true for Kashiwa Reysol, but forward Junya Tanaka is determined to prevent 2012 from turning into a nightmare.Having pulled off the most unlikely title win in J. League history last season hot on the heels of promotion from the second division, Kashiwa currently finds itself in a position hardly befitting of a champion. Five defeats in 11 league matches have left the Chiba side hovering above the relegation zone ahead of Saturday's game against Albirex Niigata, with leaders Vegalta Sendai fast disappearing over the horizon 13 points away.Amid the gloom, however, a spark is beginning to flicker. Progress to the knockout round of the Asian Champions League was achieved with a 2-0 win over South Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors last week, before Cerezo Osaka were dispatched 2-1 last Saturday to give Reysol their first back-to-back league victories of the season.Scoring the winner was Tanaka, a 13-goal hero last season who helped Kashiwa turn miraculous comebacks into something of a routine occurrence. Having fallen behind against Cerezo on Saturday, the 24-year-old was happy to rekindle that spirit."It's a matter of confidence," Tanaka said at Reysol's training ground earlier this week. "We are beginning to remember how we played last year. Against Cerezo we went a goal behind, and this year when that has happened we haven't really been able to recover. Last year we came from behind to win seven times, and against Cerezo we felt that ability coming back to us."We've made a mess of the start of the season. We're 15th in the table but we have won three games in a row, and that gives us confidence. I believe we can keep climbing the table."Having experienced the full spectrum of relegation, promotion and championship glory in just 2? years at the club, Tanaka knows things do not always go as planned. The forward was unable to save Reysol from the drop when he made his debut in 2009 while still studying at Juntendo University, but successive second- and first-division titles in his first two years as a professional marked an epic turnaround."I probably had more experience crammed into those two years than any other player," he said. "I experienced relegation while I was still a university student, and during the last two or three years I have experienced a lot of emotions and a lot of ups and downs."The manager always says it, but it's very important to keep aiming higher. You might be feeling low, but you have to do your best not to show that on the pitch. The last two years were a great learning experience."The end result was a first-ever league title that no one saw coming. Reysol dropped only five points from their opening nine games to claim top spot early in the season, then held their nerve over the summer before clinching the silverware on the final day ahead of Nagoya Grampus and Gamba Osaka."At the start we were just giving it all we had, and then by the middle of the season we were still on top of the league," Tanaka said. "From then on I started to set my sights on the title. There was a time during the summer when the lead changed hands, but all throughout I was focused on the title."At the end we were neck-and-neck with Nagoya and Gamba, so when it was all over I felt a real sense of relief. The sense of achievement at seeing it through to the finish was huge."Winning the title brought qualification for last December's Club World Cup, but also personal recognition for Tanaka. The forward received his first national team callup for a World Cup qualifier against North Korea last September, before making his debut as a halftime substitute in February's friendly win over Iceland."I had never been called up at any age level before, so for me it was something new," he said. "I wanted to see what the people involved were like and what kind of level they played at. To see that for myself was like stepping into a new world. Each player is of a very high level, and they all have a very strong mental approach to the game. Technically, they don't make many mistakes."Given Tanaka's progress, however, it is tempting to wonder where he might be now had he begun his professional career earlier. A university education is practically unheard of for aspiring players in Europe, but Tanaka believes the system has much to offer."For players like me who don't have the skill or physical ability to turn pro after finishing high school, four years at university allows you to develop," he said. "If you make good use of that time, you can go on to become a pro."On the other hand, the number of players who fall by the wayside is not small. It really depends on each person. For me, I qualified as a PE teacher and became a pro player, so I would say the system works."
