I agree that we should not get too excited until it is 100% done and dusted. However it is up on the OS. Our Nige said the other day that nothing would be talked about until pen has signed paper etc etc. I'm surprised that it is on the OS when it isn't a done deal yet, but the fact that it is up suggests that they must be 99% sure that it will be. Fingers crossed
My girlfriend is Asian so I'm gonna love a bit of casual racism when I tell her "you played well today!" every Saturday, she'll love it
Could be a good signing but will need time to bed in, hopefully people will be a little more forgiving than with Guly, Puncheon etc. Sounds like he is left footed predominantly and has a high work rate.
Japan are also 19th in the FIFA World rankings and he played in the majority of their games (and scored a couple) last year. That's not to be sniffed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPTahvny-QE&feature=related This vid of him is good 2007~2011 collection him playing for country and club, not that long either unlike the other 15min vid :L
Some great goals in that clip: shots from inside and outside the area, headers, poached goals too. My only cautionary note, and please don't think I'm being picky, is that no-one is marking him very tight for most of the goals. He might get a bit more attention from defences in the NPC, and in the Prem too!
Love the goal where is runs through the defence and chips the keeper about 1 min 52! I think it will take him a little time to settle in - but that is the same for every player, I would imagine he can speak some if not a lot of English, Cortese is unlikely to offer him a doubled salary if there is a chance he might not be able to communicate with any of the players and staff. I believe this is a good signing - something very different from Lambert - who can hold the ball up and set this guy up for some explosive run. I know I am talking like he has already signed but as someone already said - if it is on the OS it is pretty much a done deal!
OR it could be because his movement is very good and he manages to find the space to create his goals. Bit like Connolly does. Well I hope thats the case anyway!!
I hope so too. The main thing is he's got a nose for where the goal is, and is prepared to shoot on sight, something I feel Saints have been a bit lacking in recently. Hopefully he can help get the rest of the tram to have a pop too.
On the SS article about him there is a quote (whether it has been translated i don't know): "The league is so competitive. I hope I can contribute to the team anyway I can," Lee told the Mainichi Daily. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11700/7410459/Saints-agree-Japanese-deal I'm sure there must have been more to it than just that quote but that's all SS have put.
Running some of his tweets through a translator makes for a laugh. "Happy new year! Maximum rain (>_<) apricot" Good old Apricot.
Looked up Mainichi - he actually said "The Premier League is so competitive"! http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20120104p2g00m0sp112000c.html Either he's extremely confident that he can help us get promoted or his agent got his wires crossed on what league we're in! (at the moment of course)
Asian players are known to work hard and our team is full of workers. My only worry is the physicality of this league. He will obviously not be used to it and I worry that the rubbish referees at this level will not protect him. Even Rickie has been taking a battering.
Hopefully he'll get one, Saints have had a few issues in the past with work permits. It only says we are in talks with him on the os?, so we haven't actually signed him yet. Hopefully we will see a few more players come in and Lee (if he chooses to stay) will hit the ground running because we need it.
Work permit should be straightforawrd with his international record. Club must be pretty certain. We don't normally announce possibles only done deals!
