When Naohiro Takahara arrived at Bundesliga club SV Hamburg in January 2003 many in the German media reported his signing as no more than a publicity stunt aimed at cashing in on valuable Japanese sponsorship.

Japanese footballer Naohiro Takahara seems to have found his feet in Hamburg

With the arrival of new strikers Emile Mpenza and Benjamin Lauth at the start of the 2004 season, along with the already present Bernardo Romeo, 25-year-old Takahara suddenly found himself as fourth choice striker at the club and with a mountain to climb if he was to prove himself.

His cause wasn't helped by a lung infection in the summer, which prevented him from taking part in pre-season training and suddenly Takahara, who can't walk down a street in Japan without being recognised, found himself playing for Hamburg's amateur side in the regional league in front of a couple of hundred spectators.

Takahara scored in both regional matches he played in to show then coach Klaus Toppmoeller he still had something to offer and when he returned to the first team on 26 September for the game against Hertha Berlin, he scored twice in a 2-1 win.

The victory over Berlin only briefly saved Toppmoeller from the axe as once proud Hamburg slid to the bottom of the Bundesliga and he was replaced by former player and amateur team coach Thomas Doll four weeks later.

*quote1*Since Doll's appointment in mid-October, Hamburg have undergone a renaissance and a string of good results in the run-up to the end of 2003 including a 3-1 win over second-placed Wolfsburg which saw them rise to tenth and the safety of mid-table.

Takahara seems to have found his feet under Doll, playing the full 90 minutes against Wolfsburg and setting up Sergej Barbarez to make it a 2-1 win. The 2002 Japanese Footballer of the Year also had two clear scoring opportunities for himself in a display full of energy and commitment.

"I'm happy," said Takahara after his 56th Bundesliga match. "We fought well and put in a good performance."

In December, Takahara spearheaded Japan's national team in Yokohama in a high-profile friendly international with Germany.

He also believes more of Japan's top players need to move abroad for his country to be a major footballing power.

Asked what the 2002 World Cup co-hosts were still lacking, Takahara said: "To be able to play at the top even more players have to go abroad."

Takaraha admitted the time with the amateur team was tough and that he considered a move away from Hamburg.

*quote2*"At that time I wanted to leave Hamburg. I was going to wait until the winter break," he said.

Now, however, Takahara is thinking more about what he can achieve in Doll's team than how and when he could leave the six-time German champions.

"Doll is a great coach and we have good fun with him," said Takahara. "We've taken 13 out of a possible 18 points in the Bundesliga [with him in charge]."

Doll returned the compliment, saying Takahara was one of those players you can always rely on. "His commitment is exemplary," said Doll.

Now that he is playing regular first team football Takahara has set himself a target of 10 goals for this season - he currently stands on three, the two against Berlin and one in the recent 6-0 drubbing of Rostock.

Moreover, Hamburg are considering extending Takahara's contract by one year next summer. The Japanese has also settled into life in Hamburg.

"I think I am about to achieve what I had hoped to when I left Japan to join Hamburg," he said.

"I have really settled down now in Hamburg. I like the city. I live close to the Alster [Lake, in central Hamburg] and enjoy the peace and quiet here. I have nothing to complain about."

December 2004

DPA

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Life in Germany, football, Japanese football, Naohiro Takahara