The Ryutsu club present Auckland with its first taste of Japanese football ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup play-off against the as-yet-uncrowned J.League champions on December 8.
“We’re going to rotate players and get a feeling of what playing a Japanese side is like,” Tribulietx says.
“We have a few injuries to consider with Chad Coombes, Manel Exposito and Albert Riera, so we’ll need to protect those players ahead of the game on the eighth.”
Despite their status as a university club, Ryutsu Keizai is viewed as a nursery for aspiring professional footballers.
The club has produced 26 graduates in the past two years that have gone on to secure fulltime professional contracts in the J.League or Japan Football League, a more than respectable track record.
Ryutsu Keizai also sport two Japan U-22 internationals in defender Yusuke Higa and goalkeeper Tukuya Masuda.
Tribulietx is under no illusion as to how tough City’s opponents could prove to be.
“Ryutsu are a young team and play regular friendlies with the Japan national team, so we expect a very tough match,” he says.
“But the result is secondary, what’s important is to get a feel for what to expect at the Club World Cup.”
Tribulietx says his starting line-up is unlikely to resemble the one that will take the field in Nagoya in a week’s time.
“We’ll field a competitive team but the starting 11 will be mixed and matched. Gaining experience of a match environment is our goal,” he says.
With a week to go before Auckland City face the J.League winners in what amounts to a US $1million match, Tribulietx says an opportunity still exists for fringe players to stake their claim for a starting berth but adds that the door is closing.
“Our starting team is usually quite clear but in football you have to be prepared for a player to step up and make you think,” he says.
“But this is not a one-off game – this is part of a much bigger process we’ve been working towards since September. Positions are decided by a process rather than a one-off game,” he says.
Skipper Ivan Vicelich, who joined the squad late yesterday, is expected to feature in the warm-up match at some stage.
Following the Ryutsu Keizai game, the Auckland City contingent relocate from Tokyo to Toyota City as the run in towards the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011 play-off gathers pace.
Auckland City schedule for Japan 2011
vs. Ryutsu Keizai University
Friday 2 December
Friendly Match
Saitama Stadium
Saitama, Japan
Kick-off: 19h00 (local time)/23h00 (NZT)
vs. J-League winners
Thursday 8 December
FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011 play-off
Toyota Stadium
Toyota City, Japan
Kick-off: 19h45 (local time)/23h45 (NZST)

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