Nakata completes Bologna loan move
TOKYO, Japan -- Japan captain Hidetoshi Nakata has left troubled Parma to join Italian Serie A rivals Bologna in a six-month loan deal.
The 26-year-old cited differences with Parma coach Cesare Prandelli as his reason for quitting the club.
"Last season was completely dissatisfying due to differences between the kind of football that I wanted to play and the kind of football that the coach expected of me," said Nakata.
" I was being played out of position and still nothing has changed...even though the coach told me things would be different."
The midfielder added that his main reason for the move was working with Bologna coach Carlo Mazzone.
"Mazzone was my coach for two years at Perugia and he understands me as both a player and a person, and I trust him completely."
Nakata became the first Japanese player to appear in the Italian league when he was signed by Perugia in 1998. Before joining Parma, he helped Roma win the Italian league title in 2001.
However, he has yet to complete a full match in 11 Serie A appearances this season and has failed to live up to his $26 million price tag.
Parma could save 900,000 euros by loaning out Nakata -- welcome news as the collapse of the club's parent company Parmalat has left them urgently needing to off-load players in an attempt to slash their wage bill.
