Mizuki Ito, who has contributed to SBS Japanese over the past years with football-related content, has been a goalkeeper coach at Sydney FC Academy for 6 years.
We caught up with Mizuki, just before his return to Japan, to talk about the A-League, and the difference between coaching and development between Japan and Australia.
Adelaide United has signed up 2 Japanese players in their Men’s and Women’s squads for the next 2 seasons.
Hiroshi made a dramatic A-League debut last season, scoring an equaliser not too long after stepping onto the pitch.
As of 8th November, he has already scored 2 in 5 games, making his presence felt.
Hiroshi is a graduate of J-League Academy, Kashiwa Reysol. He joined Spain’s Girona FC (then 2nd division) in 2009 at the age of 17 and remained in the Spanish league until 2014 when he returned to J-League.
His national team career includes U17, U20, and U23.
We asked Hiroshi, about the important factors to succeed abroad, and what future soccer stars should do for their dreams to come true.
Nanako Sasaki came to Australia in 2017 soon after graduating high school.
Her primary reason was to “learn English” to fulfil her dream of becoming a cabin attendant.
Football was just a "hobby", she tells SBS Japanese.
However, after several stellar seasons at South Australia’s NPL, Nanako was offered a position at Adelaide United last season.
Despite signing up with the club for the next 2 seasons and being determined to fulfil the expectation placed upon her, the 23-year-old says, her goal of becoming a cabin attendant has not changed.
Nanako is currently juggling professional football with a cookery course and part-time job, to obtain the permanent residency necessary to become a cabin attendant with Qantas.
We asked Nanako, for some pieces of advice about how to get a place from NPL to A-League.
