Okazaki interviews, comments and pictures from the Japanese media

[kushiro]

Don't know if this has been mentioned but Shinji was there last night. 

 

 

 

His team St Truiden finished 12th in the Belgian League - the season finished last week. 

 

 

Here he is in action in recent weeks:

 

 

 

[eblair]

just re-upping this because what a guy and what a player

[Sampson]

On 02/05/2023 at 08:17, kushiro said:

Don't know if this has been mentioned but Shinji was there last night. 

 

 

 

His team St Truiden finished 12th in the Belgian League - the season finished last week. 

 

 

Here he is in action in recent weeks:

 

 

 

That’s brilliant. Great to see him back 

[Scanchez]

It's hard to name a footballer who is so impossible to not like.

The only other that springs to mind is Kante.

We had them in the same team, which is quite funny.

[walkerleeds]

Someone in front of me turned round and asked who he was on Monday night...

[Simoken]

On 18/07/2020 at 00:07, kushiro said:

Here's a better video of his goal last night. Looks better every time you see it - not just the finish but the way his movement destroys the defender.  (You might have to click the link to see the goal)

 

 

The movement is similar to this Shinji classic - his last goal for Leicester. The defender looks and thinks he's going far post, then the kill...

 

The way he's playing at the moment he looks sharp enough to keep his place in the team in the top league next season.

Still clinging onto the past.

[lfu]

1 hour ago, walkerleeds said:

Someone in front of me turned round and asked who he was on Monday night...

A couple near me were confused because Birch kept calling him Shinge

[sacreblueits442]

48 minutes ago, Simoken said:

Still clinging onto the past.

...acknowledging the past, a bit of difference!!!

[Mendi]

Legend

[kushiro]

Shinji's just started yet another season in a top European League. He's still with Sint Truiden in the Belgian top flight. 

 

I would think that League is of a comparable standard to the Championship here - and Shinji is nine months older than Jamie Vardy. 

 

The League started last weekend. Shinji was on the bench for their home game v Standard Liege. He came on with five minutes to go with the score at 0-0. He immediately scampered around in typical fashion and pressurized the Liege keeper into making a hurried clearance from which Sint Truiden regained possession,  and from the subsequent attack they scored the only goal of the game. 

 

It was one of those under the radar contributions that were so common in his time with us.

[eblair]

1 hour ago, kushiro said:

Shinji's just started yet another season in a top European League. He's still with Sint Truiden in the Belgian top flight. 

 

I would think that League is of a comparable standard to the Championship here - and Shinji is nine months older than Jamie Vardy. 

 

The League started last weekend. Shinji was on the bench for their home game v Standard Liege. He came on with five minutes to go with the score at 0-0. He immediately scampered around in typical fashion and pressurized the Liege keeper into making a hurried clearance from which Sint Truiden regained possession,  and from the subsequent attack they scored the only goal of the game. 

 

It was one of those under the radar contributions that were so common in his time with us.

Shame OHL did not sign him

[kushiro]

Reports in the Japanese media this morning that Shinji will retire at the end of this season. He's just turned 38 and isn't getting much of a look in with St Truiden in the Belgian League this season.

 

I think a lot of people were expecting him to come back to Japan and continue playing into his 40s, as so many have done. 

 

I really hope he comes back as on my bucket list is interviewing him - sitting down with him and going through the 2015/16 season match by match, showing him the key moments and getting his reflections.   

[worth_the_wait]

3 hours ago, kushiro said:

I really hope he comes back as on my bucket list is interviewing him - sitting down with him and going through the 2015/16 season match by match, showing him the key moments and getting his reflections.   

I'm not sure you'd quite get the answers you might expect (or hope for).

 

He did a big interview a couple of years ago, and whilst I can't remember everything he said ... he was surprisingly rather less than happy about the 2015-16 season.   Mainly because he wasn't playing as an out-and-out striker, which he thought was his natural/best position.    Obviously he was happy to be part of such a great team, but gave the impression of being actually rather pee-ed off with where he was asked to play.  

[kushiro]

2 hours ago, worth_the_wait said:

I'm not sure you'd quite get the answers you might expect (or hope for).

 

He did a big interview a couple of years ago, and whilst I can't remember everything he said ... he was surprisingly rather less than happy about the 2015-16 season.   Mainly because he wasn't playing as an out-and-out striker, which he thought was his natural/best position.    Obviously he was happy to be part of such a great team, but gave the impression of being actually rather pee-ed off with where he was asked to play.  

