Japan Women's NT 2022

    Quote from Blue Moon

    You don't see Russians saying Arina is the next Gamova... She's free to grow as herself not confined to be like another player.

    She's actually being pegged as the next Gamova (aka the carrier of the team). Even in Fenerbahce, they made her play almost all the matches without much substitution.


    I think Japan is due a resurrection in their women's team (just like Russia).


    Disappointed a bit with how Ishikawa just faded in just one game. One minute she's a star, the next she's anonymous.

    She was the poster girl of Japan volleyball like her brother.


    Inoue has an Ebata-like spiking style (maybe she can replicate her U21 success).


    So Mannabe seems to be on track in reviving his Saori days.

    Koga as Saori

    Inoue as Ebata

    Hayashi as Shinnabe

    Kojima as Sano

    Takeshita .....?

    Shimamura as Araki

    and Ishikawa as the poster girl princess.

    Hi All, pretty new to the Japan women's NT... Just curious what caused all this "general negativity" against Ai Kurogo?
    I mean this player is obviously suffering from insomnia due to her panda eye circles... Def seems to be under some emotional stress.

    Curious as to her past history and what do you all think about her future trajectory.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Quote from arevl

    Hi All, pretty new to the Japan women's NT... Just curious what caused all this "general negativity" against Ai Kurogo?
    I mean this player is obviously suffering from insomnia due to her panda eye circles... Def seems to be under some emotional stress.

    Curious as to her past history and what do you all think about her future trajectory.

    Thanks for sharing!

    somebody said she comes across as a diva sometimes (she sulks in a bad way). Not a bad player really, She's back in training now but there seems to be no vacancy in the national team for her as of now. Manabe's current squad seem to be holding up well.

    Quote from Inoshi08

    somebody said she comes across as a diva sometimes (she sulks in a bad way). Not a bad player really, She's back in training now but there seems to be no vacancy in the national team for her as of now. Manabe's current squad seem to be holding up well.

    Thanks for sharing! Hmm, not to defend her but its really hard to manage if one doesn't even have enough sleep. Plus I guess they had pressure due to JP hosting the olympics. Hard to function. Of course I do not know if she really has insomnia but the eye circles seem pretty serious. Anyways good to know JP has some good players in the wings, unlike Korea who is really struggling now after the trio KYK, Suji, Hyojin have retired.

    Quote from arevl

    Thanks for sharing! Hmm, not to defend her but its really hard to manage if one doesn't even have enough sleep. Plus I guess they had pressure due to JP hosting the olympics. Hard to function. Of course I do not know if she really has insomnia but the eye circles seem pretty serious. Anyways good to know JP has some good players in the wings, unlike Korea who is really struggling now after the trio KYK, Suji, Hyojin have retired.

    Japan isn't big with mental health really. No wonder a lot of their Olympic squad members retired. They put unrealistic expectations on a squad that hasn't been spectacular for a long time.

    Quote from arevl

    Thanks for sharing! Hmm, not to defend her but its really hard to manage if one doesn't even have enough sleep. Plus I guess they had pressure due to JP hosting the olympics. Hard to function. Of course I do not know if she really has insomnia but the eye circles seem pretty serious. Anyways good to know JP has some good players in the wings, unlike Korea who is really struggling now after the trio KYK, Suji, Hyojin have retired.

    Where did you get this misinformation?


    Nakada expected too much from her, the rest of the Japanese public however weren't convinced and definitely were not impressed. People eventually started picking on her and the criticism piled up. It has nothing to do with insomnia.

    Quote from Inoshi08

    Japan isn't big with mental health really. No wonder a lot of their Olympic squad members retired. They put unrealistic expectations on a squad that hasn't been spectacular for a long time.

    Wrong.


    Araki and Kobata retired. Araki is a queen she's done her role and is now part of the Japan Olympic Committee. Kobata definitely did not retire due to mental health. Try harder troll.

    Quote from Zengo

    Wrong.


