Michael Fitzgerald (Albirex Niigata | Japan)

Fitzgerald on the bench & Socceroo Deng starts.
Edit - a 1-1 draw.

ANZAC CB rotation. This time Fitzgerald starts & Deng is on the pine.
Niigata (15th) hosting Yokohama (17th).

Edit - Niigata win 3-1, and go up to 12th.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/23/japan/j1-league/albirex-niigata/yokohama-fc/4025604/

Niigata now 12 pts clear of the drop zone with 6 games left in the season. 

Niigata (14th) travel to Kawasaki Frontale (9th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/09/29/japan/j1-league/kawasaki-frontale/albirex-niigata/4025612/

Fitzgerald an unused sub, and full game Deng in a 3-2 win.
7 games left and Niigata (11th), look well save from relegation now.

Niigata (11th) host Sagan Tosu (12th). Niigata win and they are likely confirmed as safe from relegation with 4 games left.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/21/japan/j1-league/albirex-niigata/sagan-tosu/4025622/

Fitzgerald starting & Deng on the bench. Fitzgerald has just turned 35. Wonder if he will go around in 2024. He's only started 17 of 29 
J League games, so that must help keep him going.

Edit - a 1-1 draw. Full game & yellow for Fitzgerald.

Niigata (11th) travel to Michael Woud's parent club Kyoto Sanga (15th)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/28/japan/j1-league/kyoto-sanga/albirex-niigata/4025633/

Deng turn to start in a 0-0 draw. Seems that him & Fitzgerald rotate. 
The Kiwi did come on at 82 mins for a midfielder.

Looks like both clubs are safe from relegation with 4 rounds left. I doubt Woud has a future at Kyoto Sanga, but they will most likely be a J1 club again in 2024.

Niigata (10th) host FC Tokyo (11th).
3 games left to finish J1 season, Niigata safe from relegation.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/11/japan/j1-league/albirex-niigata/fc-tokyo/4025642/

Fitzgerald off at 57 mins (replaced by Deng) in a 0-0 draw.

2nd last game of the J1 season.
Niigata (10th) travel to Kevin Muscat's Yokohama Marinos (2nd). Marinos with it all to play for, 2 pts behind 1st placed Vissel Kobbe.
 
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/24/japan/j1-league/yokohama-f-marinos/albirex-niigata/4025649/

0-0 draw. No Fitzgerald. Deng a full game.
Blow to Muscat's hopes of a 2nd J League title.

Vissel Kobe host Nagoya Grampus (5th) tomorrow. Kobe win and they are champions with one round left.

Last round of the J League season. Niigata (10th) host Cerezo Osaka (8th). Deng starts for Niigata, but no Fitzgerald. The 35 yr old Kiwi to retire? Otherwise he'd be a possible handy pick up for the new Auckland team, if he could somehow keep his Japanese citzenship. Made 24 match days squads (over 34 J1 games) with 18 starts.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/12/03/japan/j1-league/albirex-niigata/cerezo-osaka/4025657/

Kevin Muscat's Yokohama Marinos will finish 2nd, with Vissel Kobbe J League champs.

Edit - Niigata with a 1-0 win to finish the season 10th.

J League is 3 games in and 35 yr old Michael Fitzgerald (36 in September) is still running around. He and recalled Socceroo Thomas Deng full games on the weekend as Niigata (5th) beat Nagoya Grampus 1-0. Retired Socceroo Mitch Langerak in goal for Grampus (last).

Fitzgerald played 2 of the 3 games to date.

Arnie favourite 33 yr old Mitch Duke at Machida Zelvia, is back in the J1 for the first time since 2018. Yet to score this season.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/03/09/japan/j1-league/albirex-niigata/nagoya-grampus-eight/4309619/