Michael Woud (Auckland FC | A-League)

So Woud back on the outer, as not in match day squad. Looks like Kyoto have signed a 5th keeper! New signing Sth Korean Gu Sung-Yun is the backup keeper for this one. Ota still the starting keeper. Usual no 1 Wakahara still injured.

Surely this all means Woud is on the move somewhere else.

Obviously been a few signings over the break (last J League game was 16th July) by Kyoto. Attacker Taichi Hara who was with Cacace at Sint-Truiden, signed from Belgium.

Edit - Kyoto lose 0-1.

Kyoto Sanga (15th) lose 2-0 at FC Tokyo (9th). Woud not in match day squad.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/08/12/japan/j1-league/fc-tokyo/kyoto-sanga/4025557/

The newly signed Sth Korean keeper Gu Sung-Yun started this game. Seems Kyoto haven't been happy with any of their existing 4 other keepers!  Surely Woud has to be looking to go somewhere else.

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Let's fight together🔥#MichaelWoud#ヴァンフォーレ甲府 #vfk #疾風怒濤 pic.twitter.com/VVc9OeC4Ak

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Joins J2 side Ventforet Kofu on loan until the end of the season.

Simply needs to be playing football, so this is a good move, given he's barely featured at all in the past couple of seasons. 

As pointed out by Carlin on twitter as well, they'll be in the Asian Champions League group stage too. So a big opportunity for him if he can grab it.

About bloody time.

Seems the logical deal that should have happened at the start of the J1 season, but I guess these things can take time to sort out.

Ventforet Kofu are 7th in J2, one place off the promotion playoff spots, with 12 games left. They have 3 Japanese keepers on their books, so be interesting to see how Woud goes there.
https://us.soccerway.com/teams/japan/ventforet-kofu/1342/

Mitch Duke's Machida Zelvia are running away with the J2 title (9 pts clear in 1st, with a game in hand).

Well well well, finally he gets out from under the two Japanese keepers.
But to move to a squad with three keepers already seems odd though, hope he gets a crack to start and gets some regular gametime.

Ventforet Kofu (7th host Jubilo Iwata (2nd)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/08/19/japan/j2-league/ventforet-kofu/jubilo-iwata/4025223/

No Woud. I think like the ALM the J leagues can have a maximum of 5 foreigners per match day squad. Kofu have 4 (3 Brazilians) in today's squad.

Jubilo Iwata win 1-0. The assist provided by Japanese football legend Yasuhito Endō, still running around in J2 at age 43!!  Incredible.

I guess he could be playing J1 next year if Iwata (2nd) get promoted.
He'd be a handy player in Capital Football Masters.

Still a spring chicken I guess compared to compatriot Miura Kazu.
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/football-oldest-professional-player-kazuyoshi-miura-extends-contract-at-oliveirense-57-years/blt2d4fe66743575c97

Flying Kiwis. Some context on Woud's loan move.
Sounds like Kofu's long term GK recently got injured.

So he’s gone on loan to Ventforet Kofu in the second tier for the rest of the calendar year. Kofu are sitting seventh in the J-League 2 Division, where they’ve been since their most recent relegation in 2017 (they’ve been up and down a few times over the past two decades). However the club did celebrate it’s greatest ever achievement last year: winning the Emperor’s Cup. A rare instance of a team outside their nation’s top division lifting a cup trophy... and as a result they’ll be playing Asian Champions League starting in September. How about that?

35yo Japanese goalie Kohei Kawata was one of the heroes of that Emperor’s Cup run but he was subbed off inside ten minutes of their game against Iwaki FC. That was three days before Woud’s loan signing was announced. Kawata has been the long term starter for Kofu so if he’s forced to miss extended time then that could be a pathway for Michael Woud to get plenty of much-needed matches. There are a couple other local goalies in the club but Kodai Yamauchi has only started two league games this year (the second coming after Woud’s signing but before he Woud was available) while Tsubasa Shibuya hasn’t played at all (yet has been by far the more common option on the bench, funnily enough).

coochiee

Jubilo Iwata win 1-0. The assist provided by Japanese football legend Yasuhito Endō, still running around in J2 at age 43!!  Incredible.

I guess he could be playing J1 next year if Iwata (2nd) get promoted.
He'd be a handy player in Capital Football Masters.

Still a spring chicken I guess compared to compatriot Miura Kazu.
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/football-oldest-professional-player-kazuyoshi-miura-extends-contract-at-oliveirense-57-years/blt2d4fe66743575c97

King Kazu just taking the piss at this point. 

If Woud’s got a manager or agent, they want sacking and someone who can get him some professional football somewhere hired! Be looking at Auckland perhaps?

🔒 Our @TheAFCCL Group H opponents are confirmed!

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— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) August 24, 2023

Well if he manages to get on the pitch at all we should get to find out how he stacks up against A-League opposition at least...

Ventforet Kofu (9th) travel to Renofa Yamaguchi (21st/2nd last).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/08/26/japan/j2-league/renofa-yamaguchi/ventforet-kofu/4025239/

Early ACL match schedule shows Kofu are down to travel to AAMI Park to play Melb City Sept 20th, for 1st round group stage.
Hopefully Woud is in goal, so we can get a look at him.
https://assets.the-afc.com/2023-24_ACL/Downloads/AFC-Champions-League-Group-Stage-Draw-Results-&-Match-Schedule.pdf

And gets his first start for Ventforet Kofu in a 2-2 draw at Renofa Yamaguch.

coochiee

And gets his first start for Ventforet Kofu in a 2-2 draw at Renofa Yamaguch.

