Arsenal could face Arsene Wenger’s former side Nagoya Grampus as part of this summer’s tour of the Far East.
The Gunners have already announced a fixture against the Indonesian national team in Jakarta and are now reportedly in discussions with the J-League side about a match on 23 July.
Arsenal were eyeing a visit to Japan in 2011 but postponed plans in the aftermath of the Tsunami of March that year which tragically claimed so many lives. They subsequently sent the Ladies first team squad to the country on an 11-day Charity Tour to consolidate links with the club’s burgeoning fanbase.
An executive at Nagoya is quoted as saying, “We have talked about this. It is currently under review,” while an Arsenal source has confirmed that the game is “under consideration.”
In addition to being an exciting trip to the land of Inamoto and Miyaichi, the match would also represent an intriguing showdown between Arsene Wenger, who managed Nagoya for one year in the mid-nineties, and Dragan Stojkovic, the player he signed for the club and whom on more than one occasion the Frenchman has tipped to be his successor at the Emirates.
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Cheers to @SiuFay for the link.
FUCK ME. I thought wenger was gonna leave arsenal.
Me too, some kind of announcement that he will return there once his time finishes at Arsenal. Would be just the thing I’d expect him to do.
Thankfully it’s just a preseason game. Would be pretty cool to see them play a J-League team. I wonder how good the Japanese league is…
Oh and also curious about that Dragan Stojkovic fella…
bloggs is becoming attention hungry these days….
lol
Wow imagine havin a manager called Dragan. Spurs would shit themselves.
Dawg, it would be worth the appointment upon Mr Wenger’s retirement just for that one point alone.
We’re pretty damn lucky having a manager whose name is arsen(e)!
And so, the master and apprentice as they were once known shall do battle in the temple of Nagoya. *Cue funny Bruce Lee sound bites*.
Um Bruce Lee was Chinese you muppet!
i think he was going for an “Enter the Dragan” based pun.
It’s true then? Tabloid headlines write themselves!
How about a tour to Mex(Nacho)ico??
Wenger is a fucking legend in Japan. He took a relegation-battling club and won the J-League in his first year. Part of Wenger’s obsession about a healthy diet was inspired from his time in Japan (if Santos ate only Japanese food for a month might even become a proper football player). Instead of the helter/skelter of Hong Kong and China like last summer, hope this summer the players get a chance to relax and enjoy their time in Asia with good food and hot-spring bath in Japan.
Japanese Gunner – Wenger is indeed a legend in Japan, but to be factually accurate, he won the Emperor’s Cup, not the J-League. Nagoya finished 2nd in the league that season.
fook me, my bad. i was still a university student back then – too drunk to remember all the details correctly.
but one thing I remember clearly was how this Dragan Stojkovic dominated the MOTD-equivalent every week with some amazing goals. get used to this name, he might be Wenger’s replacement in 2014-2015.
I belive dat 1 day arsen winger will leave de team.
Thanks for your prophecy enlightened one!
This comment, changed my life.
Best comment ever.
‘Ahhhh, arsene, we velly velly solly you no win cup no more!’
Comedies not your strong point is it!
fucks sake…
muppet
The Japanese have no sound for the letter ‘L’ instead of ‘R’.
Fuck’s sake, can’t even be racist right.
…meh.
Booked flights for the United game in april. Would it be hard to get 4 tickets for the game? its our last home league
Very, very hard. yes. Good luck though.
hopefully i can get them. Thanks dude
Talking about consolidating links with the burgeoning fanbase, can we please have Arsenal tour India!
I am a North London gooner currently working in Japan. I am pleased to confirm that Wenger has maintained a wonderful legacy on the island. Locals remember him with great fondness (that fact that he’s French adds to the allure). He is quite rightly revered due to his unique achievement with Nagoya – it’s the equivalent of QPR appointing a new manager mid-season due to desperately poor form (as has happened with ‘arry), and then finishing 2nd in the league whilst winning the FA Cup. Oh and Wenger did this without spending hideous sums of money on the Japanese equivalents… Read more »
Stojkovic clips enjoy ; )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaxcdUgHm74
If and when Arsene does leave I will be very upset. But what I want is for him to have a say on who succeeds him and I want another manager who can commit long-term. Stojkovic looks just the type, let’s hope Arsene’s instinct is as good on managers as it is on players. Does anyone know how well his team is doing?
Loving the banner, it’s not exactly “welcome to hell” is it?
any japanese experts – how does fan rivalry manifest itself in the j league? i’m presuming there are no firms or running street battles. is there chanting and taking the piss? or is it entirely civilised in a way none of us would entirely understand?
Urawa Reds have the most passionate fan base in Japan. Very well organised and they sing bastardised versions of English football chants for 90 minutes. The J League matchday experience is interesting because of the high proportion of female fans. It is of course much more civilised than in England. Less swearing and less vitriolic anger. But I have heard stories of clashes between Urawa ultras and their counterparts at other clubs.
what’s happened to Miyaichi on loan at Wigan?
Still injured, unfortunately. A real shame.
Wenger, please come to North America, you’re ignoring a growing market here!
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This is excellent news, i will be lining up for these tickets.
Nothing would make me happier than have Piksi involved with the mighty Arse but I’m not too convinced he’d be up to the full expectations. Don’t get me wrong as I’m well aware of the legend that is Dragan, his free kick goal v Spain in Italia ’90 still gives me goose bumps till this day but he also missed the penalty kick v Argentina. Dragan’s a legend in his own right but not what the Arse need once Wenger leaves. I feel the Dutch school with its technical style would best suit us and hopefully the rumours of Denis… Read more »
maybe a trip to India might happen one day. How awesome would that be.