8 Oct 2007(Mon)

Tokyo, October 5, 2007: A few weeks ago I bumped into Washington in Omiya one evening and had a quick chat.

I asked him who were the most difficult Japanese defenders he had come across, and he said Nakazawa first and Iwamasa second.

Now, there is a good chance he would add Kazuhiko Chiba of Albirex Niigata to the list.

Chiba had a fine game for Albirex against Reds at Saitama Stadium 2002 recently. Still only 22, he was asked to man-mark Washington in his own back yard – not the most pleasant of tasks on a Sunday afternoon.

And Chiba did just that in a performance that really caught the eye.

As we know, Washington did not score because he came up against an opponent who showed a lot of character and fight, as well as concentration in treacherous playing conditions.

Like Mizumoto, Chiba has a lot of personality as a player, and is not prepared to be intimidated by a high-profile Brazilian striker.

Like Inoha, Chiba plays with a maturity and composure beyond his years and inspires the players around him with his cool authority.

Like Abe, Chiba looks good at the back or in central midfield, where I saw him earlier in the season against Omiya at Komaba.

In short, Chiba is a natural football player, already with experience in Holland but still establishing himself in the J.League following his debut for Albirex in May 2006.

At 1.83 metres and 74 kgs he has a good physique, two good feet, a good footballing brain and a bit of attitude to go with it. One minute he was displaying his skills by bringing the ball out of defence; the next he was denying Washington with a fearless, perfectly timed block.

In these Osim days of versatility and adaptability, do not rule out Chiba from forcing his way into the national coach’s plans.

ends