Michael Fitzgerald (Albirex Niigata | Japan)

I'm fed up with the stupid from many parties in the last thread so here is a new one.

New alt-accounts making prats of themsleves would do well to remeber that the mods can see your email address so please think before you post.

Vader. Behave. 

...or bannings ahoy.

The lads playing in the J-League - Good on him!!!

good stuff HN

he's a decent player and doing well, good on him

If he starts to make the bench/starting XI in the J1, include him in AW warm up matches later this year.  If not, include him in future friendly squads.  I'm sure his Japan citizenship will not be a problem long term.

It's where someone who gets themselves in shit with the mods start another account under a different name to keep aggravating on the the forums.

I can say it was not me

Good luck to Michael in Japan and his continued career development

playing now and seems to have changed his name to a japanese name, cant read it though nor can my japanese wife..

is streeemed on the internet, he is starting 

is playing defense

Played a full 90 mins in a 1 mill loss playing 30 minutes with 10 men.  Goal scored in 87th

whereabouts in defense?

sorry was only 67 didnt see him get subbed but cb according to their website

Thanks detoxin for your infos because it is very hard to find details about  j league quickly except if you understand japanese

He played in defence? But I got told that he is not a defender......

On his Wikipedia page, he has his name listed in Kanji, it looks to me to be a phonetic "Maikouryuu" - with no real translation? (Apart from 'the travelling dancing dragon' or something) haha. Was that on his shirt? 

im guessing it was part of his citizinship, it is often the case. yep and was on starting lineup before game

I would have no problems with Fitzgerald getting a trail run with the AW's under normal circumstances. However the WC playoffs are less than 90 days away. So far our illustrious leaders at NZF don't seem to be in any sort of rush to get the AW,s match prepared for the biggest and most important matches in four years. We have missed the August match window. At best we are looking at 4 or maybe 5 warmup games. IMO its way too late now to be trialing people. Ricki will pick his  favourite players and then try and find a slot for them in his starting 11. What the AW's need to do is get those 11 players that Ricki wants to run on the field for that first qualifier and give them as much playing time together as possible. They need to work on their combinations and tactics.

Fitzgerald is very very unlikely to get a call up IMO

Unfortunately I think you are right that given our lack of upcoming international fixtures prior to the play off the chances of Fitzgerald getting a run are a lot less.

However, it doesn't matter how much you play together as a team if that team is not up to scratch it will lose. Finding the balance will be hard between knowing each other and picking the best players.

With seemingly more nz players making it overseas we will have to get use to it eventually regardless.

I agree to,  but maybe after the qualifier will be a good chance to bring him in and have a look,  or against the nix?  Season finishes soon

Upon further research it doesn't actually end soon

If he's still playing J League come Nov then he has to be considered alongside Keat & Vicelich. Nuff said. Moving on

Albirex Niigata are on TAB Watch and Bet this Saturday at 10pm if anyone is interested. Is Fitzgerald likely to play?

based on the last two games id say he is

Started last night in a 2-1 win

Time for an AW recall then along with a look at Henderson while Rojas recovers. 

Good to have a defender like this. Playing J League he will be priceless for us.

Funny how people in here can judge after two games. One at very high altitude with no real time for adjustment.

The more he plays with NZ the better he will fit in  with the team.

Well done to him on his return to the J   League. Its great to see Kiwis fly

Also we have the same last name so he must be great...lol

Ricki's formations are never conventional and must be a strain on players who are new to the all whites setup. Remember Winston Reid got played as a winger against Australia and had a terrible game. It would be nice to see michael be played in his correct position in a 4-4-2/4-3-3 formation. 

Would he accept a call up?

If it didn't affect his club selection chances, then I reckon he'd be keen to put himself on the international stage

Not sure he and Ricki have a great rapport going on comments made on hear by people who seem to have an ear to the ground (assuming they are right)

With a World Cup around a corner I would imagine he'd be a little keener to make amends.

I think he plays tonight

http://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3883/features/2013/08/27/4216789/j-league-round-22-best-xi-and-mvp-yuya-osako-rises-to-top

Good review on Fitzgerald

His effort being key to the recent 2 : 1 victory

gave away a penalty tonight....  still won 4-2   

He's obviously starting to do quite well.  Can some one please clear up this "he's now Jap so can no longer be a kiwi" rumour thats floating around.  Japan has had plenty of Japanese kiwi rugby players.  Must be a better pick based on form then Bright.