Showing posts with label Tanaka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tanaka. Show all posts
Friday, May 25, 2012
Taking road less traveled has worked out for Tanaka
Back on track: Junya Tanaka is determined to help J. League champions Kashiwa Reysol climb the table. KYODOKASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — Last year may have been a dream come true for Kashiwa Reysol, but forward Junya Tanaka is determined to prevent 2012 from turning into a nightmare.Having pulled off the most unlikely title win in J. League history last season hot on the heels of promotion from the second division, Kashiwa currently finds itself in a position hardly befitting of a champion. Five defeats in 11 league matches have left the Chiba side hovering above the relegation zone ahead of Saturday's game against Albirex Niigata, with leaders Vegalta Sendai fast disappearing over the horizon 13 points away.Amid the gloom, however, a spark is beginning to flicker. Progress to the knockout round of the Asian Champions League was achieved with a 2-0 win over South Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors last week, before Cerezo Osaka were dispatched 2-1 last Saturday to give Reysol their first back-to-back league victories of the season.Scoring the winner was Tanaka, a 13-goal hero last season who helped Kashiwa turn miraculous comebacks into something of a routine occurrence. Having fallen behind against Cerezo on Saturday, the 24-year-old was happy to rekindle that spirit."It's a matter of confidence," Tanaka said at Reysol's training ground earlier this week. "We are beginning to remember how we played last year. Against Cerezo we went a goal behind, and this year when that has happened we haven't really been able to recover. Last year we came from behind to win seven times, and against Cerezo we felt that ability coming back to us."We've made a mess of the start of the season. We're 15th in the table but we have won three games in a row, and that gives us confidence. I believe we can keep climbing the table."Having experienced the full spectrum of relegation, promotion and championship glory in just 2? years at the club, Tanaka knows things do not always go as planned. The forward was unable to save Reysol from the drop when he made his debut in 2009 while still studying at Juntendo University, but successive second- and first-division titles in his first two years as a professional marked an epic turnaround."I probably had more experience crammed into those two years than any other player," he said. "I experienced relegation while I was still a university student, and during the last two or three years I have experienced a lot of emotions and a lot of ups and downs."The manager always says it, but it's very important to keep aiming higher. You might be feeling low, but you have to do your best not to show that on the pitch. The last two years were a great learning experience."The end result was a first-ever league title that no one saw coming. Reysol dropped only five points from their opening nine games to claim top spot early in the season, then held their nerve over the summer before clinching the silverware on the final day ahead of Nagoya Grampus and Gamba Osaka."At the start we were just giving it all we had, and then by the middle of the season we were still on top of the league," Tanaka said. "From then on I started to set my sights on the title. There was a time during the summer when the lead changed hands, but all throughout I was focused on the title."At the end we were neck-and-neck with Nagoya and Gamba, so when it was all over I felt a real sense of relief. The sense of achievement at seeing it through to the finish was huge."Winning the title brought qualification for last December's Club World Cup, but also personal recognition for Tanaka. The forward received his first national team callup for a World Cup qualifier against North Korea last September, before making his debut as a halftime substitute in February's friendly win over Iceland."I had never been called up at any age level before, so for me it was something new," he said. "I wanted to see what the people involved were like and what kind of level they played at. To see that for myself was like stepping into a new world. Each player is of a very high level, and they all have a very strong mental approach to the game. Technically, they don't make many mistakes."Given Tanaka's progress, however, it is tempting to wonder where he might be now had he begun his professional career earlier. A university education is practically unheard of for aspiring players in Europe, but Tanaka believes the system has much to offer."For players like me who don't have the skill or physical ability to turn pro after finishing high school, four years at university allows you to develop," he said. "If you make good use of that time, you can go on to become a pro."On the other hand, the number of players who fall by the wayside is not small. It really depends on each person. For me, I qualified as a PE teacher and became a pro player, so I would say the system works."
