Tag - samurai-blue

 
 

SAMURAI BLUE

Japan Times
SOCCER
Mar 13, 2015
Halilhodzic confident of getting Japan back on track
New national team manager Vahid Halilhodzic believes he is the man to revive Japan's flagging fortunes, but warns the transformation from Asian Cup flops to World Cup hopefuls will not happen overnight.
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
SPORTS / NOTES ON A SCORECARD
Jan 30, 2015
No reason for fans to despair over Nishikori's defeat
What a difference three years makes.
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 / 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 / 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.

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan