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Ryuzo Morioka is a hardnosed defender who was the centerpiece of the Shimizu S-Pulse defence for most of his career. Morioka actually had some difficulty breaking into the lineup, at first. When he entered the league with Kashima Antlers, he could not find a spot in the lineup despite his obvious talents, and after his rookie season he requeste a transfer to Shimizu S-Pulse. At that time, S-Pulse fielded several national team players including Toshihide Saito and Katsumi Oenoki, so even there it was almost a year before he established himself as a regular starter. But by 1998, Morioka was clearly a rising star in the league, and he was even briefly considered for inclusion in the 1998 World Cup squad. By the time Phillippe Troussier took over, Morioka was entering his prime, and his quick reflexes and positioning instincts made him an ideal choice to fill one of the slots in Troussier's "flat three" defence. Morioka played a central role in the Japanese national team throughout the Troussier Era, establishing himself as a regular starter by late 1999 and making a major contribution to Japan's victory in the 2000 Asian Cup. But after serving as one of the most constant elements of Troussier Japan for three years, Morioka was felled by a string of bad luck. In early 2002 he injured his hamstring, and spend the months leading up to the 2002 World Cup struggling desperately to get back into shape in time to take part. June 4, 2002 was both the highlight of his career and its most tragic moment. The valiant effort he had made over the first six months of the year allowed him to win his way back into the lineup. When the national anthem played at the start of Japan's opening match against Belgium, Morioka stood proudly on the pitch, with the captain's armband proudly on his arm. But in the 73 minute -- just moments after Japan scored the go-ahead goal -- tragedy struck. As he lunged into a tackle, his hamstring tore once again, and he was forced to limp off the pitch, handing over the armband to Tsuneyasu Miyamoto. The injury prevented him from participating in the remainder of the tournament, and while Miyamto's career as Japan NT captain took off, Morioka faded into the shadows. Injuries have continued to dog Morioka ever since. He did get a few more chances to appear for the national team, but his era as a core member of the team was over. It took him nearly a year to return to complete health and regular duty for S-Pulse in 2004 as the defensive captain, and by that time he was clearly moving into the autumn of his playing career. At age 31, he probably has a few good years left in him, but it is probably a good move to leave S-Pulse and join a J2 club in 2007. In 2006 he had just 10 appearances and the team has adopted strategies that are not designed around his participation. The move to Kyoto will allow him to contribute much more to the team, not only as a player, but also as a teacher and an example to younger defenders.
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