13 Apr 2003(Sun)

There is a saying in English that "a leopard never changes his spots."

I don't know if there is a Japanese equivalent, but it means that a person can never change his natural characteristics.

On this occasion, however, I think Tatsuhiko Kubo is changing his spots!

This opinion is based on my observations from the opening weeks of the J.League.

When I think of Kubo I think of a tall and powerful center forward, fearless and aggressive and with only one thing on his mind: breaking the back of the net with a blistering left-foot shot or soaring header.

I am sure this is why Yokohama F Marinos signed him from Sanfrecce Hiroshima, to give their attack some bite and some punch.

But the Kubo I have seen this season looks different.

In situations where he used to shoot he now passes. When he used to climb high in the box, he would head for goal; now he heads the ball back across the goal.

After last Saturday's game against Vegalta Sendai at Yokohama, I chatted for a couple of minutes with Takeshi Okada as he raced from the press conference room to the changing room.

I asked him if he had asked Kubo to change his style, and become more of a team player than a swashbuckling individual.

Okada said he hadn't, but added that all 11 players had a collective responsibility to the team.

Then I asked Okada if he was surprised when Kubo, breaking down the left in the season opener against Jubilo Iwata, decided to pass the ball into the middle, where Yukihiko Sato scored. I was expecting Kubo to shoot for goal with his powerful left foot, and take the goalkeeper with the ball into the back of the net!

Okada said that yes, he too was surprised Kubo did not shoot. But of course Okada was delighted with the end result: a goal for Yokohama.

Last Saturday, a cross went into the Sendai box from the left wing. Kubo climbed high at the far post, but tried to find Marquinhos with his header, rather than have a go for goal himself.

If Kubo is deliberately changing his spots, I prefer the old version.

In many aspects, Kubo was like a box of chocolates: you never knew what you were going to get next.

He was a raw and unpredictable talent. At times it appeared that even he did not know what he was going to do next, and if Kubo didn't know, then how could a defender?

Maybe once Kubo finds the net this season he will have more confidence to go for goal himself.

I hope so, because he loses his special quality if he becomes just another team man.

ends