From homegrown talent and university prospects to international recruitment and pathways towards Europe, Cerezo Osaka’s approach to squad building is shaped by more than technical ability alone. Martyn Williams, who has spent nine years at the club and now works in Football Operations, offers an insight into how one of Japan’s most recognised talent producing clubs thinks about players, potential and progression.
Japanese football has become an increasingly important part of the global player market.
The success of Japanese players across Europe has changed perceptions, opened new pathways and drawn greater international attention towards the structures that develop them. Yet behind every successful move abroad lies a much longer process. Players first have to be identified, developed, introduced to senior football and ultimately prepared for an environment in which age and reputation matter less than performance.
At Cerezo Osaka, that journey has produced some of the most recognisable Japanese players of the modern era.
Shinji Kagawa and Takumi Minamino are two of the most prominent examples. Both emerged from Cerezo before building careers in European football, becoming symbols of a pathway that can take a young player from Osaka to some of the biggest stages in the game.
But producing talent is only one part of building a competitive football club.
Recruitment requires clubs to think simultaneously about the present and the future. Domestic players, academy graduates, university footballers and international signings all have to fit into a squad that must perform immediately while continuing to evolve.
For Martyn Williams, who has been with Cerezo Osaka for nine years, evaluating players begins with understanding what they can become.
Williams initially joined the club as a player interpreter before progressing into a first team management role. Today, his responsibilities include player and staff management, squad planning, coordination between departments and the organisation of the first team environment.
That position gives him a close view of the decisions that shape a professional squad.
Looking for a Weapon
When assessing domestic talent, Cerezo’s approach goes beyond simply identifying technically gifted footballers.
The physical potential of a player and the ability to eventually compete at J1 level are important considerations. But there is another characteristic the club looks for: something distinctive.
“We focus first on physical profile and projectability, whether the player has the athletic base and potential to perform at J1 level. We also look for a clear strength or weapon that can give the player an advantage in matches.”
“We focus first on physical profile and projectability, whether the player has the athletic base and potential to perform at J1 level. We also look for a clear strength or weapon that can give the player an advantage in matches.”
That idea of a weapon is significant.
At the highest level, being well rounded may not always be enough. Players often need one quality that separates them from others, whether that is speed, creativity, physicality, movement or another attribute capable of influencing matches.
Individual evaluation, however, cannot be separated from squad construction.
Cerezo must consider how different profiles fit together and how the composition of the team can support both immediate results and future growth.
“At squad level, we aim for the right balance of age, mentality and competitiveness, ensuring both short term performance and long term development.”
Whenever possible, the club also values players who already understand the environment and pathway of Japanese football.
Homegrown talent naturally plays an important role, while Japan’s university football system provides another significant route into the professional game.
“Whenever possible, we prioritise homegrown players and university developed players, as they tend to adapt quickly and align well with the club’s development pathway.”
It reflects one of the distinctive characteristics of Japanese football.
Unlike in many European countries, where the academy system dominates discussions around young talent, universities remain an important part of the development landscape in Japan.
Players can continue their football education while maturing physically and personally before entering the professional game.
For clubs such as Cerezo, this creates multiple routes through which domestic talent can reach the first team.
Finding the Right Foreign Player
International recruitment presents a different challenge.
Identifying a talented foreign player is relatively straightforward compared with determining whether that player is genuinely suited to Japan.
The first question is therefore not simply who is available.
It is who actually wants to come.
“The process often starts with identifying a realistic pool of players who are genuinely open to playing in Japan.”
Ideally, Cerezo looks at players in their mid twenties who combine physical maturity with the potential to develop further. But Williams believes one obstacle still exists when recruiting from Europe: the perception of Japanese football.
“There is still a perception gap. Many Europe based players underestimate the level and intensity of the J.League.”
For a recruitment department, that creates an interesting dilemma.
A player may fit perfectly from a football perspective and still be the wrong signing.
