Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi must have thought he was stuck in some weird Kafka dream when he let in a goal just 26 seconds into his Portsmouth debut on Nov. 3.

At halftime, Pompey manager Graham Rix slapped Kawaguchi on the back and said simply, "Welcome to England."

Just 48 hours later, Kawaguchi was back in Japan. Not to escape the wonders of the English south coast, we should point out, but for last Wednesday's international friendly against Italy in Saitama.