Andrew MCKIRDY - The Japan Times

November 23, 2024

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Andrew MCKIRDY

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Andrew MCKIRDY

Andrew McKirdy is a sports writer for The Japan Times. His main beat is soccer, but he has also covered rugby, tennis, volleyball, golf and even tug-of-war. A native of the Scottish Borders, he has written for The Scotsman newspaper and organized filming for a program on Japanese soccer for ITV television.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 2, 2015

Dethroned Sanfrecce looking to reclaim J. League title

Sanfrecce Hiroshima manager Hajime Moriyasu believes his team paid the price for its own success in failing to land a third straight J. League title last season, but the 46-year-old insists that this year will be different.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Feb 28, 2015

Gamba blank Reds to usher in season

Gamba Osaka added another title to their bulging collection with a 2-0 win over Urawa Reds in the Fuji Xerox Super Cup on Saturday.

Japan Times

SOCCER

Feb 17, 2015

Reysol triumph in extra time against Thai side Chonburi FC

Brazilian striker Leandro scored a 116th-minute winner to send Kashiwa Reysol into the Asian Champions League group stage after shaking off Thai Premier League side Chonburi FC 3-2 in extra time on Tuesday night.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Feb 12, 2015

JFA leaders take voluntary pay cut in aftermath of Aguirre ouster

Japan Football Association president Kuniya Daini will take a voluntary 50 percent pay cut for four months as a show of responsibility for the short-lived reign of scandal-tainted manager Javier Aguirre.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Feb 11, 2015

Fallout from Aguirre affair likely to have limited reach at JFA

The hiring and firing of Javier Aguirre has left the Japan Football Association with a severe bloody nose, but it remains to be seen if anyone at the governing body will pay for it.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Feb 3, 2015

JFA fires embattled manager Aguirre

Javier Aguirre was fired as Japan's national team manager on Tuesday after a match-fixing case naming him as a defendant was accepted by a Spanish court.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Jan 31, 2015

Nishikawa motivated by past failures

Urawa Reds and Japan goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa has urged his teammates to seize the moment over the year ahead after suffering disappointment for both club and country in the last two months.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Jan 28, 2015

JFA right to pass up convenient opportunity to fire Aguirre

It remains to be seen how much longer Javier Aguirre will continue as national team manager, but at least the Japan Football Association did not use last week's early exit from the Asian Cup as an excuse to fire him.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Jan 24, 2015

New Marinos manager Mombaerts ready to get ball rolling

New Yokohama F. Marinos manager Erick Mombaerts says his players have exceeded expectations after one week on the job, and is determined to make a swift start to the 2015 J. League season.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Jan 21, 2015

Japan gathering steam as Asian Cup gets down to business

There is certainly room for improvement as Japan takes the defense of its Asian Cup title into the quarterfinals on Friday, but the way the team has improved with each performance so far in Australia suggests the best is yet to come.

Japan Times

SOCCER

Jan 15, 2015

JFA won't answer to reports on match-fixing case involving Aguirre until after Asian Cup

The Japan Football Association will wait until Japan's ongoing Asian Cup campaign has finished before responding to reports that a match-fixing case involving manager Javier Aguirre will go to court, JFA president Kuniya Daini said Thursday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / World cup

Jan 12, 2015

Houllier challenges Japan to raise game

Former Liverpool and France manager Gerard Houllier has urged Japan to cast aside its inferiority complex and close the gap on the world's leading soccer nations.

Japan Times

SOCCER / World cup

Jan 12, 2015

Houllier challenges Japan to take next step

Former Liverpool and France manager Gerard Houllier has urged Japan to cast aside its inferiority complex and close the gap on the world's leading soccer nations.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Jan 7, 2015

Japan looking to put troubles on back burner at Asian Cup

Preparations could hardly have been more disrupted as Japan gets ready to defend its Asian Cup title, but that is all likely to be forgotten once the tournament kicks off on Friday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 27, 2014

Japan manager Aguirre protests innocence over match-fixing allegations

National team manager Javier Aguirre launched an impassioned defense of his integrity as he broke his silence over match-fixing allegations on Saturday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 18, 2014

JFA retains Aguirre for Asian Cup

Javier Aguirre will manage Japan at the Asian Cup in January despite being named as a defendant in a match-fixing case filed by Spanish prosecutors earlier this week, the Japan Football Association confirmed on Thursday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 13, 2014

Gamba claim treble

Gamba Osaka completed a remarkable trophy treble by beating Montedio Yamagata 3-1 to lift the Emperor's Cup on Saturday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Dec 10, 2014

Gamba back on top after riding formidable wave of form

The notion of Gamba Osaka winning the 2014 J. League title was laughable when the club went into the World Cup break in the relegation zone, but after lifting the trophy on Saturday it is difficult to deny they deserved it.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Nov 26, 2014

Vital Gamba win over Urawa breathes new life into title race

Gamba Osaka manager Kenta Hasegawa said he wanted to make the J. League title race interesting in Saturday's game against Urawa Reds, and after watching his team blow the field wide open with a 2-0 win over the league leaders, his wish was certainly granted.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 22, 2014

Gamba keep title hopes alive

Gamba Osaka launched a late smash-and-grab raid to blow the J. League title race wide open with a 2-0 win over Urawa Reds on Saturday.

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