EVERGREEN JAPANESE GREAT Kazuyoshi Miura is showing no signs of slowing down after signing a new contract with Yokohama FC ahead of his 52nd birthday.
Miura, who will turn 52 on 26 February, announced his contract extension with the J2 League outfit on Friday as he enters his 34th season as a professional.
The 51-year-old forward — who broke Stanley Matthews’ record as the oldest professional to score a goal in 2017 — is the only active player who was playing when the J League was formed in 1993.
“I updated the contract for the 2019 season,” Miura said. “Thanks to everyone who always supports. I am grateful to everyone.
“I will participate in many matches in one game, I will not waste it for one minute, one second. I think that I want to go face to face with football and go to daily training with maximum power.”
Former Japan international Miura – who joined Yokohama as a 38-year-old in 2005 — retired from national duty 19 years ago with 89 caps and 55 goals.
Miura started his career with Santos and spent several years in Brazil before returning to his homeland in 1990 and seeing off the likes of Gary Lineker and Zico to be named MVP in the inaugural J League season three years later.
He was also named Asian Player of the Year in 1993 but was controversially left out of Japan’s 1998 World Cup squad, despite scoring 14 goals as the country qualified for the first time.
Miura played 56 minutes in nine league appearances off the bench for Yokohama last season, though he did not score.
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He should be rediscovering his form & fitness with Munster not with the national team. Shouldn’t be a separate rule for him no matter how good he is at his best. Just lowers squad standards….
@ℝ: Who should be in the squad ahead of him, do you think? Marmion is barely back from injury and McGrath is still out for a few more weeks.
@Conor Matthews: Cooney and Blade, the two form Irish scrumhalves by a country mile… and especially for the Italy game. The pace the pair play is perfect for an ireland game to run Italy ragged, and test their fringe defences as unlike Murray both delight at sniping runs at defences. Cooney may be light on Caps but he has loads of experience having played for three provinces and excelled at all…
Yep, no sympathy for Murray or Sexton, thats 2 games they havent performed. Get in the queue and earn your places again boys. And this is why Joe should be rotating the squad more often. Like it was mentioned above, get your game time at the provinces…..and then bring that game to the national team, if youre good enough. Class is permanent, Joe says, yeah but who puts BOD (no disrespect meant) in at 13 these days. Form…form…form
@Trev: sexton was poor v England but he was running the game v Scotland until he got injured. We’d have won by 30 if he’d have stayed on.
@Chris Mc: complete tosh. Apart from the assist to stockdale sexton was bang average. Kicking out of hand was poor and his kick from the tee was embarrassing. He wasn’t as poor as Murray but don’t kid yourself if you think he’s in any better form. Last decent shift sexton put in was against NZ for club and country.
@Chris Mc: yes he got injured, is that your or my fault? No. As the saying goes……youre only as good as your last game. He’s had 2 now, & so has Murray. There is plenty of class waiting in the wings (but thats another discussion)…
Just re-read the headline, that is just pish! Either he can play at the highest level or…he cant. Simple until he gets back up there. But do not waste international minutes on him on the off-chance that he is going to take another 10 or so games to rediscover his form. Same with Sexton….Joe its time to start cracking the whip!!!
@Trev: I think Joe Schmidt will start Sexton and Murray.I also think he should
I’d really like to see the other players get a chance to prove their worth under pressure. What is going to happen in the RWC if a key member gets injured? The tournament is beyond Ireland realistically, so give Carbery etc starting roles. We don’t want a repeat of player burnout before the finals stages
Murray’s been way off it the last number of games ever since Exeter visited Limerick. Hope he rediscovers but can’t be at the expense of Ireland.