Nadeshiko Japan miss out on Rio soccer as Australia, China go through

Time to rebuild. It can happen to every side and the gloaters shouldn't get too gleeful with that in mind. For example, in the men's game, Holland failed to qualify for this year's Euros.

Hope to see a new generation playing the kind of football that made Nadeshiko a great side to watch.

Congrats to Australia and China on getting through, and tough luck to all the rest. But there will be other chances.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hailed them as role models for the country.

Better them than him, at least they worked for what they earned and not have it handed to them.

Peeping Tom: "Young Nadeshiko is the current U-17 World Champions, Nadeshiko Japan is doing very well in every age groupings, prior to reaching the national senior squad."

How about above 17, which is what this is about? Last WC? Olympics?... silence?

nandakandamanda: "Good match last night against Vietnam. It all seemed to come together for Nadeshiko as at last they regained some confidence after losing Sawa."

More "it's because they lost Sawa" garbage? And even so, doing well against Vietnam (who even scored a goal -- maybe their only of the qualifiers thusfar), is not really saying much. At least they're not second last anymore (although SK faces Vietnam next, I think, while Japan could well lose to NK the way things are going).

Anyway, now they get to live up to their namesake: the women left behind, waiting patiently for their samurai masters to return. That's what Nadeshiko refers to when used for women, and I still think they should change the name and stop being so sexist.

@Wc626

I thought so. I appreciate the honesty. Thumbs up.

Their glory days are over it seems. I see more rugby than soccer on tv lately as well.

"It can happen to every side and the gloaters shouldn't get too gleeful"

". . . who cares its soccer, not NBA, MLB or NFL."

So why did you get all patriotic about it? Bandwagon jumping?

"I'm wondering why Jimizo would knee-jerkedly assume that someone who likes watching American league sports is..."getting all patriotic" about it?"

Because you've completely misunderstood it. I was commenting that Wc626 loves to point out how the US women's team thrashed Japan in the last World Cup but then wrote 'who cares its soccer'. He also called Japanese people 'bandwagoners'. Maybe it's just me, but I find it strange to get patriotic about a sporting victory and then claim you don't care about that sport. Sounds like jumping on a bandwagon to me.

The NBA, MLB or NFL had nothing to do with it.

The knee-jerk reaction isn't mine here.

Very, very happy and proud of the Invincible Matildas! They are a young team on the rise - we may not quite be up there with the Americans and Germans yet, but I'm sure our girls will fight like true Aussies for a medal in Rio!

Go the Matildas!

It's a shame, we need some positive news on the tv to hide the Fukushima disaster anniversary.

Well good luck to the Nadeshiko in their final game. They'd better beat North Korea, or Shin-chan will want to know why

"The fact they are doing well at the formative years (World Champions, which is more than your useless Canada will ever be able to do) only shows that this current crop of former champions will be replaced soon by another crop of champions, or people who already know how to win World Championships."

Utter nonsense. It shows nothing of the sort. Just because a national side has a strong under 17 side, or under 18 or whatever doesn't 'show' they'll be future champions at full international level. It does show they have some young players who could make the grade with the very best. Many don't fulfill their potential. Anyone who's watched football has seen players who looked like world beaters at a young age fade into obscurity. Does anyone remember Freddy Adu? The new Pele as he was called at 14 is now earning his wages as a journeyman in the MLS.

I thought you were having a crack at those who knew nothing about football. By the way, I'd like to see these kids go on and make it but there's no guarantee.

@Peeping_Tom

If you could write in clear English, things would be clearer.

"All I said, and quote "this current crop of former champions will be replaced soon by another crop of champions, or people who already know how to win World Championships."

Who are "another crop of champions"? Japanese under-17s? Who are the "people who already know how to win World Championships"? What world championships? Under-17s? Full internationals?

I'm a Brit who likes football too. I haven't lived there for a good while. Are British people now using "moi"? The country really has gone to the dogs.....

Sympathy to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's role models. Now let's hope Nadeshiko Japan does not lose in "no pressure game" against North Korea.

Rugby is a more gentlemanly game, in the end. Hard luck ladies

It is too bad what happened to Nadeshiko and it can happen to any sports team, but:

". . . who cares its soccer, not NBA, MLB or NFL." So why did you get all patriotic about it? Bandwagon jumping?

I'm wondering why Jimizo would knee-jerkedly assume that someone who likes watching American league sports is..."getting all patriotic" about it? Because if I'm not the first to do it, I'm sorry to break it to you, but liking the NBA, MLB or NFL has NOTHING to do with patriotism. They're just the best leagues to see the best athletes and performances from each of the sports involved. (And if you noticed, which you obviously didn't, the comment left out the American soccer league MLS from his comments? What to make of this, if he's trying to be "patriotic"??) Sheesh! Sometimes, the personal doesn't ALWAYS have to be political. Give it a try...

Young Nadeshiko is the current U-17 World Champions,

Yeah, but the bottom line is that they WON'T be in Brazil this summer representing Japan.