You're right. That interview was quoted on this thread - it was from Shinji's diary of the season, that he published in Japan, translated by yours truly and posted here four years ago (it's on page 29 of this thread). Part of the reason for wanting to talk to him is to get over to him just how loved he was (and still is) by City fans - and just how valuable a role he played  - in the opinion of most supporters - in that title win.

 

 

Edited 26 February by kushiro

[worth_the_wait]

2 hours ago, kushiro said:

You're right. That interview was quoted on this thread - it was from Shinji's diary of the season, that he published in Japan, translated by yours truly and posted here four years ago (it's on page 29 of this thread). Part of the reason for wanting to talk to him is to get over to him just how loved he was (and still is) by City fans - and just how valuable a role he played  - in the opinion of most supporters - in that title win.

 

 

Ah right.   I'm with you.   Oh yes, it would be great if someone reminded him just how valuable and loved he was (and is).

[kushiro]

The Shinji retirement news is causing quite a stir here - on Yahoo Japan there are over 500 comments. Here's a sample, run through google translate:

 

I loved the way he  played aggressively, and prioritized the team's victory over his own points, as it really reminded him of a samurai.
I'll never forget his scoring ability in Germany, his miracle in England, and his overhead shot.
Although it became rare for him to score goals in Spain and Belgium, he still continues to play in matches while changing positions, probably because his IQ and attitude have been recognized overseas as well.
At the end, I wanted him to go back to Shimizu and see Japan again, but thank you very much for your hard work.
In my opinion, he is the No. 1 striker in the history of the Japanese national team.

 

 

There are few players who can do as much for the team as Okazaki. Despite coming up from the bottom with Shimizu and playing an active role as a goal scorer in Germany, what was required of him at Leicester was his dedication to running. However, even though his role changed, his pride did not get in the way and he continued to contribute to victory.
At that time, the front line players who were in the spotlight were Vardy and Mahrez, who had good numbers, but he was the one who chased the ball more single-mindedly than anyone else. It was shining. There's no ally who doesn't get energized by seeing him.  Thank you very much for your hard work during your long career.

Edited 26 February by kushiro

[WoodyFox]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68400502

 

Enjoy Shinji

[mancunianfox]

If that was from his diary at the time I suspect with a bit of distance his views on that season are probably a little bit different now he is a few years removed from it. Even if he wasn't happy with his role it makes me respect him even more because he was so good at it and used to come off the pitch every game having ran himself into the ground.

 

It's hard to pinpoint when I started to think we would win the league. First time it felt like it could happen for me was Vardy's screamer vs Liverpool when it seemed like everything was going right. We had the disappointment of Arsenal though not long after and it wasn't until Newcastle at home to go 5 points clear that I became confident we would do it. Who knows what would have happened if we'd have drawn that game 0-0 but for me That overhead kick was absolutely pivotal to us winning the league.

 

 

[sm1]

I met him in O'neils when he was in his last season for us. He was very quiet, not sure if that was due to his English speaking skills or he's just a quiet guy. I did tell him how much he's appreciated and personally one of my favourite players. The way he played, he's earnt the rest.

Edited 26 February by sm1

[kushiro]

There are three national daily sports papers in Japan - and they each had massive coverage of the Shinji retirement news.  

 

This was one headline:

 

 

A rough translation of that headline ボロボロ (pronounced 'boro boro') would be 'I'm knackered'.  That's what he said in his announcement - he's basically reached his physical limit. 

 

Another paper had this picture of a young Shinji with a Samurai sword next to a card reading '一生ダイビングヘッド  which means 'a lifetime of diving headers'.

 

 

It then has more than a dozen pictures of those diving headers from each stage of his career. Here's a sample:

 

 

 

A photo from his time at Leicester was included:

 

 

That's his goal at Arsenal in August 2017, though it's not quite a diving header, is it? It's a reflection of the struggle Shinji had here that he didn't score a single goal in a Leicester shirt with his trademark strike. This is an extract from his diary of 2015/16, where he's talking about an incident in a training session:

 

A low cross came in to the near post and I dived full-length to send a header into the net. The reaction was unexpected. 'Shinji - i never knew you could do that!'  The diving header was one of my trademarks, but I realised that I'd barely had a chance to show this at Leicester. I'd been concentrating so much on my defensive responsibilities that I'd stopped showing my real ability.

 

That was in mid-December - five months after he joined us.

 

But here's a happier note to end on -  the day Leicester appeared on the cover of the country's most prestigious sports magazine 'Number' - and another moment of celebration at Bournemouth: