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Tottenham Hotspur signed ‘immensely impressive’ Japanese star – but injury hell saw him play just 189 minutes
Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping lightning doesn’t strike twice as they close in on the signing of just their second Japanese star. talkSPORT understands that Spurs have agreed a £5million deal to sign Kawasaki Frontale defender Kota Takai. Toda failed to make an impact during his brief spell at TottenhamGetty Should the 20-year-old’s move go through as expected, it would be a record transfer for a player in the J1 League moving overseas. Spurs have previously tried their luck in bringing in a highly-rated Japan international from their national top-flight division. In January 2003, the north London outfit signed Kazuyuki Toda from Shimizu S-Pulse on a 12-month loan deal – hijacking Sunderland’s move to sign the player. Arriving at White Hart Lane with great expectations, the midfielder was limited to 189 minutes spread across four Premier League outings. Former boss Glenn Hoddle waxed lyrical over Toda upon his signing, who had helped Japan reach the last-16 of the World Cup just months earlier. Hoddle said: “Toda is an immensely impressive midfielder and we are delighted to welcome him to the club. “His addition to the squad will give us more options in this area, and I am sure the fans will quickly see the benefit of his strengths.” Toda was just the third Japanese player to make the move to the Premier League after Junichi Inamoto and Akinori Nishizaw. But both men struggled in England, with Nishizaw failing to feature during his loan spell at Bolton in the 2001/02 season, while Inamoto couldn’t break into the Arsenal team that same campaign. Inamoto would eventually become the first Japanese star to feature in the Premier League the following term during his loan at Fulham. The Japan international was limited to just four outings for SpursGetty Highlighting the struggles of his compatriots before him, Toda told the club’s website: “I understand that a Japanese player has not really succeeded here and I want to change that image and become the first player to succeed. “Junichi Inamoto said it took a year to adjust. I hope it won’t me take a year to adjust. I want to adjust as quickly as I can and play for Tottenham.” Before adding: “I’m very happy to be here. It’s a great club, great history, great players and this is my dream, to be part of the Premiership. “Now I am here to play and show my best and hopefully I will succeed here.” But to say Toda’s time at Spurs was underwhelming would be an understatement. Despite arriving in January, it took until March 1 for him to even make the bench, where he remained an unused substitute for six straight matches. Toda was the second Japanese player to feature in the Premier LeagueGetty He finally made his debut at home to Manchester City on Good Friday, where he came on as a substitute at the start of the second half. His display saw him rewarded with a first start three days later away at West Brom, but he failed to last the full 90 minutes after being hooked at half-time. A first start at White Hart Lane against Manchester United then followed, where he lasted 78 minutes, as Spurs lost 2-0 to the eventual champions. Reflecting on the match in 2019, Toda revealed how he caught the attention of tough-tackling Roy Keane for all the wrong reasons following a battle with David Beckham. He recalled: “Yes, I was a little nervous! My wife and my mother came to the stadium to watch. “Manchester United were very strong, organised, many world-class players. I was not able to do well! Roy Keane was tough. Toda remains the only Japanese player to feature for SpursGetty His compatriot Takai is set to follow in his footsteps by joining Tottenham 22 years laterGetty “I remember in the second half I did a big tackle on David Beckham. After that tackle, Roy Keane was staring at me. I remember that!” Toda’s final outing for Spurs came on the last day of the 2002/03 season, where he was brought off the bench for the last 21 minutes in a 4-0 home defeat to Blackburn. After becoming a first-team regular towards the end of the campaign, Toda would then pick up a calf injury that kept him on the sidelines for the start of the next term. And following a disastrous opening six games into the 2003/04 campaign, Hoddle was sacked, where he was replaced by David Pleat on a caretaker basis. Just one month later, Spurs cut short Toda’s loan spell, with Pleat insisting there is no room for him in his squad. He remarked: “There is increasing competition for places in midfield so we probably would not sign him now.” But Toda has no regrets about how his time in England panned out, insisting he fulfilled a dream by playing for Spurs. The 47-year-old stated: “It was the biggest challenge in my life. I did my best. My ability was not enough, maybe, but I did my best. “I played only four first team games for Spurs, but it is sti
Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping lightning doesn’t strike twice as they close in on the signing of just their second Japanese star.
talkSPORT understands that Spurs have agreed a £5million deal to sign Kawasaki Frontale defender Kota Takai.
