FC
Tokyo Overview
FC
Tokyo is one of the newest teams in the J.League,
having been promoted from the J2 in 1999. Tokyo
is so new, in fact, that it doesnt have a mascot
character (the characters of most teams were
created under license by Sony Entertainment
from 1992-95). It doesnt even have a team name
concocted from some ersatz European language.
Nevertheless, the team from which FC Tokyo was
born has been around for quite a while. The
team originated as the club team of Tokyo Gas,
and was located in the western suburbs of Tokyo.
When the J.League was formed, Tokyo Gas opted
to remain in the JFL, where it was one of the
most successful club teams. When the league
was reconstituted for a second time, in 1998,
Tokyo Gas decided it was time to make the jump
to professional status. The team assumed the
name FC Tokyo, and joined the J.League second
division (J2). The team finished second in the
J2 in 1999, and advanced to the first division
in grand style, with a victory over Yokohama
Marinos in its first-ever J1 match. Although
FC Tokyo faded later in the season, it nevertheless
managed one of the highest rankings ever for
a newly-promoted club. Traditionally, the team
relied on veteran, lunchpail players picked
up from other clubs, such as former Antlers
Naruyuki Naito and Tadatoshi Masuda, former
S-Pulse defender Yukihiko Sato and journeyman
midfielder Fumitake Miura. Although these players
demonstrated a good work ethic, they were obviously
released from their former clubs for a reason.
FC Tokyo acquired the nickname "the island of
lost boys", to reflect the tremendous number
of players that had been picked up as castoffs
from other teams. Since its Tokyo Gas days,
FC Tokyo was led by Amaral, known to fans as
"The King of Tokyo". Unfortunately, the aging
Brazilian has not had enough quality support
to make a legitimate bid for a title during
the team's first two years in the top division.
However, this can hardly be the result of weak
finances. FC Tokyo quickly refuted the myth
that "big-city teams cannot draw faithful fans",
rising to second spot in attendance in 2001,
thanks in part to their magnificent home stadium
in Western Tokyo. Moreover, the team is certainly
not lacking in financial support, since its
lineup of corporate sponsors reads like the
Gold Card guest list at a Tokyo Business Convention.
The trend towards corporate sponsorship has
been so strong, in fact, that the team's home
stadium has even followed the unfortunate trend
that has become ubiquitous overseas, of selling
its name to a corpoarate sponsor. Thus, Tokyo
Soccer Stadium has now been renamed "Ajinomoto
Stadium". Yes, we know what you are thinking
. . . and lest anyone beat us to the punch,
The Rising Sun News wants to be one of the first
to suggest the most appropriate, unofficial
title for the new stadium: "The Soup Bowl" The
main element that appeared to be lacking at
FC Tokyo, prior to 2002, was a group of young
players who "grew up" with the team and gave
it a character of its own, other than the "lost
boys" image that dogged it at the start. But
that situation is slowly beginning to change.
Amazingly, the old "King of Tokyo" showed that
he still had another good season in his aging
body, and at last he began to get support from
younger players like Mitsuhiro Toda, Masashi
Miyazawa and, most importantly, right wing Naohiro
Ishikawa. Though acquired in a rental agreement
from Yokohama Marinos, the U-21 star fit in
well with his new teammates, and quickly established
himself as one of Tokyo's main offensive weapons.
His affinity for the club was so strong, in
fact, that he rejected a return to the Marinos
in 2003, asking to stay in Tokyo instead. Defender
Teruaki Moniwa was another player who emerged
in 2002 as a potential future star. With these
young players coming into their own under the
leadership of coach Hiromi Hara, Tokyo managed
a fifth-place finish in the first stage. Though
they faded later in the season, it looks like
Tokyo FC is ready to move into the upper half
of the league table, though they probably are
still a few players short of having a title
contender in 2003.
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FC
Tokyo Info
Stadium:
Tokyo Soccer Stadium
Honours:
Nabisco Cup Champion:
1999
QUICK
FACT
The
club doesnt have a mascot of any sorts
- almost unheard of in the J-League.
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