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Rakuten's Tanaka scores big pay rise
SENDAI — Sawamura Award-winning pitcher Masahiro Tanaka re-signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Monday for ?320 million next season, up a whopping ?120 million from 2011.Tanaka became the only second player in Japanese baseball history to reach ?300 million in annual salary at the age of 23. Yu Darvish signed for ?330 million two years ago, following his second Pacific League MVP-winning season with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters."I haven't been able to respond to the calls of our fans (to win a championship), so my main objective is to really lead our team higher. I will do my utmost throughout the year in the starting rotation," Tanaka said.Tanaka, who pitched a complete game in the home opener in the disaster-hit Sendai following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, led the PL with 19 wins, a 1.27 ERA and a .792 winning percentage — all career highs — in his fifth season of pro baseball."I am glad that I could reach career highs. But I can't be truly happy unless I can post good numbers and the team does well too. For a baseball player, it's not a good position to be in if you have to watch the Climax Series and the Japan Series on TV," said Tanaka, referring to Rakuten's fifth-place finish.FUKUOKA — Veteran Fukuoka Softbank Hawks first baseman Hiroki Kokubo, who this year became the oldest player ever to be named Japan Series MVP, re-signed to a one-year deal for an unchanged salary of ?300 million on Monday.Hampered by injuries, the 40-year-old Softbank captain had a season of ups and downs but contributed to the Hawks' first Japan Series title in eight years.Kokubo reached his 400th career homer on May 12 but was limited to just 98 games, hitting just .269. He had surgery on his neck in early December."Right now, I feel no pain," said Kokubo, who is 38 hits shy of his 2,000th career hit. "I would like to reach that mark by May" he said.CHIBA — Chiba Lotte Marines closer Yasuhiko Yabuta re-signed with the club on Monday for ?100 million next season, up ?40 million from 2011, plus performance-based incentives.Yabuta had a 1-2 record with 31 saves and a 1.75 ERA in 53 appearances for the Marines, who finished last in the Pacific League a year after winning the Japan Series in 2010.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Tanaka double guides leaders Reysol past Vissel
KASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — Junya Tanaka scored two first-half goals and Leandro Domingues added another to extend Kashiwa Reysol's lead at the top of the J. League to three points with a 3-0 win over Vissel Kobe on Saturday.
Show of respect: Kashiwa Reysol fans congratulate Junya Tanaka (18) after his 24th-minute goal on Saturday against Vissel Kobe. Reysol won 3-0. KYODO PHOTOVissel went into the match at Hitachi Stadium on the back of three straight wins, but a brace from Tanaka inside the space of three minutes soon took the wind out of their sails and put last season's second-division champions firmly in the driving seat.A third from Leandro Domingues in the 73rd minute made the game safe, giving Kashiwa 19 points from eight matches as the Chiba side continues to confound expectations in its first season back in the top flight."The results we have been getting are a result of our preparation," said manager Nelsinho. "We have carried on from what we were doing last year, and that gives us a strong foundation to build on."In training the players never doubt what we are doing, and that is the key. Maybe other people are surprised at our results, but that's not the case for anyone at this club."Both teams took time to find their rhythm, but after some nervy moments Kashiwa took the lead in the 21st minute. Leandro Domingues split the Vissel defense with a perfectly weighted pass into the box, and Tanaka took a touch before rifling the ball home.It was not long before the 23-year-old had his second. Ryoichi Kurosawa switched the play with a brilliant cross-field ball to the left, and Tanaka left goalkeeper Kenta Tokushige clutching at thin air with a ferocious shot from the edge of the box."We expected them to come at us, and the players dealt with this by defending well, waiting for mistakes and hitting them on the counter," said Nelsinho. "Then we found our rhythm and got the two goals."We knew we were playing against a team that had won its last three games, and I told the players to go back out for the second half with the same attitude. We knew we couldn't just sit on a two-goal lead, and we were determined to get a third or a fourth."It was the visitors who almost started the second half with a goal, however, with Vissel pressure almost forcing Reysol defender Naoya Kondo to steer the ball into his own net.But it took a scrambled clearance from Kunie Kitamoto to deny Tanaka his hat trick at the other end, and 10 minutes later Kashiwa put the result beyond doubt. Hideaki Kitajima broke into space down the left, and the striker squared the ball for Leandro Domingues striding through the middle to sweep home.Vissel substitute Popo then earned a straight red card for a meaty 86th-minute challenge on Tatsuya Masushima, leaving manager Masahiro Wada to pick the bones out of a miserbale afternoon for the visitors."We were playing against the team at the top of the league today," Wada said. "For the first 15 minutes we played at a good tempo and created some chances, and if we had managed to score from one of them it might have been a different story."But after Kashiwa scored they were able to play at their own pace, and we had trouble putting together moves on the slippy pitch. Games like this happen, and the important thing now is for the players to put it behind them."Elsewhere in the J. League, Vegalta Sendai and Yokohama F. Marinos — second and third in the table, respectively, at the start of the day — drew 1-1, while struggling Urawa Reds were pegged back from a first-half lead to finish 1-1 against Albirex Niigata.The Shizuoka derby between Shimizu S-Pulse and Jubilo Iwata finished 0-0, and Ventforet Kofu drew 1-1 with Montedio Yamagata.