Good match last night against Vietnam. It all seemed to come together for Nadeshiko as at last they regained some confidence after losing Sawa.

Ultimately too late, sure, but sometimes better late than never.

As a long time Nadeshiko Japan watcher I saw this coming from about three years ago. They are still the most technically proficient women's team in the world, but they are slow on the ball and seem frightened to put the ball in the box. Their movement in the final third was poor in the world cup and it has not improved.

To make matters worse they have been defensively frail at this tournament. The first goal they conceded against Australia was just terrible marking, which is something I do not associate with them. The reason they made the final last year was their defending, though in the final they were poor.

I also have no idea why Rumi Utsugi is not playing in this tournament. She is tall, strong and skillful, easily Japan's best midfielder, but she is playing in France at the moment.

I have got tremendous respect for Sasaki, but he should have retired at the end of the last World Cup. They just need a change of coach to breathe some fresh air into the team. I hope they go with Takakura.

Nadeshiko are a great soccer team with a fantastic record, but they are going through a natural ebb right now. It's perfectly normal and natural.

They'll be back.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Young Nadeshiko U-23 is attending a tournament at La Manga.

They've already taken Sweden and Norway’s scalps.

But NO!!!!

There's definitely NO NEW TALENT coming through in Japain's women's football!!!

Female football in Japain is finished with Nadeshiko's senior squad failure to qualify for Rio, the world’s last footballing tournament!

and also, lets face this fact. you dont really have a strong field in women's soccer because there is such a short history to the sport, at least in terms of the world cup. you have the US, Japan, maybe one or two teams in Europe and that's it! so to say Japan are a great soccer team with a fantastic record is a bit of joke. one world cup win does not equal a dynasty.

The Matildas just topped their group. If they get a medal in Rio, I would not be surprised. Although unlike Japan's Olympic Commitee, I am not counting my chickens. Australia should never, ever, be written off

Nadeshiko has had a good run and it is surprising to see that they have come up short this time. I enjoyed the matches they played against the US team over the years. Hope they can rebuild soon and come back strong again.

So why did you get all patriotic about it? Bandwagon jumping?

@Jimizo. Yeah, guilty as charged. I'm not "really" a soccer fan. It was just fun to see the US smack-around a few teams.

The fact they are doing well at the formative years (World Champions, which is more than your useless Canada will ever be able to do) only shows that this current crop of former champions will be replaced soon by another crop of champions, or people who already know how to win World Championships.

Yup, my last comment also referred to the nadeshiko consistently ranking high when someone dubiously claimed that they were never good. BTW, its not Canada he cares about, its South Korea that matters.

After the Americans blasted them to hell last June, "soccer" has been slapped clean from their hearts & minds.

Their glory days are over it seems. I see more rugby than soccer on tv lately as well.

. . japanese rugby? Oh, I forgot . . all those bandwagoners too.

the reality is, they were kinda lucky to beat the US in the World Cup.

To all the naysayers (who obviously know very little about football):

Young Nadeshiko is the current U-17 World Champions, Nadeshiko Japan is doing very well in every age groupings, prior to reaching the national senior squad.

The fact they didn't qualify this time (I saw all matches, did not see Australia and China playing miles ahead of the Nadeshiko), and all the "experts are out of the woodwork gloating, stating there's no talent coming throw only shows how ignorant all the self styled"experts" really are!!!

"How about above 17, which is what this is about? Last WC? Olympics?... silence?"

Oh, really sorry; didn't realise that the Olympics will be the LAST EVER competition!!!

Do ya think that people who currently play for the main squads started playing for the senior squads????

Just to refresh yer dim memory, in the last world cup, Nadeshiko finished second; Olympics, Nadeshiko second.

What about it???

The fact they are doing well at the formative years (World Champions, which is more than your useless Canada will ever be able to do) only shows that this current crop of former champions will be replaced soon by another crop of champions, or people who already know how to win World Championships.

I would have thought that someone as "expertly knowledgeable in everything" just like yerself would be aware of such minor things.

"Utter nonsense. It shows nothing of the sort. Just because a national side has a strong less than 17 side, or under 18 or whatever doesn't 'show' they'll be future champions at full international level."

And EXACTLY WHERE did I say "having a strong under 17means they will be future champions???

Please, show me because I cannot find anything of the sort on my comment.

All I said, and quote "this current crop of former champions will be replaced soon by another crop of champions, or people who already know how to win World Championships."

Is there is any doubt that this current crop of former champions will be replaced by another crop of current champions, or people who have already won it at the highest level????

There's no guarantee they will replicate their achievements at the senior level; that was never said by moi,

However, there's no doubt that good work is being done at the youth level; success often than not stats there.

Or is there any doubt???

And as a good Brit, I watch, play (although a karate practitioner) and know football; certainly more than a Canadian.

It can happen to every side and the gloaters shouldn't get too gleeful

. . . who cares its soccer, not NBA, MLB or NFL.