As Leeds United’s promotion heroes made their way out onto the pitch one-by-one, the biggest roar at Elland Road was reserved for one player who, after just one season in West Yorkshire, is rapidly closing in on club legend status.
There were, of course, pretty mighty cheers greeting the emergence of Dan James, Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon and Joel Piroe, to name but four.
But as Ao Tanaka’s name was announced, the decibels went up a notch as Elland Road shook in it’s foundations.
The £3 million signing from Fortuna Dusseldorf last summer has made an impact like few others on a demanding Leeds United fanbase. There is nothing the supporters love more in this part of the world than a footballer who wears his heart on his sleeve; performing with the same fierce determination demonstrated on the terraces.
Every one of Tanaka’s bone-rattling challenges were greeted with a thunderclap of applause as Leeds cruised past Bristol City on Monday night. This, not to mention an adoring chorus of ‘AO’S!’, were testament to the success of a debut season which must surely rank amongst the very best in the club’s recent history.
Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma backs Ao Tanaka for further Leeds United success
Ao Tanaka cannot wait to test himself in the Premier League next season, even if he knows that a higher-class of opposition will make his task a lot more difficult in the centre of the park.
“I am very happy to be well received in the UK, but I feel that I still have a lot to improve,” Tanaka said a few months ago. “I still have to avoid mistakes as much as possible when playing three games a week.
“I have also been thinking about what I can do after being promoted to the Premier League.”
The success of Japanese footballers in England’s top flight has been something of a mixed bag, in truth.
On one hand, Leicester City’s title-winning Shinji Okazaki, former Southampton captain Maya Yoshida, and the solid but unspectacular Wataru Endo at Liverpool.
On the other, former Newcastle benchwarmer Yoshinori Muto, ex-Luton defender Daiki Hashioka, and Shinji Kagawa at Manchester United.
Kaoru Mitoma, Brighton and Hove Albion’s twinkle-toed wideman, can therefore certainly lay claim to be the best Japanese footballer to step onto the Premier League stage. And, speaking as Leeds’ return was confirmed, Mitoma sees no reason why a man he knows very, very well cannot follow in his footsteps.
“We often talk and communicate,” Mitoma, for whom Brighton rejected a £75 million January bid from Al-Nassr, says of Tanaka. “He will watch [Brighton’s] games. I also follow his performance through highlights.
“I believe he can gain a foothold in the Premier League.”
Lee Hendrie says Tanaka has been ‘outstanding’ for Daniel Farke
Mitoma and Tanaka go way back.
They played together in the Kawasaki Frontale reserves, and also both graduated from the Kawasaki City Saginuma Elementary School. Now teammates for the Japan national team, when Brighton travel to Elland Road next season, Mitoma and Tanaka would be forgiven for taking the time to reminisce about just how far they have come.
“I always look at players who come into a league in their first season. And Ao Tanaka at Leeds, the centre-midfielder, has come into a club of that build and expectation levels and he has literally gone straight into the team and fit in really, really well,” former England international Lee Hendrie told Football League World.
“He’s been outstanding. He’s been absolutely brilliant. I think he’s been one of their outstanding players, particularly when they’ve had injuries in that midfield area. Both himself and Joe Rothwell have really stood out.
“But Tanaka, every time I’ve watched him, he’s got great ability. He can drive it forward and he’s been a real driving force for Leeds.”
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