PREVIEW FOR 2009

2009 season transfer
IN:
GK Eita Kasagawa (promoted from youth team)
DF Makoto Tanaka (Transferred from Jubilo Iwata)
DF Kazuki Yamaguchi (Drafted from Fukuoka University)
MF Wellington (Transferred from America MG)
MF Yuji Miyahara (Transferred from Ehime FC)
FW Alex (Transferred from Batatais FC)
FW Yutaka Takahashi (Transferred from Roasso Kumamoto)
FW Hideya Okamoto (On loan from Gamba Osaka)

OUT:
DF Mark Rudan (Transferred to FC Vaduz)
MF Ufuk Talay ( Transferred to North Queensland Fury)
MF Takanori Nunobe (Retired)
MF Shingo Honda (Released)
MF Hokuto Nakamura (Transferred to FC Tokyo)
FW Mike Havenaar (End of loan from Yokohama F-Marions)

My view on the transfers
The major signings in this pool are ex-international Makoto Tanaka and Yutaka Takahashi, who played an outstanding last season at Roasso.
He could do really well with Tetsuya Okubo.
The no-name brazilians must show their skills on the pitch. Wellington seems like the replacement for Talay in the centre of the midfield.
Hideya Okamoto played alot in the pre-season games and can play as a forward and in the midfield. I'm sure we will see him quite often this season.
The big loses are Hokuto, Nuno and Mike. I'll miss Hokuto, but i'm sure Jun Suzuki will replace him more than well. In Takahashi we found a more than a good replacement for Mike and Nuno will be missed as our Motivator and "Daddy" of the team.

Preferable starting 11
4-4-2: Yoshida - Yamagata, Niwa, Nagano/Tanaka, Nakajima - Suzuki, Wellington, Jogo/Kudo, Hisanaga - Okubo, Takahashi

My view on the team
We didn't change much, but the forwards let us hope for a year with many goals. Okubo and Takahashi could be score close to 20 goals again this season. The strength of Okubo is that he's a working forward, who goes to midfield to catch the ball. But goals are nothing without a good defence. The center back positions with Niwa and Tanaka don't look so bad. If Tanaka will be a starter, he should be the voice in the defence. Niwa, who came from Omiya in the end of the season, is a really talented denfender who can learn alot from veteran Tanaka. The back wings with Yamagata and Nakajima are also pretty solid. Especially Yamagata should be one of the saver ones in 2009 again after 82 games in 2 years.
All eyes will be on Jun Suzuki this year. The youth-international should be ready for his first full season after some great performances in 2008.
Wellington should replace Talay in the centre and control the ball. Hisanaga and Kudo are verterans who will bring danger from the wings.
The team doesn't look so bad, but all the parts have to work together to become a serious promoter and that didn't work the last two years.

Player to watch: Jun Suzuki

Supporters
Avispa's fans are really enthusiastic. Level 5-Stadium is one of the stadiums with the best visited in J2, so the fans made a + of 550 fans.
It isn't much, but hey, we are better than Sagan and that is all what count for an Avispa Fan.

Where will they finish?
Avispa got a good squad, but the other teams are also very strong this year e.g. Cerezo, Vegalta, Tokyo, Sapporo... all teams are a tiny bit better than Avispa.
With a real good run and hoping of mistakes from the top-contenders, Avispa would have a chance to make it to J1, but the chances are low ...this year.