The Nagoya Grampus keeper continues to be stunned by the quality and commitment in his midst, with his club seeking to build on their thumping 4-0 opening day thrashing of Sagan Tosu against Cerezo Osaka.
The Socceroos back-up featured in the J1 League’s Team of the Week after Nagoya’s sparkling start, and entering his second year in Japan he is in awe of the standards being set around him.
“There are certain things in the J-League that blow my mind ... the quality and speed and the way the players play in right areas,” the 30-year-old told The World Game.
“It’s crazy how good these players are in small spaces.
“I often speak with our Brazilians (Nagoya have five) Jo and Joao Schmidt, who joined us from Atalanta, and they say the way we play in the tight areas is something else.
“It’s not something they’ve seen before. It’s one thing that’s unique to Japan.”
Another, according to Langerak, is the relentless professionalism.
It’s another area where he feels the Japanese trump many of their European counterparts.
“Everyday the players stray back at training (for extra work),” he said.
“In the gym, they’re there first thing in the morning. It’s unbelievably professional.
“And that’s coming from me, because I consider myself one of the more professional players to have played in most of my previous teams.
“Everybody is doing the right things and it’s the perfect environment to be around.
“It’s all about bringing out the best in each other.
“The quality is there throughout the league. For example in the first game of the season Vissel Kobe, whose front three is Iniesta, David Villa and Podolski, lost to Cerezo Osaka.
“They couldn’t score - that just goes to show the quality of the competition.”
While he has high hopes for Nagoya this season, having only a escaped a relegation playoff in his first year on goal difference, Langerak is also keeping an eye on Ange Postecoglou’s Yokohama F. Marinos.
They began the season with a thrilling 3-2 away win against Gamba Osaka in typical swashbuckling Postecoglou style.
“Watching them last season, his stamp was definitely put on the team and from being involved when he was Socceroos coach there are things I pick up on and know exactly what he’s doing and trying to accomplish,” said Langerak.
“It’s really good to see and hopefully he has a good season this year, but not above us of course.”
Langerak senses a more consistent campaign in 2019 for the club which returned to the top flight last season after being relegated in 2016.
“It has been a great start, it was one of the better games we’ve played since I’ve been here,” he said of the away win over Sagan.
“The boys are buzzing ... such a result on the road in our first game was the perfect start.
“Hopefully we can have a better first half of the season than last year.
“We were a bit naive in certain games and situations and it cost us. Our confidence went down and it felt like we couldn’t get a win.
“In the second half of the year we did really well and beat a lot of the teams from the top half of the table.
“We’re stronger this year, with more depth and all signs are pointing towards a good season and a finish higher up the table than last year (where Nagoya finished 15th).
"Hopefully we’ll be a bit of a dark horse this year.”
