26 Jun 2008(Thu)

June 25, 2008: Even before the season started, Kyoto Sanga looked the best equipped of the three promoted teams to survive in J1.

Now, with the addition of Mizumoto, they are capable of doing more than that -- and losing their tag as a yo-yo team, constantly going up and down.

Despite what happened to Mizumoto at Gamba, he remains one of the best central defenders in Japan and has a bright future ahead of him.

He is quick and combative, and has already emerged as a leader, first with JEF United and then with the Olympic team.

What he lost at Gamba, though, was his confidence, possibly going back to his costly slip in the East Asian Championship in China which allowed Chong Tese to score for North Korea.

That was way back on February 17, and Gamba never saw the best of him.

So now he moves on to Sanga, joining the player he was meant to replace at Gamba, the much-travelled Sidiclei, in Kyoto's "Kato-naccio" defence.

Mizumoto will also be reunited with another former JEF favourite, Yuto Sato, in a team that is building up its depth in all departments.

He is a good signing for Kyoto, and has the ability and the character to bounce back into the national squad in time for the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, starting in September.

Can Koji Nakata do the same, following his return to Kashima from Basel?

First, Nakata must establish himself in the Antlers team, and that is not going to be easy.

Although he is an extremely versatile player -- so much so that it is as good as signing two players -- Oswaldo Oliveira has a settled side and plenty of cover at the back and in midfield.

Left back, central defence, central midfield...Nakata can do a good job in all these positions.

But Araiba, with his raids down the flank from left back, is a key component of the Antlers strategy; either Oiwa or Inoha can play alongside Iwamasa in the centre of defence, and Aoki and Ogasawara are a dynamic tandem in midfield.

Nakata must prove himself again for Kashima, despite his achievements of the past, and will have plenty of opportunity to do so with Asian Champions League, Nabisco Cup and J1 coming up.

ends