Nakata Didn't Have Wa

[Mulboyne]

Guardian: Japan players ignored Nakata, says JFA chief
A breakdown in communication with team mates prompted Japan playmaker Hidetoshi Nakata to quit the game after the World Cup, according to Japan's soccer chief. Nakata dramatically retired from professional football following Japan's first-round flop but his relations with other members of the national side had already become strained. Kawabuchi believes Nakata's outspoken nature was partly to blame for a personality clash with several senior Japan players..."When Nakata spoke his mind people got upset," said Kawabuchi. "The other players were too quiet. That was the main problem. That's why it all broke down"...more...

[AssKissinger]

I predict he comes out of retirement and plays again in Europe but never again for the Japanese national team.

[GuyJean]

I predict he comes out of retirement and plays again in Europe but never again for the Japanese national team.

I thought the same thing when he announced his retirement.. He's become a fucked nihonjin..

GJ

[Greji]

I thought the same thing when he announced his retirement.. He's become a fucked nihonjin..

GJ

I don't think he is good enough to play anywhere any more! He is too old and it is also my opinion that he was highly over rated in the first place. He was a media-made star who was just good enough to make the team in Italy, but since he was essentially the first to go to a major overseas club, that was all it took for the media in Japan to take him to greatest heights of Nippon stardom, that of media idol! It didn't matter if he could play or not play, he was on their constant commentary and CM roll!

In short, as you might have gotten the indication, I don't like the dude! However, I don't think that is going to bother him on his trips to check his bank account.

[MrUltimateGaijin]

living OS helped Nakata become a fully functioning human, while his japanbound team mates remained mindless automaton WAmachines

[canman]

But I was surprised to see Nakazawa retire from international football so soon after the world cup. He too is quite young. I guess none of the players liked all the stress and hype put on their shoulders.
I agree with GBoothe that Nakata was never as good as the Japanese media made him out to be, or he thought of himself. But I did like his attitude, and he gets bonus points for being different. But in the end he was defeated by wa.

[Mulboyne]

Here's more evidence of wa-busting:

[Behan]

I kind of respected how he was different, too. In an interview once he said something like soccer isn't everything in my life. You don't hear many athletes say that.
By the way, where is the picture from?

[Blah Pete]

I don't think he is good enough to play anywhere any more! He is too old and it is also my opinion that he was highly over rated in the first place. He was a media-made star who was just good enough to make the team in Italy, but since he was essentially the first to go to a major overseas club, that was all it took for the media in Japan to take him to greatest heights of Nippon stardom, that of media idol! It didn't matter if he could play or not play, he was on their constant commentary and CM roll!

In short, as you might have gotten the indication, I don't like the dude! However, I don't think that is going to bother him on his trips to check his bank account.

I think he was OK when he played with Roma and had some good games with Perugia and Parma, but I think he was in the wrong league. He should have gone to Spain because I think it fit his style.
If anything he was anti-Japanese media. There were times in italy when he was surrounded by reporters and would only answer questions in Italian and some times English totally ignoring the Japanese media. He is probably the first J-athlete to realize what the J-media is about and give them the big F.U.
The guy has been doing nothing but soccer since he was 14, night and day. He wanted to go to college and has creative business ideas. I don't blame him for quitting even though it was abrupt. I mean once you are with Bolton what else can you say....

[Mulboyne]

By the way, where is the picture from?

I can't recall. I had a few Nakata images kicking around at the time of the World Cup but I've since cleared out those bookmarks. I do remember the Japanese blogger wondering if it actually was Nakata and asking who the girl was but I didn't remember to check back.