アントラーズ.. どうして?

This is how the journey begins..

It all started many years back when myself was still in jr high school. Could still remember playing some j-league game on the already-extinct super nintendo. Back then, would alwaz select the first team on screen which was known as the 'antlers'. The team colour was red with it's mascot of an antler which is probably some kind of deer. Somehow it kinda appeals to me thus beginning to read up about the team n follow its' progress. As there was no channels of information available here, the only way to read about antlers come from the internet and occasionally from the japanese soccer magazines dat are available here. Many friends n colleagues of mine are puzzled about antlers. They have never heard of kashima before n doesnt know where it is! But most of them knew zico who is one of antlers' greatest player of all time. Well, even myself find it difficult to explain! It juz happens which is some kinda snowball effect. The next moment you knew it, the snowball had already gotten so big n there was no turning back!

In 1999, watched my first game at banbakukoen in osaka which antlers beat gamba osaka 1-0. Felt delighted to sit close to the antlers' fan for the first time cheering the team n singing loudy. Already had a favourite player then whose name is Atsushi Yanagisawa who was only 22. First noticed him in the 1997 world youth cup which he scored a goal in Japan's 1-2 loss to ghana in the quarter final. In apr 2003 on my second trip to Japan, finally step foot on the upgraded kashima stadium to watch antlers beat tokyo verdy 1-0. The feeling of being at the stadium was great even thou it took quite long to reach there from the city. It's like a die-hard liverpool fan wanting to cry upon stepping foot on anfield! Lastly on my third trip to Japan last year in 2006, managed to watch 2 games during my 10 days tour of Japan. Watched the first at the magnificent saitama 2002 stadium which antlers beat omiya ardjia 3-0 and 3 days later on home ground, antlers beat albirex niigata 5-1. This time round had some time to spare walking around the stadium thou it's a pity the museum was closed. Another highlight was to meeet up with long term penpal die-hard antlers' fan yukari n her husband who hosted me dat day which made my trip even more memorable.

Some of the well known foreigners who played for antlers other than zico include jorginho, leonardo, mazinho, bismarck. They somehow contributes to the 9 titles antlers currently have in one or another way. There are also many antlers' players who went on to play for the national team such as long serving yoshiyuki hasegawa n yasuto honda, europe based koji nakata n mitsuo ogasawara, retired naomi soma n yutaka akita as well as crowd's fav atsushi yanagisawa.

Wouldnt be goin back japan so soon for the time bein but will probably be back again in 2013 to watch antlers play when the league celebrates it's 20th anniversary.