Thespakusatsu Gunma finished 2nd in J1 League for the third time in five years as Robaato Rasamu's exciting youngsters excelled again in 2036/37. But, after 12 years in charge of Gunma, Rasamu was keen to take the next step and secure the club's first major silverware.
Wonderkid Factory | Part 12 | Gunma’s Champions League Return
An improved season saw Thespakusatsu Gunma compete for the Japanese title for the second time in four seasons, two years on from a relegation battle. That improvement saw the club qualify for the Asian Champions League for the second time.
Wonderkid Factory | Part 11 | Massive Academy Star Sales
Thespa Gunma put their relegation battle behind them to record a top-half finish in J League in 2035, while star academy product Yusuke Ishii became the club's first graduate to play for Japan. The summer of 2035 saw big moves as Gunma's all-time record goalscorer Masaya Nishi, who scored 133 in 334 games for the... Continue Reading →
Wonderkid Factory | Part 9 | Gunma’s First Misfire
Thespakusatsu Gunma recorded a fifth successive record high finish under the tutelage of Robaato Rasamu, who led the club into the Asian Champions League for the first time by finishing 2nd in J1 League in 2033. However, Rasamu was a little concerned about how well his youthful homegrown team would cope with domestic and continental matters.
Alphabet Challenge | Part 47, Club 22 | Superstar Goalkeeper Inspires Continental Success
Trebor Mahtal came within one penalty kick of ticking G off his Alphabet Challenge, only to see his Gamba Osaka painfully lose the J.League Cup in a penalty shootout. He took a bit of time away from football and spent the winter break refocusing on how to continue improving his exciting young squad ahead of his third full season in Japan.
Alphabet Challenge | Part 46, Club 22 | Asian Champions League and a Cup Final
An exciting young Gamba Osaka team, led by a mass of outstanding homegrown talents, booked the club's place in the AFC Champions League for the first time in 28 years in 2064. Manager Trebor Mahtal now faced the challenge of strengthening his inexperienced squad for even more fixtures as they balanced domestic and continental football towards the end of the league campaign.
Alphabet Challenge | Part 45, Club 22 | Tapping Into Gamba Potential
Six months in Japan had seen Trebor Mahtal successfully steer Gamba Osaka well clear of any relegation concerns while flooding some of the club's promising youngsters. His big challenge now was to strengthen the squad to compete with Japan's best.
Alphabet Challenge | Part 44, Club 22 | Standing Firm In Japanese Relegation Battle
Unexpected Premier League success with Fulham meant Trebor Mahtal was on the move quicker than expected. The 79-year-old Zambian went in search of his 22nd club fresh from ticking off the 19th letter from his Alphabet Challenge. That meant the letters now eluding him were: C, D, G, H, I, K and X. Upon resigning,... Continue Reading →
Pentagon Pursuit | Part 15 | Final Day Drama In Japan
Robaato Rasamu came so close to sealing the first title in his mission to win all five top-tier continental trophies as Albirex Niigata narrowly lost to big-spending Al-Hilal in the AFC Champions League Final. The Japanese manager needed a little time to get his head around the defeat and consider his options moving forward.
Pentagon Pursuit | Part 12 | Niigata’s All-Time Record Goalscorer
Albirex Niigata had qualified for the AFC Champions League, which meant Rasamu and, as far as he could tell, the club would get their first taste of continental football. And, considering this save is all about winning the leading competition on every continent, that was a pretty big deal - but it doesn't start until well into the second half of the league campaign.



