Osim hospitalized

Very sad news yesterday as National Team Coach Ivica Osima was hospitalized with a stroke. The 66 year old legend of soccer is in very serious condition.

I have not enjoyed his time as coach of the National squad to be honest. I don't like his teams or his reliance on JEF United players. I was hoping he wouldn't be coach much longer...........This is absolutely not the way I want it. I hope that his traditional stubbornness will be enough to get him to pull through it and resume at the helm of the National squad. I hope to be able to curse at his selections and tactics again....soomer rather than later. Get well soon big man!

THE EVIL EMPIRE TAKES OVER ASIA

Urawa claimed the crown with a 2-0 win over Sepahan, the Iranian contingent. Verdy won something similar to this a thousand years ago but it isn't really talked about among polite company.

Our friend Ken Matsushima at Rising Sun News has his own unique take on the whole quality of reporting here http://www.wldcup.com/Asia/news/2007/071114.html#reports

YOKOHAMA FC WATCH-

Julio Leal is out after this season and an old familiar face is in at Yokohama FC. Give you a hint........he was a coach for Verdy last year.......that's right, the Verdy recycling continues as SATOSHI TSUNAMI is tipped by Sports Hochi Yomiuri to take the reigns of the bottom dwelling Kanagawa side. According to the article, Tsunami was picked over Yasu Miura, the older brother of Kazu Miura .........so it would seem to SG that Kazu will be on the way out as well. I'm guessing that a bunch of the current Verdy players will be moving out to be with their former Head Coach for 2008.

VERDY WATCH- This week sees the team getting a break before taking up the charge for a final 2 game push. Cerezo Osaka has lost two of their Brazilian charges in Ale and Ze Carlos for the final three games of the season. Helpful, but I think the team needs to have eliminated the shocking pink with a win beforehand to make sure that they have nothing to play for. Winning on the road against a team dancing with aspirations of promotion in their head is not the wisest way to go. The team gears up against Shizuoka FC tomorrow in a nice runout before finishing the campaign.