VVV Sink Back to Lower Division

VVV Venlo and Keisuke Honda sink to a 2-0 loss and a swift return to the second tier of the Dutch league.

Honda has been reported as saying he would like to stay with the team, even if they went down, and playing in a lower division certainly did not do Daisuke Matsui any harm when he moved to France. It would give Honda a chance to adjust to the more physical nature of European football, while his skill should be more decisive and give him a chance to integrate with the team more thoroughly. However, financial considerations may see him move elsewhere. It will be interesting to see whether footballing reason or the interests of agents' commissions prevail.