Alex: Japan’s Trump Card
R. Sanborn Brown
Following
a training session in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, on January 24th, manager
Philippe Troussier referred to Alessandro Dos Santos—he
of the newly minted Japanese passport—as a possible "trump card"
for the Japan side in the upcoming World Cup. "Provided that he follows
team rules and sticks to our game plan on the pitch, he could well become
our ace in the hole," said Troussier at a post-practice news conference.
"I haven’t seen him play in actual game conditions, so I can’t
really pass judgment on whether or not he will be a plus within our system,"
continued Troussier. "Even if he were to be substituted in the middle
of a game, or to be inserted as a joker at the very end of a game, he
is a very interesting player indeed."
Born in Brazil, "Alex" came to Japan during high school, where he graduated from and was a standout player on the soccer team at Meitoku Gijuku High School. He went from there to the J-League, making his first appearance in 1997 for Shimizu S-Pulse, which was led by Steve Perryman. Two years later, in 1999, he was named the J-League Footballer of the Year. He submitted an application for Japanese citizenship last year, and in record time—in just eight months—the mandarins of Kasumigaseki (the section of Tokyo where all governmental ministries are located) conferred upon him citizenship in time to train for the World Cup.
Alex follows in the footsteps of fellow Brazilians Ruy Ramos and Wagner Lopes, both of whom became naturalized Japanese citizens in order to play for the Japanese national side. Ramos saw his dream of playing in the World Cup evaporate in the final moments of extra time in Doha, Qatar, in 1993. Needing to defeat Iraq in order to qualify for the 1994 US World Cup, Japan was leading by a goal with less than a minute remaining in extra time. At that time, though, Japan conceded a last-second goal on a corner kick to tie—and was thereby mathematically eliminated from the US tournament in what later became known as the "Doha Tragedy." Lopes fared somewhat better. He made the trip to France in 1998 with the national side in what was Japan’s first ever appearance at a World Cup, and he eventually saw some playing time as a substitute (head coach Takeshi Okuda was later criticized in Japan for not making more use of the lanky forward in order to add some life to the sterile Japanese attack.) Japan however was eliminated in the first round of play, losing all three games and managing only one goal against Argentina, Croatia, and tiny Jamaica.
If Alex is chosen to represent Japan this summer, what if any role Troussier has in mind for him is not clear. What is clear is that he would add many valuable qualities to Japan’s game: speed, creativity, and a degree of spontaneity. The French coach did give an indication of his plans for him: "Alex has the ability to spread open the game by playing along the touchlines--he is an invaluable presence." Whether he will make the squad, though, is still far from assured. Among others, he is competing with Shunsuke Nakamura, the Yokohama Marinos star who is rumored to be close to signing with Real Madrid, for a spot on the left side of the mid-field.
At the end of the news conference, Troussier also alluded to Parma’s out-of-form Hidetoshi Nakata, who is arguably Japan’s best and most experienced player. "When he abides by the team’s tactics and rules, he is an indispensable player. If, however, he starts to think only of himself, well, I’m not sure whether or not he will see any playing time this summer." The war of words and wills between Nakata and Troussier continues.
Alessandro Dos Santos Factfile
Date of Birth: 20/July/1977
Place of Birth: Brazil
Playing Career: Shimizu S-Pulse, Japan (1997-2003); 67 goals, Urawa
Red Diamonds, Japan (2004-)