The 2nd All Japan Seniors (over 40) Football Tournament will get underway on Saturday 1 November at J-GREEN Sakai in Osaka. There are plenty of players who gather for the tournament including ex-J.Leaguers and players playing at the national competition for the first time.

Matsuyama Takayuki takes up the No. 10 of Muroran Senior 40 Soccer Club (Hokkaido), which join Group A. He is a playmaker who used to flourish as a major asset to the Muroran Otani High School (currently named Hokkaido Otani Muroran High School). Hiroshima Shijukara Soccer Club (Hiroshima) line up players of wide variety of backgrounds including Aono Ken, who used to be a baseball kid and has an experience in throwing a no-hitter, and Akaishi Mitsuo, who was selected as one of the best players of his prefectural senior soccer league two years ago. Okinawa Senior Selection (Okinawa) have players from other prefectures but are united as a team, saying “we all are Okinawan in our heart.” They hope to see fine showing by defender Tanemura Shinichi, who has a confidence in himself at aerial battles and Nagayama Hironori, whose body has been well-trained through his Self-Defence Force work.

In Group B, Mie Masters (Mie) are led by players who turned in great performance at last year’s Japan Sports Masters Championship in Kitakyushu such as custodian Hagita Masakazu and great passer Okazaki Mitsuhiko. Nicols FC Senior from the host city Osaka have a number of quality players. Former Japan international Sato Yoshiaki and former Vissel Kobe player Okui Yuji are some of the must-see players. Players of Matsumoto Yamaga FC Masters (Nagano) have as much experience as those of Nicols. Takeuchi Toshitaka has once shortlisted for the Japan National Futsal Team. Chubachi Shinichi used to play for Japan’s U-16 and U-19 and build the golden age of Teikyo High School along with Moriyama Yasuyuki, Isogai Hiromitsu and Honda Yasuto, all of who later played for Japan National Team.

Looking at Group C, Senior Okayama FC (Okayama) are out to claim the top places, led by Oguri Shigeo with the captain role and Nakada Takayoshi with his impressive stamina. Aichi Selection Masters Ov40 (Aichi) Terada Akira saw action at All Japan High School Soccer Tournament with his alma mater Yokkaichi Chuo Technical High School. Tochisita Masashi boasts his stretch during Aichi Gakuin University, “I was superior to Akita except for headers,” as he used to make up a centre-back tandem role with former Japan International Akita Yutaka. T Dream (Tokyo) lay on players with a piece of individual play such as Yamaguchi Hiroki, whose shot through dribble was appealing.

The heart of Kyoto Senior 40 (Kyoto) in Group D is comprised of Sugimoto Akitoshi, who flourished for NEC Yamagata, the predecessor of Montedio Yamagata, and Nakaya Hisashi, who experienced the final eight of the All Japan University Football Championship during his Kyoto Sangyo University spell. Tomiichi Fujinokai (Toyama)’s squad has also glorious individual careers. Hori Katsuhiro contributed to Toyama Prefecture team’s championship feat at the National Sports Festival held in their hometown Toyama in 2000. Murai Hiroyuki is the father of Murai Kazuki who scored the winning goal in the final of the 92nd All Japan High School Soccer Tournament. The father expresses his enthusiasm that “it’s going to be my turn.” Kagawa Senior Selection (Kagawa) have reliable players both in offence and defence such as Watanabe Kazuhiro, who is confident of his ball possessing ability and goalkeeper Ozasahara Daisuke, who has remarkably incisive reflexes. Tatebayashi Senior 40SC (Gunma) is also must-see as they hold Gunma Senior 40 1st Division’s top scorer Yamada Kazuya, and former J.Leaguers Haryu Norio and Kakita Ken.

The 2nd All Japan Seniors (over 40) Football Tournament

Sat. 1 November - Mon.Holiday 3 November 2014
J-GREEN Sakai/Osaka

More information (Japanese version only)