Not quite. Unfortunately Ventforet fluffed it at the end to lose 3-2 after a strike from the top of the 18 yard box flies into the top corner.

Woud was also at fault for shipping his side's 2nd goal after coming and having a bit of a flap at a ball coming from deep, the ball drops into the path of their player, and he obliges by tucking it away.

Couldn't really do too much about the other two though - a great strike from distance and a player ghosting in to a ball at the near post to flick it in. But all-in-all, a pretty inauspicious start with his new club.

Flying Kiwis. He'll need to play better & quickly by the sound of it.

Believe it or not, that right there was the first league appearance that Michael Woud has made since he moved to Japan. It was January 2022 when he transferred from Willem II to Kyoto Sanga and in the subsequent 20 months it’s been eight cup appearances and nothing else. But good things come to those who wait and now that he’s popped up on loan at Ventforet Kofu he’s in line to get some Asian Champions League footy.

Hopefully, at least. Kofu qualified for that one by winning the Emperor’s Cup as a second division team but their usual starter Kohei Kawata is out injured. This got covered last week. You know the story. We don’t know quite how long Kawata will be out for but it’s good news for Woud that he was straight into the starting lineup for a 3-2 loss against Remofa Yamaguchi. Wasn’t a great performance. He leaked one inside five minutes, a bit too deep at his near post, and the second goal occurred after he came out for a high ball and didn’t claim it. Then he let in a 90th minute winner. Not much he coulda done about it but still. Fingers crossed he gets a run of games to get his rhythm back.

Ventforet Kofu (9th) travel to Vegalta Sendai (12th).

Doesn't sound like Woud had a great J2 debut for Kofu, hopefully he keeps his spot in goal. Kofu are chasing the promotion playoffs with 10 games left, so won't be that patient I imagine.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/03/japan/j2-league/vegalta-sendai/ventforet-kofu/4025245/

Edit - and just like that he's completely out of the next match day squad. So unless he's injured could be another Marinovic at Bristol Rovers. One game, one & done.

Edit 2 - a 0-0 draw

How completely and utterly demoralising for him. Still, he'll only be 25 in January, so there is plenty of time for him to turn it around or course.

But deary me it's been a sad state of affairs for him since leaving the Netherlands. 

Ventforet Kofu (10th) host Oita Trinita (6th). Teams separated by 2 points.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/09/japan/j2-league/ventforet-kofu/oita-trinita/4025258/

No Woud in matchday squad for a 3-2 win for Kofu that lifts them to 7th, with 8 games left. Top 6 make the playoffs.

It does very much look like a one & done scenario for Woud.

coochiee

No Woud in matchday squad for a 3-2 win for Kofu that lifts them to 7th, with 8 games left. Top 6 make the playoffs.

It does very much look like a one & done scenario for Woud.

really not having much luck in Japan, does he not justify his postion as an import or is just not that good? Maybe he needs to find a place back in NZ, winder if he could get a gig as the keeper for the new Auckland franchise. He's not getting gametime in Japan.

What a downward spiral post a positive spell at Almere City. 
Current form + olympics campaign - not surprised his confidence is shot.

Bro needs to be absolutely bombarding Marc Mitchell, Ali Williams and Ivan Vuksich on the phone right now.

maynardf

What a downward spiral post a positive spell at Almere City. 
Current form + olympics campaign - not surprised his confidence is shot.

Don't forget a howler for the AWs against Jordan, January 2022. That was just prior I think him going to Japan

And from memory his 2nd season at Almere - that he only did half of before going to Japan - wasn't going well either.

Ventforet Kofu (7th) host Tokyo Verdy (4th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/15/japan/j2-league/ventforet-kofu/tokyo-verdy-1969/4025268/

No Woud. ACFC need a backup keeper for CWC?

In a surprise move, Woud in goal as Ventforet Kofu (J2 team but qualified by winning Emperors Cup last year in Japan) travel to Melb City in the ACL. Hope he goes well.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/20/asia/afc-champions-league/melbourne-heart-fc/ventforet-kofu/4234148/

10 minutes passed in the second half
#Melbourne City 0-0 #Ventforet Kofu

70 mins. Still 0-0.
Sounds like Kofu have been the better of the 2 teams. Hit the woodwork twice. Jamie Young has been busy.
Yes 2nd tier Kofu are well in season after 35 J2 games, but still a barometer that the ALM is below the J League in quality.

Woud's made a couple of good saves apparently.

https://keepup.com.au/news/live-asian-champions-league-afc-cup-melbourne-city-central-coast-mariners-kofu-terengganu-goals-highlights-video/

FT Ventforet 0-0 Melbourne
Both teams could not break blocks.

Finishes 0-0. Woud's first clean sheet I'd imagine in while. Not that he's played much the last 2 years!

But yeah a good stage to do it on. Be interesting to see where Kofu see him in their keeper rankings now. 

#ACL - Group H | Melbourne City FC (AUS) 0 - 0 Ventforet Kofu (JPN)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VznW8lgXa1U

The Kofu players arrived on the day of the match after a 25-hour journey. Around 300 supporters packed Melbourne to cheer them on, but the result was a 0-0 draw.
The next group stage match will be played at the Japan National Stadium on 4 October against Thailand's Buriram United.

Overview Stats Table  in English here
https://www.jleague.co/match/acl/2023092006/#overview

F6geb0jbEAAQiCX (1).jpeg 31.49 KB

Tomorrow Ventforet Kofu (7th) travel to Shimizu S-Pulse (2nd).
Kofu 2 pts off the playoff spots (teams 3rd-6th) with 7 games left.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/24/japan/j2-league/shimizu-s-pulse/ventforet-kofu/4025280/