RED NATION SPEAKS TO ISSEY NAKAJIMA-FARRAN Canada - Feature | Posted on Oct 7/09 by Steven Bottjer

Rednation Online recently had the opportunity to speak with Issey Nakajima-Farran, a young Canadian forward/winger who plays with the Canadian Men's National Team and with AC Horsens of the Danish 1st division. Nakajima-Farran was 22 years old when he made his first appearance with Canada’s senior team on November 12, 2006 against Hungary. He helped Canada reach the semi-finals at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and represented Canada at the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 2008. Most recently, Issey was part of the Canadian team that reached the quarter-final stage at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Issey has had a truly international playing career at both the youth and senior professional levels. While living in England, Issey played for the Crystal Palace F.C. youth team. At the age of 16 he made the decision to move to Japan and play in the Verdy Kawasaki youth team. In 2003 he joined Albirex Niigata and played in the J. League Division 2. Issey played two seasons for the Albirex Niigata satellite club in Singapore in 2004 and 2005 and scored 12 and 14 goals respectively. He was named young player of the year in Singapore in 2005. He also played one game for the U-21 national team of Singapore. It was during this time that Issey met Kim Poulsen, who was leading the Young Lions, under-23 football team from Singapore. Poulsen convinced him to continue his career with Vejle Boldklub, a Danish club that Poulsen was managing at the time. On June 6, 2007, Issey’s contract was bought by FC Nordsjælland and he continued his career there while living in Copenhagen. Just recently, Nakajima-Farran has joined AC Horsens, a Danish football team that plays in the Danish Superliga championship.

Rednation Online and Issey discuss his experiences playing in England, Asia, and Denmark, as well as his experiences playing for Canada.

Rednation Online: What were the influences that lead you on the path to become a professional football player?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: My first influence was when I went to go watch an International match - Japan vs Germany. And I was amazed how one player or a certain play could arouse the whole stadium. And then a little bit of skill or even a goal would cause the stadium to explode. That’s when it hit me and inspired me.

Rednation Online: Do you have a favourite player or a player that you modeled your game after when you were growing up?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: Ramos, a Japanese-Brazilian player. But there was never really just one player for me. Any exciting player would intrigue me and I wanted to do what they did. Whatever they did that created chances and made them a threat, I tried to bring those qualities into my game.

Rednation Online: What was the football landscape like in Japan during your youth?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: Playing as a youth in Japan was hard, especially as a foreigner and having left my home in England at the age of 16. I missed my friends and family and while going through tough times it often just seemed pointless and wanted to go back to the UK. But my parents made it happen so I stuck it out and tried to get the most out of it. Traditions there were such that it was difficult to get along with as even a player that’s a few months older than you would be treating you like crap - telling you to get this and get that for them. They were treated like that previously so they would treat the youngsters in the same way. An ongoing circle of traditions. I remember one instance during my first month there and I was having a hard time settling in. One of the older guys, who was smaller than me, threw 110 yen at me and demanded a can of coke from the vending machines outside. I was about to go take a shower with just a towel wrapped around me and it was cold and raining out side. I couldn’t believe the cheek this guy had and I obviously confronted him and kind of exploded against him. All the other guys who were my age were trying to calm me down and jumped in between us. As a European with some individual pride I didn’t allow people to talk to me like that. I was pretty angry, but I later understood how things worked in the Japanese changing rooms. Everything was about age and paying your dues. But after that incident I think a lot of the guys then treated me as an outsider, so the traditions weren’t really directed towards me, as I was the foreigner who thought we were all equal. But I did master the language, including the differences in language towards people who are older than you, younger than you, and your equal age groups. It’s a whole different vocabulary and slang can only be used with certain age groups, etc. It’s a funny tradition. But I do respect it a lot after my time there and I love every part of the Japanese culture.

Rednation Online: While living in England, you played for the Crystal Palace youth team and then at 16 you moved back to Japan to play for a Japanese youth team. What precipitated the move back to Japan?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: Well, in England I was playing for Crystal Palace from the age of 13 to 15. I played district and county, as well as my school team and Sunday league football. I just wanted to play as much football as possible and I had many options. In Japan you commit to one team and you train there every day even as a young kid. I had been aware of the youth system in England, as my older friends had been drafted into the youth academy. Compared to the Japanese system at the time, I thought it would be better for me. It included full basic schooling for the high school level and provided training every day with only a Monday night off. This meant that free time was strictly for rest and no real time to go out with your friends on the weekends after a game. I was also hanging out with the wrong crowd at school, which was taking me out of the football mentality. That’s when my father got involved and questioned my future and dreams. We laid down the paths for my future and I chose Japan. Living in the club dormitory and going to an international school was very expensive but my father said that he would pay for it for me because I was attempting something that I knew I would not fail at. It was a lot of pressure but he believed in me. Without his support none of this would have been possible.

Rednation Online: You were named Young Footballer of the Year in Singapore for 2005 – how did you end up playing in Singapore and how was the experience for you?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: It was the best experience. Singapore is a very small country but they love football. So over the years they have invited their neighbouring countries like Korea, Japan and China to set up teams composed entirely with players of their own nationality. After my first year at Albirex Niigata as an 18 yr old, Singapore approached the J-League and it happened to be my club that accepted the invitation and sent their professional young players and pretty much the whole B squad to get more experience - instead of playing 2nd team games after the first team games. A lot of the guys were against it but I was up to the challenge as I hadn’t made an appearance in the first team and wanted to prove myself. The deal was that you prove yourself with the Albirex Niigata Singapore team where you were loaned out to play and you would then come back to play for the first team in Japan. In my first year I was the top scorer for the club and we finished 5th in the league out of 12 teams. It was a hard league but we did very well with our Japanese coach. My club back in Japan insisted that I play one more year and then I would be ready (to play in Japan with the 1st team). Meanwhile, they took the other striker who was 3 years above me and he went to start few games in the J1 for Albirex. The following year, I got the young player of the year award in Singapore which I thought should have proven my readiness to the club and also proven that the system of developing young players for the Japanese club was working. But then the club again said one more year. I was 20 and in Europe you are never too young, if you have proven your self then the chance is given. That’s when Kim Poulsen stepped in. He was the Coach of the U23 National Team of Singapore. I was invited for a game to represent Singapore against Japan in a friendly. The Singapore FA has this rule that the FA can give you a passport after you have been playing for 2 years in Singapore, that you can play for the country as its such a small country. So they invited me and my Japanese teammate at the time, Yamada Shoji. I scored in that game and got an assist to tie the game 2-2. We went into penalty kicks and I scored mine and we defeated the Japanese U23 team. I thought that at least my club would give me some kind of recognition or that even that Japanese national team would be impressed, as I had received the man of the match award. Instead, comments were made along the lines that there are good Japanese players everywhere and the best of luck to you types of messages to me. So I thought to hell with the Japanese passport and I hoped for the best with my Canadian one.

Rednation Online: In 2006 you moved to Denmark to play professionally. How did you end up in Denmark and were their other leagues that you considered?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: Before I signed in Vejle, I was on trial with Portsmouth for a month. They were struggling to stay up with no coach. Rednapp came in and told me he was only interested in bringing in players that he knew and I though that was fair enough. I was then at Reading with my former coach from my time with Crystal Palace. It was nice seeing them for the two days that I was there, as they had no idea where I had left to (when I went to Japan). But my deal at Vejle was pretty much settled so they just told me to obviously sign at a place where you know you’re going to play. Plus, trying out in England when coming from Singapore was very difficult. It was very hard to even get a trial.

Rednation Online: There are a handful of North Americans playing in Denmark. What are some of draws that are attracting players to the Danish Superliga? What is the league like in terms of infrastructure, fan support and quality of play?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: I think some may argue with me but I think the level is equal to the Championship, Serie B, etc. The draw is that it’s an English-speaking Cosmopolitan country with a high standard of living. Plus, it’s good window to further access Europe. So I think it is a good place to further your career.

