Fan and Student of the Game

I am a student of the game. Watching and attending matches is a great way to learn as a player and coach. Over many years, I have grown from watching for the action, rivalry, and pageantry to also taking points from the players and strategies on display. Here a few photos and observations from my journeys.

FIFA 2019 - USWNT wins their 4th trophy in Lyon

Copacabana beach in Rio just before watching Brazil play on the big screen with our feet in the water…an absolute dream!

Brazil 2014 - Soccer pitch atop the Dona Marta favela

Brazil 2014 - I visited the soccer pitch in Dona Marta favela and donated 14 soccer balls to the youth

2006 - Front row in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin for Germany v Ecuador

2019 France - Celebrating the USWNT victory in Lyon with my daughter…once in a lifetime!

2018 Russia - Climbing the FIFA statue in Ekaterinburg

2018 Russia - Playing a five-a-side match in Red Square

2018 Russia - Before the Japan v Senegal match in Ekaterinburg…maybe the best atmosphere of all my World Cup matches

2018 Russia - Mural in St Petersburg celebrating all of the World Cup mascots

FIFA WORLD CUPS

I love the FIFA World Cup and have attended the 7 most recent men’s tournaments, and 2 of the women’s tournaments. The opportunity to live the game for a few weeks, see an exciting country, and mix with other fans and new cultures is truly unforgettable.

My first was in 1994 when, living in San Francisco, I had the amazing opportunity to see two matches very close to home at Stanford Stadium. I got to relive this experience in 1999, attending the women’s semi-final between the US and Brazil. France 1998 was my first World Cup abroad, and the experience was so fun I made a life goal to attend every tournament during my lifetime. I’ve seen my adopted home country of Japan play in Germany 2006 and Russia 2018, and the 2002 tournament was my first real opportunity to see the country beyond Tokyo. Along the way, I’ve observed great coaching tactics and seen some of the greatest players including Messi, Zidane, Beckham, Gerrard, Shearer, Suarez, Kahn, Ronahldino, both Ronaldo’s, Carli Lloyd and Mia Hamm. My most recent experience was a return to France, where I was lucky to see the USWNT lift the World Cup at the Final in Lyon.

These experiences have made a mark on me as a coach and a person.

FC Tokyo - SEASON TICKET HOLDER

My daughter and I have held a season ticket to FC Tokyo in the J-League for five years. Watching the performance and team selection week-in and week-out is an amazing lesson for a fan and coach.

I sit in the home end with a group of friends who were kind enough to take me in at my second match. We’ve sung, high-fived, hugged, traveled, cringed, cried and jumped in excitement together as these matches form a special camaraderie. Before every match, the entire stadium will sing You’ll Never Walk Alone, the anthem most famously associated with Liverpool FC which makes a nice connection for me. The atmosphere in a J-League stadium is often better than many European matches, but the quality of the play is not the same quite yet.

I will admit that the results of FC Tokyo do have a big impact on my mood for the day or two following a match.

2019 - Stretford End of Old Trafford for Man United v West Ham

2013 Barcelona v Ajax - Messi bagged a hat trick

2019 - Sitting with the coaches on an emotional day at Anfield…30th Anniversary of the Hillsborough Tragedy

2013 UEFA Champions League in the Nou Camp for Barcelona v Ajax

2013 Barcelona v Ajax - The master Iniesta on the ball

2019 - Goodison Park for Everton v Manchester City with our LFC Academy Japan team.

European leagues

I’ve been to a number of league matches in England, Spain, France and Ireland. But nothing may be as exciting as attending the UEFA Champion’s League, which I consider to be the best football competition in the world.

Despite working for Liverpool FC, a club I dearly love and respect, I have been a lifelong Manchester United fan since seeing this goal in the 1996 FA Cup Final between these two famous clubs. I was lucky to see them play each other at Old Trafford, a match which Liverpool won by a humbling 4-1 score. Working in the game has given me a more level-headed view of this heated rivalry, and my respect for all opponents has grown as a result.

I watch 2-4 televised matches on a weekly basis, including nearly every match featuring Liverpool or Manchester United. My daughter has become a Liverpool fan, and it’s a fun weekly ritual to watch the match with her!

I try to take in a variety of teams and styles of play, not only focusing on the big names from La Liga and Serie A, so I can learn a broad perspective of the game.

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