Jordy Buijs – Welcome to Japan!
Jordy Buijs joined V-Varen Nagasaki from Sydney FC in July of this year and, judging by the outpour of support and well-wishing from Sydney fans online, he will be missed in the A-League. Born in Ridderkerk, in The Netherlands, the 182 cm centre back who arrived in Australia – via short stint in Romania at Pandurii Târgu Jiu – in January 2017 and endeared himself to the local fans before being picked up by the scouting network of V-Varen Nagasaki.
After the recent “Peace Derby” between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and V-Varen, Jsoccer Magazine's Lionel Piguet spoke to the Dutchman, and also took the pictures accompanying this article.
JSoccer: How did it feel to be captain of V-Varen Nagasaki against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Peace Derby – such an emotionally-tinged game?
Jordy Buijs: It's the second time I have been captain of the team and it is always a great honour always to wear the armband, especially in such a game, of course.
JS: You've only been in Japan less than a month now, how has it been adapting to a new country, a new league?
JB: The language of football is always spoken, and that is used to adapt, to get into the team. I don't think adapting is ever really a problem for any player as long as there is that “Language of Football”. Here we have a great squad and a great team and it has been very easy for me to settle in.
JS: What do you feel was missing in this game today, that would have helped you get a point, or more?
JB: I think we played very well today, and really should have scored within two minutes of the start with the chance for Juanma. When these chances do not go in the game becomes different, you get stressed, you have to push forward more, if you go 1-0 down. It was 0-0 as the end of the half approached but then this free kick came from a handball that no one saw. I don't think anyone in the whole stadium saw a handball. But it was a great free kick! I think a draw at half time would have been fair, but this is football. In the 2nd half we built our confidence, after talking in the break and we are still fighting for the result but the difference in quality between the team who is top, and us, sitting at the bottom was easy to see. It is normal that there is a little difference in quality... but that first goal was what killed it off, and I don't think it was a handball.
JS: You're looking better at the back, quite solid now but what can you improve to ensure that the better results come in the near future?
JB: We need to score more and then keep the goals out. This is all part of football, of course. I am responsible for the organisation of the team and I feel we were well-organised today but there is also the issue of quality and then the bad luck of having a free kick hitting the cross bar. In the final 20 minutes I feel we have to push more, but when we are 2-0 down it is going to be difficult. I even had the chance to make it 2-1, but it was not to be.
JS: It is noticeable that you speak to your team mates a lot, as a good captain should. What languages are you communicating in?!
JB: I speak in English, a little Japanese, some Spanish, but my Japanese must get better quickly. We are a small team and we need to fight hard for every game. Today, against Sanfrecce it would have been a bonus point if we had managed anything against such a good team but it was not to be.
JS: V-Varen seems to be a team that tries to create, and tries to play out of trouble. There are very few long balls, is this the philosophy of the team?
JB: The manager has the philosophy of playing football and it suits me, too, I personally do not like long balls. I don't like to send a ball anywhere hoping the forwards can catch it because the ball is lost like that. We want to play out from the back, show our quality but, in the end, points are the most important and today, we got nothing from this game.
JS: Finally, off the field, how do you like Nagasaki?
JB: I like Nagasaki, I like Japan. I feel very comfortable with my family here.
JS: Thank you for your time, and good luck in the coming matches.
Did You Know!
On April 29, 2017, Buijs scored his first – and only – league goal (if play-off games can strictly be counted as “league” games, but we digress!) for Sydney FC, in a 3–0 win over Perth Glory in the A-League finals series. The goal was the first ever to be reviewed by a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) panel. The 37th-minute goal in the semi-final against Perth Glory was given after review, and the Sydney centre back went down in the history books! The V-Varen captain did also score two goals for Sydney in the FFA Cup in 2017, to triple his grand total.
He got off to a good start in J1 with a goal for V-Varen against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on August 12th, in his second game for the club, although the match ended in a 3-2 defeat for the Nagasaki team.
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