Spaniard Ricardo Rodriguez is an attack-minded coach who would have the courage to try something different if given the chance to manage Aberdeen.
That’s the opinion of top Japan football expert Dan Orlowitz who has watched Rodriguez’s teams in J-League action.
The 48-year-old is understood to be a serious contender for the vacant managerial position at Pittodrie.
Rodriguez is a free agent having left Urawa Red Diamonds in December last year despite leading them to the Asian Champions League final which has yet to be played.
Orlowitz, a sports writer with The Japan Times News Division, gives the lowdown on why Rodriguez left Urawa despite a looming Champions League final.
Orlowitz also offered an insight into Rodriguez’s “aggressive pressing” football philosophy, his career in Japan and what he could potentially offer Aberdeen.
He said: “Rodriguez is very attack-minded, which has served a number of J. League managers well in recent years such as Toru Oniki at Kawasaki.
“Also Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat at Yokohama F. Marinos.
“Last season saw Urawa play mostly with three backs, though there was a lot of shifting around the formation in general due to injuries.
“Rodriguez has been part of the wave of that positional play-based attacking that we’ve seen at a lot of successful clubs in Japan in recent years.
“That aggressive pressing was refreshing to see in the second division at Vortis (his club before Urawa) because in the J2 you have a lot of sit-back-and-counter ball, as you’d expect.
“Then Rodriguez came in at the right time for Urawa who were really lost in terms of their identity on the pitch.
“Rodriguez might not have 100% succeeded in instilling that philosophy, but when it worked it absolutely worked.”
‘The courage to try something different’
In 2021 whilst at Urawa Red Diamonds Rodriguez, who is bookmakers’ favourite to be appointed Aberdeen’s new boss, was named J1 League Manager of the Year.
He also managed Tokyo-based Urawa to Emperor’s Cup and Japanese Super Cup glory.
Overseen by chief executive Alan Burrows the Aberdeen hierarchy have whittled down a host of managerial candidates to a shortlist.
Asked what Rodriguez could potentially bring to Pittodrie, Orlowitz said: “He’s got the courage to try something different.
“I’m not sure what Scottish fans will make of his past experience mainly being in Asia, but I think coaching in the region requires a unique set of skills.
“Including communication and adaptability – that will serve him well wherever he goes.”
Why did he leave Urawa before the Champions League final?
Rodriguez guided Urawa Red Diamonds to the Champions League final but left the club before they could play it.
They finished second on goal difference in their Champions League group behind Daegu FC (South Korea), both level on 13 points from six games.
In the knock-out stages they beat Johor Darul Ta’zim (Malaysia), BG Pathum United (Thailand) and former champions Jeonbuk Motors (South Korea) to advance to the final.
Urawa Red Diamonds will face Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, the defending champions, in the two legged Champions League final on April 29 and May 6.
Why did Rodriguez leave before the final was played?
Tokyo based Orlowitz explained: “The ACL has traditionally been played over a calendar year where play-offs start in January and the final is November.
“But the 2022 final was pushed back twice.
“First to late February/early March in deference to the World Cup.
“Then to late April/early May in deference to Urawa wanting to play its home leg at Saitama Stadium, which is undergoing pitch resurfacing/upgrades and won’t be playable until April.
“Meanwhile, the J. League runs from February to December.
“And despite Urawa’s success in reaching the ACL final their league form was very uneven and Rodriguez lost the confidence of the fans.
“It so happens that the 2022 season was at the end of what the club had touted as a three-year cycle of rebuilding.
“So timing-wise it makes sense from the perspective of the domestic calendar, but it’s just a unique situation.”
‘A big deal’ to reach ACL final
Urawa previously won the Champions League in 2007 (3-1 aggregate defeat of Iran’s Sepahan) and in 2017 (2-1 aggregate defeat of Al-Hilal).
In 2019 they lost 3-0 Al-Hilal on aggregate in the ACL final.
They will again face Al-Hilal in the final of the Asian Champions League.
How big an achievement was it for Rodriguez to guide them to this year’s final, the club’s fourth?
Orlowitz said: “Urawa have obviously been here three times before.
“But considering that it’s the highest priority of the club and its fans it was obviously a big deal to have done so.
“The ACL is under normal circumstances a very tricky competition to navigate.
“Urawa had advantages it would not usually have in the ‘average’ year without the impact of the pandemic.
“But they made it and now they’ve got two games to win it.”
‘Built a solid reputation in Japan’
Rodriguez’s career trajectory began at Girona before a period as Saudi Arabia’s U17 coach.
He was assistant coach at Malaga when the club won promotion to the Spanish top flight.
Rodriguez was also director and coach at the Real Madid Football School in Mexico.
During a four-year spell in Thailand he managed Ratchaburi FC, Bangkok Glass FC and Suphanburi FC.
Rodriguez guided Bangkok Glass to the Kor Royal Cup final in 2015.
He then moved to Japan to manage Tokushima Vortis where he secured promotion to the top flight.
That success led to a move to Urawa Red Diamonds where he delivered two trophies and a Champions League final slot.
Orlowitz said: “As foreign managers here go, he built a solid reputation in Japan.
“The J2 is an incredibly competitive league – especially with the number of ‘bigger’ clubs that have been getting relegated and spending a season or two there.
“For Rodriguez to take a Vortis side that was kind of adrift and get them back into J1 was a great achievement.
“Urawa was seen as a deserved step up and in 2021 he took a team that had really been all over the map in recent seasons.
“2020 was the first season since 2017 in which a single manager lasted the entire campaign.
“Rodriguez brought stability and flair to the pitch.
“Sixth in the J1, semis in the J. League Cup and the Emperor’s Cup title were a very solid set of achievements.
“But in the end, there is an expectation among fans that Urawa can and should win the J1 every year.
“When they realized that wasn’t going to happen in 2022 they lost patience.”
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