FOOTPICKS’ 2024 J1 League Hot Picks #2: Yokohama F. Marinos and Nagoya Grampus

How will coach Kewell fare in the J1 League?

Yokohama F. Marinos, the traditional Japanese footballing powerhouse, regained fame in the late 2010s. In the past five seasons, they’ve won J1 twice (2019 and 2022) and have finished as runners-up twice in the league as well (2021 and 2023).

It all started in December 2017 when the club hired Ange Postecolgou as their new manager. The Australian coach has instilled his super-attacking-style into the team, which had been known for defensive-minded football before that, and his steely determination and innovative ideas paid off in his second season of 2019 when Marinos secured the J1 league title for the first time in 15 years.

The Greek-born-tactician left the club in the summer of 2021 for Celtic – and now at Tottenham Hotspur – and Marinos elected Kevin Muscat, another Aussie manager. The British-born-coach followed his predecessor, winning J1 in his second season and leaving for another country in December last year.

The Tricolor club keep their faith in the Australian connection and chose Harry Kewell as the new manager this season. Though the Champions League winner, a member of the Liverpool team accomplished the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ in 2005, is the most famous amongst the three Aussies, this is the first time for him to lead a professional club at first hand.

Kewell must have a similar philosophy to Postecoglou because he assisted the compatriot during the 2022-23 season in Glasgow. And we glimpsed that in the new manager’s first game in charge, the first leg of the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League against Bangkok United on Valentine’s Day.

At Thammasat Stadium in Thailand, Marinos played attacking football with a 4-1-2-3 shape, recording 17 shots and 54% possession, and taking the initiative by scoring two goals first. However, they failed to win the tie in the end due to profligacy in front of the goal and a last-minute equaliser, making it 2-2.

It remains to be seen how Kewell is going to buid the team but it could be better than last year as there are almost every main player stays except Takuma Nishimura (to Servette on loan) and Ryotaro Tsunoda (signed with Cardiff City and loaned out to Kortrijk).

Anderson Lopes, the top scorer of J1 last season, seems to be at the peak of his powers, leading one of the fiercest attacking forces in the league with Élber and Yan Matheus. This Brazillian trio will be supported by skilful midfielders such as Kota Watanabe, Tae-hee Nam, and Jun Amano, who is back from Jeonbuk Hyundai.

Can the former Socceroo meet the high expectations from one of the most passionate fan bases in Japan? Given the fact that Marinos finished second, first, and second in the past three seasons and that he inherited the top-quality team, Kewell must deliver one major trophy at least.

(by Yoichi Igawa)

Predicted Lineup: 4-1-2-3

Major Arrivals

• Popp William (from Machida Zelvia)
• Ren Kato (from Tokyo Verdy)
• Kazuya Yamamura (from Kawasaki Frontale)
• Jun Amano (from Jeonbuk Hyundai)

Brilliant new signings should make Nagoya better

Heading into the new season not many have especially high hopes for Nagoya Grampus, but for my money, they actually look like something of a dark horse.

Yes, they have lost centre-backs Haruya Fujii and Shinnosuke Nakatani and wing-back Ryoya Morishita, but their replacements Ha Chang-rae, Shion Inoue, and Ryosuke Yamanaka are all solid acquisitions and in Mitch Langerak Nagoya do still have the best goalkeeper in J1.

And as we move up the pitch things get progressively more encouraging.

Keiya Shihashi and Takuya Uchida offer younger legs to supplement the more seasoned Takuji Yonemoto and Sho Inagaki in central midfield, while there is a wealth of chance-making quality out wide with Yamanaka and Masahito Ono joining Ryuji Izumi as options on the left and Tojiro Kubo and Katsuhiro Nakayama reliable providers on the opposite flank.

And what players they have to finish off the opportunities they serve up.

Tsukasa Morishima didn’t immediately click after joining last summer but is a proven schemer at this level, while Yuya Yamagishi looks like one of the signings of the winter.

A hard worker blessed with intelligent movement, impressive hold-up play, and clinical finishing, Yamagishi struck 10 times in each of the last two seasons for Avispa Fukuoka and his partnership with the lethal Kasper Junker has the potential to become the best in the league.

Patric isn’t a terrible option to bring off the bench either, and having also made double figures last year for Kyoto Sanga will be desperate to get the four goals he needs to complete his century in the Japanese top flight.

Whether they can deliver a serious title challenge remains to be seen, but on paper, Nagoya look set to push their competition all the way to the top of the table.

(by Sean Carroll)

Predicted Lineup: 3-4-1-2

Major Arrivals

• Ha Chang-rae (from Pohang Steelers)
• Yuya Yamagishi (from Avispa Fukuoka)
• Shion Inoue (from Ventforet Kofu)
• Ryosuke Yamanaka (from Cerezo Osaka)
• Keiya Shiihashi (from Kashiwa Reysol)