19 Apr 2009(Sun)

April 17, 2009: “So what’s the problem in front of goal – technical or mental?”

This was the question I put to Tochigi SC manager Hiroshi Matsuda after their 0-0 draw with Tokushima Vortis on Wednesday night. (Tochigi had now scored just one goal in their first eight J2 games -- 12 hours of football!)

The coach considered both options before replying: “It’s luck.”

And he might be right, as the Tochigi players were not lacking confidence and were prepared to stream forward and have a go for the 90 minutes.

A deflection here…an opponent’s mistake there…a different decision by the referee or linesman…so many factors come into play that are out of your team’s hands and which can lead to an unexpected goal.

This is what Matsuda was meaning about luck, that the ball was not bouncing in their favour at the critical times.

“It was a good game, good effort, hard work from my players. Just missing a goal. We must keep going, just continue,” he added.

Or, as the banner of the yellow-shirted “Tochigi Addict” fans behind the goal at Nishigaoka said: “Keep on fighting.”

In keeping with the financial times of the day, Matsuda said he felt his players were depositing a lot of luck in the bank, and that one day they would be able to withdraw it and receive their reward. “I just don’t know when we can take it; when we will need that money,” he said.

In building the Tochigi team after his messy departure from Vissel Kobe last season, Matsuda has plenty of experience on board in the likes of Verdy old boys Yoneyama and Kurihara, as well as the team poster boy Okubo from Kyoto Sanga. Watching the game again on TV the following afternoon, the cameras were really giving Okubo the “Hirayama” or “Shunsuke” star treatment, which I still find annoying and unnecessary --  even after so many years in Japan!

ends