It wasn't clear yesterday why the announcement was made to dump salary before a big game but today a little announcement came out from Nikkan Sports. I'll give my theory on why I think yesterday's dump and todays rumor connects.
http://www.nikkansports.com/soccer/news/p-sc-tp0-20081202-435682.html
First, NTV/Yomiuri is desperately trying to get out from under the debt of Verdy once and for all. Nikkan is reporting that (I think) Sports and Talent Management group Sunny Side Up started talks to acquire 50% ofVerdy from NTV thereby making them patrners with CyberAgent. One of the minority owners in SSU is former National Team player and philanthropist Hidetoshi Nakata (6.91%) . The theory is Nakata would be heavil involved in management once SSU takes over.......if all goes to plan.
Some noteworthy members of the SSU family include swimmer Kosuke Kitajima, hot dog eating champ Kobayashi, and NT strikers Kisho Yano and Masashi Oguro. NTV has accrued about 1.2 billion yen of debt according to the article and want to cut their losses.
I think the cuts were a bookmaking trick to make the team more desirable on paper. J1 doesn't matter as much as the bottom line and renting Nishigaoka is far cheaper than Ajinomoto. So yeah.......it's business.
Ever since the underwhelming response to Verdy after the move from Kawasaki, NTV-omiuri haave really checked out of caring for the team. Really, when you are showing games at 3am and you own the team, you really don't care about it.
http://www.ssu.co.jp/
IN OUT SPECULATION
http://ameblo.jp/adgjmptw1969/image-10172434486-10115858182.html
Nikkan Sports is speculating that 4 more will be cut and one rental will be expunged
DF Sho Miyasaka, MF Nozomi Hiroyama, DF Shigenori Hagimura, and MF Tsuyoshi Yoshitake are all rumored to get cut. Also the loan agreement between Shimizu over DF Takumi Wada is not likely to be renewed.
Weekly Soccer Magazine also reports that Verdy is targeting 24 year old FW Naoki Ishihara from Shonan Bellmare. Ishihara is number 3 in J2 in goals scored at 18 in 40 games. Ishihara is a small speed guy who would partner nicely with a post player like Oguro.
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5 comments:
With regards to the finances, if we have to cut we have to cut. I wouldn`t like to see us go under and if we are bleeding cash, which given our attendances and finishing position (and therefore J League prize money)) we must be, then NTV has every right to pull the plug. Business is business and we are not really an attractive option unfortunately.
Attendances have been around the 8-12,000 mark apart from when the big boys come to town and given the assumed cost of renting either Ajinomoto or Kokuritsu this can`t be enough.
This has to be one of the problems facing all J League teams. Nobody has their own stadium. Do they?? Maybe Kashiwas ground without the track?? Maybe JEF own Fukuda or at least their sponsors do??
Anyway, a stumbling we go!! Seems to me even in J1 we should go for Nishigaoka when the low supported teams come. We don`t fill it and I can`t see it being full when the likes of Montedio,Hiroshima and a few others come to town. Save a few quid anyway.
(The only team in Japan owning their own stadium is new JFL promotees Honda Lock SC. Some stadium rentals, such as Kasamatsu for Mito, are incredibly inexpensive, though.)
Any thoughts on if Verdy will utilize cheap yet inexperienced talent even if remaining in J1? Kento Tsurumaki has done absolutely zero in Mito while on loan. He MUST be cheap cheap cheap!
It's actually not a bad idea to bring in Shonan's starlet and fill up the midfield with new fast kids with penchants for passing. It wouldn't challenge the big guns but it would probably secure mid-table status for Verdy next year.
A J2 Verdy wouldn't be too sad on my end, though... Mito is itching for another 3 or 4 goal advantaged win.
I assume Mito are itching for any kind of win, being as a "3 or 4 goal win" for your chaps is somewhat akin to sightings of Haleys Comet, being murdered or winning Summer Jumbo....you must be happy that the league is expanding again, even more teams who are somehow crapper than perenially shite Mito!!
As with all cases of little boys fighting, "It wasn`t me mum, he started it:)!!"
Hey, I was just pointing out that the ONLY times Mito has won by that margin in the past few years were against Verdy... except for a single trashing of Ehime last year. Although apparently beating Verdy is only possible at Kokuritsu. Any other stadium means a loss.
Maybe its my time of the month (season) irrational thoughts, biting peoples heads off, stomach cramps....maybe I need to go to the chemists...
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