Kennedy off to Japan?

Qantas Socceroos striker Josh Kennedy has expressed his admiration for the J-League and has confirmed that his management is in discussions with Nagoya Grampus on a transfer.

Qantas Socceroos striker Josh Kennedy has expressed his admiration for the J-League and has confirmed that his management is in discussions with Nagoya Grampus on a transfer.

Kennedy has been linked to a move to the J-League outfit for the past couple of weeks with his Bundesliga team Karlsruhe headed for the second division of German football and the Qantas Socceroo desperate for game time ahead of next year's World Cup in South Africa.

After a strong start to his career at Karlsruhe, Kennedy struggled with fitness before falling out with manager Edmund Becker during an unsatisfactory 2008/09 season for player and club. It took until the final game of the season, with Karlsruhe already relegated, for Kennedy to score, as he netted the brace, although he did manage to play the final 7 league games of the season.

That performance, and his reputation as the 'can-do' man of the Qantas Socceroos' strike force, has seen clubs across Europe show interest in the 194cm attacker. But his sights are turning even further east.

Kennedy, who has spent the past nine years in Germany, travelled to Japan when Australia played in Yokohama in February and he believes the country and its football have much to offer him.

"After the last game in Japan, being there and I saw the atmosphere, I know the Japanese are football crazy, so it will definitely be a fantastic place to go," he said.

"It's fast exciting football. Everybody is technical very good and it-s probably the best league in Asia. It's definitely the place to be, it-s an attractive place to be."

Despite reports that his move to Mizuho Athletic Stadium was a mere formality, Kennedy said discussions were still in their formative stages.

"I know that we've spoken to them, my manager's spoken to them. Nothing's official at the moment. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks and we'll stay in touch," he said.

Kennedy said that discussions with other clubs were very much in their infancy, but he hoped to have a decision on where his future lies in the next month.