Oita Preview

Well, that's a relief. In fact, it's more than one. Biggest relief of all is that Ardija were successful in battling to a draw last weekend and secured their J1 status for another year. It wasn't a pretty game against Kashiwa Reysol, the first half in particular being completely frenetic - and lacking any player on either side with the composure to control the ball properly or to find space in the midfield. But Kashiwa, needing the win to have a chance of remaining in the division, ultimately did not have the quality to get the required goals while at the other end, Rafael and Hayato Hashimoto sliced through the Sun Kings' defence to score. One turned out to be enough.

Another relief, frankly, is not having to write an Omiya match preview for three months. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm not keen. I'm very keen. But I'm also angry. What have Ardija achieved under Jang Wae Ryong over the last year? Where are Ardija as a club going? Almost unbelievably, it looks like Jang will be staying on as coach, despite the vast gap between the stated aims for 2009 and what has actually been achieved. Stability and a coherent plan as to how to move forward are clear priorities for Omiya, but choosing to try to develop these ideas with a coach who has demonstrated that he cannot get results at the required level seems incomprehensible.

Anyway, 2009 will finally finish at Oita Trinita, who haven't actually lost a league match since August. Never a team to score a whole load of goals, a figure of just three conceded in the last eight games indicates the extent to which Oita have relocated their defensive mojo under coach Ranko Popovic. For Ardija there exists the bizarre possibility that if other results go his way, Jang may be able to scramble to an eleventh place finish. That will require a Squirrels win in Kyushu without Takuya Aoki - on U20 international duty - and suspended Chikara Fujimoto, although Shin Kanazawa will presumably return. But the final whistle will in the main bring relief. And then anger, probably.

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