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May 03, 2024
 

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Andrew MCKIRDY

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Andrew MCKIRDY
Andrew McKirdy is a sports writer for The Japan Times. His main beat is soccer, but he has also covered rugby, tennis, volleyball, golf and even tug-of-war. A native of the Scottish Borders, he has written for The Scotsman newspaper and organized filming for a program on Japanese soccer for ITV television.
For Andrew MCKIRDY's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Apr 7, 2008
Ono quietly reviving career with VfL Bochum in Bundesliga
While Urawa Reds storm up the J. League table after a disastrous start to the season, one former player is quietly rebuilding his own reputation abroad with slightly less fanfare.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Apr 6, 2008
Aggressive Frontale fail to capitalize on numerous chances
KAWASAKI — Kyoto Sanga launched an astonishing smash-and-grab raid on Kawasaki Frontale to claim a 1-0 win at Todoroki Stadium on Saturday evening.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Mar 30, 2008
Okada should call up Tulio to help solidify shaky backline for Oman match
Japan's disappointing 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Bahrain this week came with no foreign-based players on the field, but it was the absence of one J. League stalwart that hit the hardest.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Mar 28, 2008
Bahraini muscle frustrates Japan
Japan's 2010 World Cup qualification hopes hit a snag on Wednesday as Bahrain grabbed a late goal to send Takeshi Okada's men crashing to a 1-0 defeat in Manama.
SOCCER / World cup
Mar 26, 2008
Nakamura's absence not a concern for Okada in Bahrain game
Japan takes the field with an entirely home-based team against Bahrain for its second 2010 World Cup qualifier on Wednesday, but manager Takeshi Okada is confident his side is strong enough to do the business.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Mar 23, 2008
JFA gives cold shoulder to Premier League proposal to play games overseas
From a soccer perspective, the upcoming Major League Baseball season-opening series between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics at Tokyo Dome feels like a glimpse into a parallel universe.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 21, 2008
Leandro's early strike prolongs misery for Reds, new coach
Urawa Reds' early season nightmare continued on Thursday as Vissel Kobe claimed a 1-0 Nabisco Cup win in new Reds manager Gert Engels' first match in charge. Leandro's third-minute strike was enough to send the J. League's biggest club crashing to its third defeat in three games, setting the seal on a week of turmoil that saw manager Holger Osieck fired on Sunday following a player revolt.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Mar 17, 2008
Onfield results, off-field strife behind Osieck's sudden firing
Two defeats from their opening two J. League games hinted that something was seriously wrong at Urawa Reds. Now the crisis has been made official.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 16, 2008
Grampus thump disjointed Reds
SAITAMA — Urawa Reds slumped to their second straight defeat of the new J. League season on Saturday as Nagoya Grampus hit them with a high-tempo onslaught to claim a 2-0 win at Saitama Stadium 2002.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Mar 15, 2008
Brazilian players changing countries not good for game
The news this week that Kawasaki Frontale's Brazilian striker Juninho hopes to gain Japanese citizenship and play for the national team will not have been music to FIFA president Sepp Blatter's ears.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 9, 2008
F. Marinos shock Reds in 2008 opener
YOKOHAMA — Yokohama F. Marinos handed Urawa Reds an opening day shock on Saturday with a 1-0 win that made sure Reds started the 2008 J. League season as badly as they finished 2007.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / 2008 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Mar 7, 2008
Osieck convinced Reds are on the right track
No one is looking forward to the start of the J. League season more than Urawa Reds.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / 2008 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Mar 6, 2008
Consadole shoot for immediate success in top division
The legacy of the 2002 World Cup has given many Japanese cities state-of-the-art stadiums, and Sapporo is no different.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / 2008 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Mar 5, 2008
JEF boss Kuze optimistic despite player exodus
Many soccer teams around the world recover from losing their captain and midfield inspiration between seasons, and many would even shrug off the departure of their best defender soon after.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / 2008 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Mar 4, 2008
Stojkovic delighted to be back in Nagoya
The early years of the J. League saw many world-class stars arrive in Japan, but few, if any, gave as good service as Dragan Stojkovic.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 2, 2008
Sanfrecce beat Antlers in controversy-marred match
A hugely controversial performance from referee Masaaki Iemoto overshadowed an unlikely penalty-shootout win for second-division Sanfrecce Hiroshima over J. League champion Kashima Antlers in the Xerox Super Cup on Saturday.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 1, 2008
Antlers back in action in Xerox Super Cup
Club soccer returns to Japan on Saturday as reigning J. League champion Kashima Antlers take on Emperor's Cup runnerup Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the traditional curtain-raising Xerox Super Cup match.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Feb 7, 2008
Japan freezes out Thailand in World Cup qualification opener
Japan kicked off its bid for a place at the 2010 World Cup with a 4-1 win over a stubborn Thailand at Saitama Stadium 2002 on Wednesday night.
SOCCER / World cup
Feb 6, 2008
Japan begins campaign for fourth straight trip to World Cup
The long road toward the 2010 World Cup begins for Japan on Wednesday night with a first qualification match against Thailand at Saitama Stadium 2002.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Jan 31, 2008
Osim watches as Yamase double helps down Bosnia
Japan coach Takeshi Okada notched the first win of his second spell in charge of the national team with a 3-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina at National Stadium on Wednesday night.
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Number of vacant homes in Japan hits record high of 9 million
A vacant house in Tokyo is seen demolished in January 2020.
Saudi Arabia steps up Gaza-related arrests as Israel ties edge closer
The arrests for Gaza-related posts indicate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regime will take a hard line against citizens not toeing the line when it comes to normalizing ties with Israel.
'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines
A pedestrian cools himself with a folding hand fan as he waits for a ride along a road in Manila on Wednesday, as extreme heat hit the Philippines.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

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