Should the 20-year-old’s move go through as expected, it would be a record transfer for a player in the J1 League moving overseas.
Spurs have previously tried their luck in bringing in a highly-rated Japan international from their national top-flight division.
In January 2003, the north London outfit signed Kazuyuki Toda from Shimizu S-Pulse on a 12-month loan deal – hijacking Sunderland’s move to sign the player.
Arriving at White Hart Lane with great expectations, the midfielder was limited to 189 minutes spread across four Premier League outings.
Former boss Glenn Hoddle waxed lyrical over Toda upon his signing, who had helped Japan reach the last-16 of the World Cup just months earlier.
Hoddle said: “Toda is an immensely impressive midfielder and we are delighted to welcome him to the club.
“His addition to the squad will give us more options in this area, and I am sure the fans will quickly see the benefit of his strengths.”
Toda was just the third Japanese player to make the move to the Premier League after Junichi Inamoto and Akinori Nishizaw.
But both men struggled in England, with Nishizaw failing to feature during his loan spell at Bolton in the 2001/02 season, while Inamoto couldn’t break into the Arsenal team that same campaign.
Inamoto would eventually become the first Japanese star to feature in the Premier League the following term during his loan at Fulham.
Highlighting the struggles of his compatriots before him, Toda told the club’s website: “I understand that a Japanese player has not really succeeded here and I want to change that image and become the first player to succeed.
“Junichi Inamoto said it took a year to adjust. I hope it won’t me take a year to adjust. I want to adjust as quickly as I can and play for Tottenham.”
Before adding: “I’m very happy to be here. It’s a great club, great history, great players and this is my dream, to be part of the Premiership.
“Now I am here to play and show my best and hopefully I will succeed here.”
But to say Toda’s time at Spurs was underwhelming would be an understatement.
Despite arriving in January, it took until March 1 for him to even make the bench, where he remained an unused substitute for six straight matches.
He finally made his debut at home to Manchester City on Good Friday, where he came on as a substitute at the start of the second half.
His display saw him rewarded with a first start three days later away at West Brom, but he failed to last the full 90 minutes after being hooked at half-time.
A first start at White Hart Lane against Manchester United then followed, where he lasted 78 minutes, as Spurs lost 2-0 to the eventual champions.
Reflecting on the match in 2019, Toda revealed how he caught the attention of tough-tackling Roy Keane for all the wrong reasons following a battle with David Beckham.
He recalled: “Yes, I was a little nervous! My wife and my mother came to the stadium to watch.
“Manchester United were very strong, organised, many world-class players. I was not able to do well! Roy Keane was tough.
“I remember in the second half I did a big tackle on David Beckham. After that tackle, Roy Keane was staring at me. I remember that!”
Toda’s final outing for Spurs came on the last day of the 2002/03 season, where he was brought off the bench for the last 21 minutes in a 4-0 home defeat to Blackburn.
After becoming a first-team regular towards the end of the campaign, Toda would then pick up a calf injury that kept him on the sidelines for the start of the next term.
And following a disastrous opening six games into the 2003/04 campaign, Hoddle was sacked, where he was replaced by David Pleat on a caretaker basis.
Just one month later, Spurs cut short Toda’s loan spell, with Pleat insisting there is no room for him in his squad.
He remarked: “There is increasing competition for places in midfield so we probably would not sign him now.”
But Toda has no regrets about how his time in England panned out, insisting he fulfilled a dream by playing for Spurs.
The 47-year-old stated: “It was the biggest challenge in my life. I did my best. My ability was not enough, maybe, but I did my best.
“I played only four first team games for Spurs, but it is still so special for me.
“I was so excited when I knew Spurs were interested in signing me. It was a dream come true. I made as much effort as I could. I have no regrets, I did the best I could.
“I played with many world-class players – Robbie Keane, Gus Poyet, Jamie Redknapp, Darren Anderton. That was good for me as a footballer. I learned a lot in that time.”
Toda would remain in Europe – joining Dutch side ADO Den Haag for the remainder of the season – before returning to Asia in 2004, where he stayed before retiring in 2013.
