Japan’s star of the ’90s Masao Kiba, who is creating a pathway for talented youngsters from Southeast Asia to make it to the famed J-League through his Japan Dream Football Association (JDFA), conducted a well-attended clinic at the Navy grounds on Sunday.

Scores of attentive youngsters took part in the clinic as Gamba Osaka’s leading player from 1993 to 2004 cast his expert eye on the sprouting footballing skills in search of a special one who can live the Japanese dream.

Kiba set up JDFA in 2011 with the GL Group stepping in as its first sponsor, a partnership that has prospered over the last three years.

“My main objective is to create an opportunity for a Cambodian youngster to make the J-League cut that will eventually help the country’s football as a whole,” said the JDFA Director.

Addressing the participants, Riki Ishigami, Chief Operating Officer of GL Finance, pledged to continue his company’s support to Kiba and his cause, contending that both shared the same vision of sporting success.

“Our business is inspired by and connected to sports and forms the basis of our business philosophy,” Ishigami said.

“GLF is proud to lead the way as JDFA’s sponsor and we would like to see Kiba reach the milestone in his pursuit, the one we have just reached in our company.

“That is registering our 10,000th contract which makes us one of leading hire purchase entities in the country today,” he added.