We'll Try Our Best To Be The Champions! - Takashima

4 Ogos, 2015



Kashima Antlers have win everything there is to win in Japan football. They are also the most successful club in Japan. The achievement doesn’t come easy. Founded in 1947 as Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. in Osaka. It played in the semi-professional Japan Soccer League and moved to Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1975. They were promoted to the JSL’s top flight in 1984, but never made much of an impact, going down in 1985/86, returning in 1986/87 and going down again in 1988/89. Its last standing in the JSL was 2nd in the Second Division for 1991/92.

Since the J. League’s creation and introduction of professional Japanese football in 1993, Kashima have consistently been amongst the strongest teams in the country, holding several distinctions and records. Led by former Brazilian star and Japanese national team coach Zico in the team’s formative years, Kashima were the first team to win a J. League stage, claiming the 1st stage of the inaugural season in 1993. This laid a platform for continuous greatness and long after the Kashima icon had departed, in 2000 Kashima became the first J. League team to achieve the “treble“, by winning all three major titles: J. League, J. League Cup, and Emperor’s Cup in the same year.

Their academy set-up is second to none in the region and with great ties with community Kashima Antlers has been producing good quality players for the club and country.

This is the second time Kashima Antlers participated in tournament organized by Frenz United. The first being the Frenz International Cup in January 2015. “We were invited by Frenz United to join their international tournament for the first time this January, and since then we have been enjoying a good relationship with them,” Kashima Antlers Academy Director Takehiro Takashima said.

The Antlers is drawn in Group B with Phnom Penh Crown FC of Cambodia, Frenz United B of Malaysia and PVF FA of Vietnam.

“We really identify with their vision about youth development in Asia, and know it is difficult to organize this kind of international competition at youth level. That’s the reason why we decided to join this tournament, even though it is not easy for us to arrange our schedule to fit it in around our domestic commitments. We will try our best to be the champions.” He added.

Sumber - Frenz United www.act.frenzunited.com.my