13 Nov 2003(Thu)

There were two very different schools of thought in evidence by two managers in the J.League at the weekend.

I am referring to Hans Ooft at Urawa Reds and Hiroshi Soejima at Vissel Kobe, and they involved players who were in danger of being suspended before their latest games.

First Urawa.

Their Brazilian ace Emerson went into Saturday's home game against Verdy with two yellow cards against his name. This meant if he picked up another yellow card against Verdy, he would face a two-match suspension as it would be his second ban of the second stage.

In true Emerson style, he scored Reds' first two goals on the way to a 5-1 victory, but, with his team leading 2-0 just before halftime, he dived in the Verdy box to try and win a penalty.

The result? A yellow card for Emerson, his sixth of the second stage, meaning he will miss two of Urawa's last three games when they really need him most.

After the game I asked Ooft if he had considered substituting Emerson when Urawa led 2-0, to prevent him from being shown a yellow card.

Ooft said my thinking was too negative. "At 2-0 the game was not safe, and Verdy scored early in the second half to give us a problem at 2-1," said the Dutchman.

"I don't like to gamble. It makes no sense."

From Komaba Stadium on Saturday we move to Ajinomoto Stadium on Sunday, for FC Tokyo against Vissel Kobe.

The player in question is Bismarck, the former Verdy and Antlers star signed to try and save Vissel from relegation.

Bismarck also went into the match on two yellow cards, and with Vissel trailing 4-0, Soejima took him off after 69 minutes.

The decision was purely because Soejima did not want Bismarck to be booked late in the game with the match already lost, and therefore earn a one-match suspension.

This was an interesting, pragmatic move by Soejima, who could count himself very unlucky to be on the wrong end of a 4-1 beating.

I am not taking anything away from FC Tokyo, who play bright, attacking football, but I thought the home team's best player was goalkeeper Yoichi Doi!

He made some fantastic saves, especially in the first half, when FC Tokyo would simply go to the other end and score a goal.

An early Doi save from a Sidiclei thunderbolt was matched by a deft palm over the bar from a Bismarck free kick.

If I had been Ooft against Verdy, I would have taken off Emerson at 2-0 to save him from himself, whereas Bismarck will be back this weekend as a key player for Vissel Kobe.

ends