8 May 2008(Thu)

May 7, 2008: What a mess JEF United are in at the moment.

Two points from a possible 33, the future of the manager already in the headlines, and with frantic but so far fruitless efforts behind the scenes to try and sign new players.

The one thing that has remained constant is the support from the Chiba faithful.

They were in their thousands at Saitama Stadium 2002 on Tuesday, more yellow in the away corner than used to be around the whole ground at Ichihara Rinkai Stadium during the dark days.

"They are the best supporters I have ever played for," says Australian central defender Eddy Bosnar.

"If we'd had a run like this at Dinamo Zagreb I wouldn't have been able to go out for dinner. No way. But here...they are fantastic."

And really it's the JEF supporters you feel sorry for the most, as the Osim World has crumbled around them and they are left standing in the dusty ruins.

I have to admit I did not think things would be as bad as this at the start of the season, although I was very much in a minority.

Of course it was going to be hard losing five first-team regulars in Mizumoto, Mizuno, Sato, Hanyu and Yamagishi, but a backbone of Saito-Shimomura-Maki remained, fleshed out by Osim era veterans, hungry new recruits, impressive youngsters such as Matsumoto at right back and Yonekura in midfield, and the foreign contingent.

And after seeing them win handsomely at Todoroki in an early Nabisco Cup fixture, I thought they were looking good.

In the league, though, the curse of Fukuda Denshi Arena struck again. I think a pivotal moment in the season came at home to Vissel Kobe when they were leading 1-0 going into injury time, only for a Norio Suzuki rocket to make it 1-1.

Had JEF held on in that game, their fourth in the league, and secured three points, I honestly feel they would have been up and running, and could have built on this.

That early buzz has disappeared now, though, and captain Shimomura was a forlorn figure after the 3-0 defeat against Reds.

The confidence had gone, he said, and compared to last season it felt like JEF were playing with only 10 men when they attacked due to the lack of options for the player on the ball, and with only 10 men when Reds had the ball. As captain, he told of how he had stepped in to break up an argument among players after the 3-0 defeat against Yokohama F Marinos.

Despite all the problems, I still feel JEF are good enough to get out of this situation and stay in J1. They have two home games -- against Kyoto and Oita -- before the long summer break, and six points would keep them in touch.

And if they falter at Fukuare again (and again), it's not a new manager they need -- it's an exorcist.

ends