Also, Fitzgerald was playing 4th tier Japanese football until he was no longer an import. It would have been a big call to pick Fitzgerald ahead of people playing in fully professional leagues at the time.
I think you'll find the JFL is the third tier of football in Japan not the 4th.
He was loaned to V-Varen Nagasaki which went on to win the JFL in 2012. He played every game and my understanding is he was a pivotal player in them gaining promotion to the J2. He was named in the Top 11 for the 2012 season for the JFL. I would've thought that might've been a reason to take a second look at him.
As far as him making 1 appearance for the J2 team, you have to wonder what was going on, seeing the J1 side played him as soon as they took him back. I find it very interesting, if he wasn't any good, surely the J1 side wouldn't have bothered taking him back and wouldn't have played him the first week of his return and continued to play him for the remainder of the season.
Looking back at team sheets, looks like Fitzgerald was
recalled back from loan to V-Varen Nagasaki after their Brazilian DM was suspended.
In first game was subbed on to replace a midfielder. So assume in played as a DM.
Following game seems to have started at centreback. Kept his spot there ever since.
And has kept Korean centre back Kun-Hoan Kim on the bench since. Incidentally Kim hasn't been in the squad since early Oct.