Moving to Japan requires adapting not only to a different league, but also to a new country, language and football culture. That means the motivation behind the transfer becomes an important part of the evaluation.
“Even when a player is a strong football fit, the key question is whether Japan is a real sporting choice for them, rather than a fallback option. Motivation is critical.”
“Even when a player is a strong football fit, the key question is whether Japan is a real sporting choice for them, rather than a fallback option. Motivation is critical.”
Mentality, humility and work ethic therefore become recruitment criteria alongside technical and physical qualities.
The consequences of getting that decision wrong can also be significant.
Foreign players often represent substantial investments. If the sporting or cultural fit does not work, finding an immediate solution is not always easy.
As Williams explains, “If a player does not fully fit, on or off the pitch, it can be difficult to move them on due to financial constraints.”
For that reason, Cerezo’s evaluation extends beyond video analysis and data.
Recent playing time is examined and the player’s profile is compared directly with the existing squad. Physical metrics provide an initial reference point, but the process also includes something considerably more personal.
Conversation.
“Speaking directly with the player is just as important. Those conversations help us assess mindset, motivation and whether the player is genuinely prepared for the challenge of playing in Japan.”
In an era where recruitment is increasingly influenced by data, Cerezo’s approach highlights something that numbers cannot fully measure.
Whether a player truly wants to be there.
Creating the Next Step
Recruitment is only part of the equation.
For young players already inside the club, development eventually reaches a decisive point. Academy football must lead somewhere.
When a player reaches the required standards identified by Cerezo’s technical and performance staff, promotion to the senior environment becomes possible.
But not every talented player can immediately find minutes in the first team.
Instead of allowing development to stagnate, the club looks for alternative routes.
“If there isn’t an immediate place in the first team, we focus on creating clear pathways through loan moves to J2 or J3 clubs where they can gain regular match experience.”
That pathway reflects an increasingly important reality in player development.
Progress is rarely linear.
For some players, the next step is the J1 first team. For others, regular football elsewhere may be more valuable than remaining around a stronger squad without meaningful competitive minutes.
The objective is ultimately the same: preparing players for senior football.
Historically, Cerezo has been particularly successful in developing attacking talent. Managing those players means finding the right competitive environment at the right moment.
And for the very best, the pathway can eventually extend beyond Japan.
From Osaka to Europe
Few clubs in Japan can discuss player development without Cerezo Osaka’s name entering the conversation.
The careers of Shinji Kagawa and Takumi Minamino alone have created a powerful reference point.
Their journeys were different, but Williams sees common characteristics among players who successfully make the transition to European football.
It begins with courage.
“Players who have succeeded in Europe tend to share similar traits. They showed no fear or intimidation when competing at a higher level and were willing to challenge senior players from an early age.”
“Players who have succeeded in Europe tend to share similar traits. They showed no fear or intimidation when competing at a higher level and were willing to challenge senior players from an early age.”
That mentality often becomes visible before a player ever leaves Japan.
Young talents capable of competing without being restricted by hierarchy can accelerate their own development. Instead of waiting for age to provide an opportunity, they force themselves into the conversation through performance.
“Many broke into the first team early and were not constrained by age or hierarchy, focusing instead on performance and learning through competition.”
Perhaps that is one of the most important lessons in Cerezo Osaka’s approach to player development.
Pathways can be created. Scouts can identify talent. Clubs can provide loans, minutes and opportunities.
But eventually, the player has to take the next step.
For Japanese talents dreaming of Europe, the journey does not begin when a European club makes an offer.
It begins much earlier.
It begins when a young player is willing to compete with someone older, stronger and more experienced without being intimidated by the occasion.
Cerezo Osaka’s history shows where that mentality can lead.
From the academy and university pathways of Japanese football to the intensity of the J.League and eventually the stadiums of Europe, the distance between those worlds continues to become smaller.
The challenge for clubs is finding the players capable of making that journey.
And sometimes, the first thing to look for is simply whether they have a weapon strong enough to open the door.