Japan's Verdy abandon Totti chase

His wife probably didn't want to hear her husband called 'Tocchan', or some other infantile moniker.

the J-League, which once attracted luminaries such as Zico and Gary Lineker when it began in 1993 but has struggled to acquire big-name players in recent years.

That seems a harsh comment.

Isn't it more a case of signing the high profile foreign players in the early days of the J-League to attract punters, but now that it's established and the level of skill has improved in the local players, that they changed policy ?

Not a mad footie fan but really enjoyed Japanese Rules: Why the Japanese Needed Football and How They Got It by Sebastian Moffett.

Most illuminating for a casual observer.