J League kicks off! Again...

A little update. Good news! The J-League has announced a resumption of operations for the league! Play will start again on April 23! Hurrah! 

There are still many decisions left to make. For example, the three clubs who have been impacted still need to decide what to do. Kashima Antlers, Vegalta Sendai, and second division Mito Hollyhock. 

All of them suffered varying degrees of damage to their home stadia, so need to work out if they can get their home venues can be repaired or should they relocate to venues that are more suitable. It is possible that Kashima may be able to get their stadium back up and running, but for the other two, relocation is looking more likely. Especially with Sendai's stadium being hammered by the tsunami and quake.

However, the J-League has made some other decisions, and others are still to be made. After shutting the league down for a month and a half, that dos leave quite the fixture pile-up. So, it looks likely that this year, there will be no summer shut down as is usual. This is because the summer heat and humidity is a killer here in Japan! Indeed, you can tell what the weather is going to be like by looking at kickoff times! The J League kicks off at the usual 3pm slot at the start, when the temperature is still a bit nippy. But by the shut down, the kick off time is much later. Closer to night, when heat is beginning to bleed away with the sun going down (it doesnt!) 

However, it now looks like kick off times will stay early. In order to maximise how much of the game can be played in daylight, with the league trying to help with the energy crisis. And stadiums do suck up a lot of juice! However, they will switch to later kick offs for July. They have to. It is stupid hot then!

Also, the JFA will have to decide about Japan's participation in the Copa America. After winning the Asian Cup, CONMEBOL extended an invitation to Japan to join the Copa America in Argentina  this year. However, with Japans top league still in action at the same time, will Japan want to send a team?

Finally, after New Zealand pulled out of their friendly (wuss! They moved the game for you, away from the danger area! Not that Tokyo was really IN the danger area...)the J League has announced that Japan will take on a J League all-star team in a charity friendly game. 

So, there you go. Sport is getting back on its feet!

Good. Need something other than all this to think about!