Show of respect: Kashiwa Reysol fans congratulate Junya Tanaka (18) after his 24th-minute goal on Saturday against Vissel Kobe. Reysol won 3-0. KYODO PHOTOVissel went into the match at Hitachi Stadium on the back of three straight wins, but a brace from Tanaka inside the space of three minutes soon took the wind out of their sails and put last season's second-division champions firmly in the driving seat.A third from Leandro Domingues in the 73rd minute made the game safe, giving Kashiwa 19 points from eight matches as the Chiba side continues to confound expectations in its first season back in the top flight."The results we have been getting are a result of our preparation," said manager Nelsinho. "We have carried on from what we were doing last year, and that gives us a strong foundation to build on."In training the players never doubt what we are doing, and that is the key. Maybe other people are surprised at our results, but that's not the case for anyone at this club."Both teams took time to find their rhythm, but after some nervy moments Kashiwa took the lead in the 21st minute. Leandro Domingues split the Vissel defense with a perfectly weighted pass into the box, and Tanaka took a touch before rifling the ball home.It was not long before the 23-year-old had his second. Ryoichi Kurosawa switched the play with a brilliant cross-field ball to the left, and Tanaka left goalkeeper Kenta Tokushige clutching at thin air with a ferocious shot from the edge of the box."We expected them to come at us, and the players dealt with this by defending well, waiting for mistakes and hitting them on the counter," said Nelsinho. "Then we found our rhythm and got the two goals."We knew we were playing against a team that had won its last three games, and I told the players to go back out for the second half with the same attitude. We knew we couldn't just sit on a two-goal lead, and we were determined to get a third or a fourth."It was the visitors who almost started the second half with a goal, however, with Vissel pressure almost forcing Reysol defender Naoya Kondo to steer the ball into his own net.But it took a scrambled clearance from Kunie Kitamoto to deny Tanaka his hat trick at the other end, and 10 minutes later Kashiwa put the result beyond doubt. Hideaki Kitajima broke into space down the left, and the striker squared the ball for Leandro Domingues striding through the middle to sweep home.Vissel substitute Popo then earned a straight red card for a meaty 86th-minute challenge on Tatsuya Masushima, leaving manager Masahiro Wada to pick the bones out of a miserbale afternoon for the visitors."We were playing against the team at the top of the league today," Wada said. "For the first 15 minutes we played at a good tempo and created some chances, and if we had managed to score from one of them it might have been a different story."But after Kashiwa scored they were able to play at their own pace, and we had trouble putting together moves on the slippy pitch. Games like this happen, and the important thing now is for the players to put it behind them."Elsewhere in the J. League, Vegalta Sendai and Yokohama F. Marinos — second and third in the table, respectively, at the start of the day — drew 1-1, while struggling Urawa Reds were pegged back from a first-half lead to finish 1-1 against Albirex Niigata.The Shizuoka derby between Shimizu S-Pulse and Jubilo Iwata finished 0-0, and Ventforet Kofu drew 1-1 with Montedio Yamagata.
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