    Araki and Kobata retired. Araki is a queen she's done her role and is now part of the Japan Olympic Committee. Kobata definitely did not retire due to mental health. Try harder troll.

    the mental health thing is true though. That's not Japan's strong point and is arguably a big societal problem for them. It's crazy how people just throw around labels like "troll" just because they don't agree with the opinion. I didn't know Kobata's best friend is also here. you know her that well huh. :woohoo:. The backlash that the women's team got when they had the worst Olympic standing in a very long time was huge (guess you didn't know that). Any athlete, no matter how strong, would have been affected negatively by that. Even Sarina Koga considered retiring after the 2023 season.

    Quote from Inoshi08

    the mental health thing is true though. That's not Japan's strong point and is arguably a big societal problem for them. It's crazy how people just throw around labels like "troll" just because they don't agree with the opinion. I didn't know Kobata's best friend is also here. you know her that well huh. :woohoo:. The backlash that the women's team got when they had the worst Olympic standing in a very long time was huge (guess you didn't know that). Any athlete, no matter how strong, would have been affected negatively by that. Even Sarina Koga considered retiring after the 2023 season.

    Kurogo took some time off in order to get some peace of mind, rejuvenate and get her shit together. Toray made that a priority so you can't really say that they're not taking these things seriously

    Quote from Zengo

    Kurogo took some time off in order to get some peace of mind, rejuvenate and get her shit together. Toray made that a priority so you can't really say that they're not taking these things seriously

    I'm referring to Japan in general. She's one of the club team's main players. why would they let her waste away.

    Quote from Zengo

    Where did you get this misinformation?


    Nakada expected too much from her, the rest of the Japanese public however weren't convinced and definitely were not impressed. People eventually started picking on her and the criticism piled up. It has nothing to do with insomnia.

    The insomnia was just a layperson observation from her dark circles from the general videos...I mean the contrast is pretty clear with her pale skin and seemed to get darker closer to Olympics. Its entirely possible she's sleeping well, although higher possibility that she's not getting sufficient sleep. Anyways insomnia is pretty common with sports people...

    https://www.sciencedaily.com/r…/2016/05/160519082056.htm

    Anyways just looking forward to her coming back stronger, as well as momii

    Quote from arevl

    The insomnia was just a layperson observation from her dark circles from the general videos...I mean the contrast is pretty clear with her pale skin and seemed to get darker closer to Olympics. Its entirely possible she's sleeping well, although higher possibility that she's not getting sufficient sleep. Anyways insomnia is pretty common with sports people...

    https://www.sciencedaily.com/r…/2016/05/160519082056.htm

    Anyways just looking forward to her coming back stronger, as well as momii

    It's called stress.


    Kurogo never suffered. She was never injured. Perhaps she was in extreme stress but that's something they all shared. In fact Nakada coddled her and was more concerned about her more than any of the players including Koga who got injured but still endured the worst of their situation.

    They should leave Miyashita behind this week imo. I don't really see Manabe utilizing her anyway since their defense is already good.

    Quote from Zengo

    It's called stress.


    Kurogo never suffered. She was never injured. Perhaps she was in extreme stress but that's something they all shared. In fact Nakada coddled her and was more concerned about her more than any of the players including Koga who got injured but still endured the worst of their situation.

    Let's not bring other players in. I am very much a fan of Sarina Koga as well. Even Ishikawa has her own stress. Everybody has different capacity to cope with stress. Inoshi08's comment about lack of mental health support is probably valid.


    Stress does causes potential sleep disorders.

    And if as you said its stress, then totally mental health is an issue.


    Interview from Kurogo 2 years ago. If her life philosophy was smile and good fortune will come she has definitely loss her smile.

    Kurogo wasted everyone's time. Everyone suffered from mental health post-Tokyo. Let's not act like she's anything special.

    Quote from Zengo

    It's called stress.


    Kurogo never suffered. She was never injured. Perhaps she was in extreme stress but that's something they all shared. In fact Nakada coddled her and was more concerned about her more than any of the players including Koga who got injured but still endured the worst of their situation.

    people handle things differently. maybe that's why Nakada babied her as you said. because she needed it.