Rednation Online: You currently play for FC Nordsjælland. What is your role on the club and how is the team looking this season?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: I now play for AC Horsen. I just made a move at the last minute. AC Horsen had been showing interest for a while but they just got relegated and I personally didn’t want to go down a division when I had already spent 6 months there with Vejle and we then got promoted. I still had 2 years left with FC Nordsjælland but AC Horsens bought me out and showed me that I would play a vital role towards coming back up and that we are the favorites with this current squad. I had an up down year previously with FC Nordsjælland due to injuries and losing my spot and then further little injuries. The coach also had different plans which weren’t working in my favour. With how things were going, it killed my chances to start for Canada at the Gold Cup. To any player sitting on the bench is a misery. And I had really been looking forward to the Gold Cup because I had not been playing regularly (with my club). But Stephen Hart told me that he didn’t think that I was match fit, which was a fair comment. Why should you represent your country if your not playing regularly with your team? So I thought this path would quicken my process towards getting back to playing regularly. Also the club agreed to give my brother a chance. So Paris signed with AC Horsen as well. Our hopes are that we will prove ourselves as brothers in the league and we hope to play together for Canada. We currently just moved in to a nice big apartment together, so it should be a laugh - even in this small town that we chose to live in.

Rednation Online: Your international teammate Patrice Bernier also plays for FC Nordsjælland. What type of impact has he had on the team?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: I think he’s doing well. It was great playing with him and we shared a good time there together. I was also hanging out with Atiba (Hutchinson) after training with Pat and Paris. We had many good times in a great city.

Rednation Online: Your brother Paris also plays for the Canada U-23 team. Can you tell us a little bit about his style of play and his potential for the future?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: He is a smart player and can perform under pressure. He’s composed and has a good cross and a hefty tackle on him. He prefers playing left back, so I hope he can play behind me on the same side.

Rednation Online: You had even more options than most players when it came to where you might have played your international football – with Canada, England, Japan and Singapore all being options. You played one game for the U-21 national team of Singapore. What ultimately made you decide to play for Canada?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: The Japanese and Canadian sides of my family all live in Canada, so by playing for Canada it gave me a chance to play in front of my entire family. As I have always been playing abroad and they have never seen me play, this gave me a chance for my family to enjoy seeing me play. Plus Canada is where most holidays are spent so I guess I can call it home.

Rednation Online: Canada recently put on a pretty strong performance at the 2009 Gold Cup. What are some of the things that the team needs to improve upon to achieve even greater results in the future?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: Performing to our potential in every game. And I hope to play a part in that to help Canada achieve even better results.

Rednation Online: What are your greatest strengths as a player? What do you see as your ideal role on the Canadian Men’s Nation Team?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: I like to penetrate down the side and create chances and score goals. Also linking up with the players to break down zones, hopefully ending in a goal. That is what I always look for. So I hope to get the chance and prove myself.

Rednation Online: Your CMNT teammate Julian de Guzman recently left Spain to return to Canada and play his club football with Toronto FC. What are your thoughts on his move? With Toronto soon to be joined by Vancouver and likely Montreal in the MLS, would you ever consider making a similar move and playing your club football in Canada?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: Yeah, definitely. Vancouver would be more ideal for me as its closer to my family, so it would be nice if the chance ever came up. But at the moment I’m still in Europe and I would like to further my career here. But in a few years I would love to have the opportunity. I also have to go back to Japan to make an appearance in the J1 League, as I grew up in that league. But as a young player I never got the chance, so I have to finish off the journey there I guess.

Rednation Online: Anyone who has visited your website will know that you are quite an accomplished artist. Has painting always been a passion for you?

Issey Nakajima-Farran: Yeah, its just something I do to take my mind off of things. And art has always been a great interest - the lifestyle also with the industrial artist way of life. I like to visit the galleries and enjoy the company of other artist as they always have different views on life and way of expressing themselves. I had the opportunity to show my work for a few months in a cafe in Copenhagen, which was a great experience. I overheard some nice comment as I was kind of curious what others thought. Other guys and friends have always been supportive but random people who didn’t know me personally would have different views. And once or twice I would get my Danish buddies to translate what they were murmuring in the back ground, but then you never know, my mates could have just been nice to me - lying bastards! I’m kidding - it was a great experience.