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World-Okada's semi-final bombshell triggers alarm
TOKYO, May 20 (Reuters) - The logic behind Japan coach Takeshi Okada's bombshell that he had targeted a semi-final spot at the World Cup is hard to fathom.
His refusal to backtrack after the Blue Samurai were drawn alongside the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark at the tournament in South Africa has tightened the squeeze on his players.
Breaking party ranks, Japan captain Yuji Nakazawa told Reuters the three-times Asian champions would be on an early flight home if they lost their Group E opener to Cameroon.
His international team mates appear petrified of mentioning the dreaded the "S"-word since Okada declared he would settle for nothing less than a best-four finish.
All the evidence points to Japan making another quick exit after slumping to third in the East Asian championships in Tokyo and a 3-0 home drubbing by Serbia in the World Cup run-in.
Japan Football Association (JFA) president Motoaki Inukai refused to shake Okada's hand after the Japanese were beaten 3-1 by fierce rivals South Korea at the East Asian tournament.
Inukai said Okada "might stay on if he achieves his target" -- which most took to mean the JFA were on the lookout for a new coach -- but Okada has no plans to carry on after the World Cup.
Japan have failed to make any concrete progress since flattering to deceive under Philippe Troussier at the 2002 World Cup.
Zico's failure to get the best from the so-called "golden quartet" of Hidetoshi Nakata, Shunsuke Nakamura, Junichi Inamoto and Shinji Ono slammed the brakes on the team's development.
Former coach Ivica Osim suffered a stroke months after his side fell to Australia at the 2007 Asian Cup and Okada has failed to deliver in his second spell in charge.
Okada's semi-final goal was a bolt from the blue and it is difficult to see where Japan will pick up the points required to advance from their first-round group in South Africa.
Inamoto could be used as a shield for the back four in Japan's opening game on June 14 against a powerful Cameroon side led by the prolific Samuel Eto'o.
How Japan go about piercing the armour of Cameroon and the Netherlands, in particular, is another matter and Okada will need a struggling Nakamura to rediscover his best form quickly.
Europe-based midfielders Keisuke Honda, Makoto Hasebe and Daisuke Matsui represent Japan's biggest threats but Okada's side are likely to find points very hard to come by once more.
TOKYO, May 20 (Reuters) - The logic behind Japan coach Takeshi Okada's bombshell that he had targeted a semi-final spot at the World Cup is hard to fathom.
His refusal to backtrack after the Blue Samurai were drawn alongside the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark at the tournament in South Africa has tightened the squeeze on his players.
Breaking party ranks, Japan captain Yuji Nakazawa told Reuters the three-times Asian champions would be on an early flight home if they lost their Group E opener to Cameroon.
His international team mates appear petrified of mentioning the dreaded the "S"-word since Okada declared he would settle for nothing less than a best-four finish.
All the evidence points to Japan making another quick exit after slumping to third in the East Asian championships in Tokyo and a 3-0 home drubbing by Serbia in the World Cup run-in.
Japan Football Association (JFA) president Motoaki Inukai refused to shake Okada's hand after the Japanese were beaten 3-1 by fierce rivals South Korea at the East Asian tournament.
Inukai said Okada "might stay on if he achieves his target" -- which most took to mean the JFA were on the lookout for a new coach -- but Okada has no plans to carry on after the World Cup.
Japan have failed to make any concrete progress since flattering to deceive under Philippe Troussier at the 2002 World Cup.
Zico's failure to get the best from the so-called "golden quartet" of Hidetoshi Nakata, Shunsuke Nakamura, Junichi Inamoto and Shinji Ono slammed the brakes on the team's development.
Former coach Ivica Osim suffered a stroke months after his side fell to Australia at the 2007 Asian Cup and Okada has failed to deliver in his second spell in charge.
Okada's semi-final goal was a bolt from the blue and it is difficult to see where Japan will pick up the points required to advance from their first-round group in South Africa.
Inamoto could be used as a shield for the back four in Japan's opening game on June 14 against a powerful Cameroon side led by the prolific Samuel Eto'o.
How Japan go about piercing the armour of Cameroon and the Netherlands, in particular, is another matter and Okada will need a struggling Nakamura to rediscover his best form quickly.
Europe-based midfielders Keisuke Honda, Makoto Hasebe and Daisuke Matsui represent Japan's biggest threats but Okada's side are likely to find points very hard to come by once more.
World-Factbox on Japan
May 20 (Reuters) - Factbox on Japan who are in Group E at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa:
Colours: Blue shirts, white shorts, blue socks
Nickname: Blue Samurai
Previous World Cup appearances: 3 (1998, 2002, 2006)
Best World Cup performance: last 16, 2002 (as co-hosts)
Coach: Takeshi Okada
Most capped player: Masami Ihara 122
Top goalscorer: Kunishige Kamamoto 75
Talking points:
Japan coach Takeshi Okada's refusal to back-track on his declared goal of a semi-final place at the World Cup despite all evidence pointing to an early exit appears to have added more pressure on his players.
The Blue Samurai have suffered a severe dip in form in the run-in to the tournament. Okada has come under fire for his selection policy and tactics and will leave the job after the tournament.
Injuries to playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura since his return to the J-League from Spanish side Espanyol are a concern but the form of CSKA Moscow's Keisuke Honda and Wolfsburg's Makoto Hasebe could compensate in the midfield area.
Players to watch:
Honda and Hasebe look pivotal for Japan's hopes of scoring the goals they will need to have any chance of progressing.
Former Arsenal midfielder Junichi Inamoto could be a key player shielding Japan's defence against the superior firepower of the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark in Group E.
Japan Squad - No Surprises Inclusions For Samurai Blue
Japan coach Takeshi Okada has named his final squad for the World Cup in South Africa this month.
Okada had already named his 23-man party and there were no changes today as the list was submitted to FIFA.
“Coach Okada and I have made a final check and there will be no changes to the 23-man squad to be submitted on deadline day today,” Japan Football Association technical director Hiromi Hara told reporters at the squad’s training camp in Switzerland.
Japan have been drawn in Group E alongside Denmark, Netherlands and Cameroon.
Goalkeepers -
Seigo Narazaki Nagoya Grampus
Eiji Kawashima Kawasaki Frontale
Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi Jubilo Iwata
Defenders -
Markus Tulio Tanaka Nagoya Grampus
Yuji Nakazawa Yokohama F Marinos
Atsuto Uchida Kashima Antlers
Yuto Nagatomo FC Tokyo
Taiki Iwamasa Kashima Antlers
Yuichi Komano Jubilo Iwata
Yasuyuki Konno FC Tokyo
Midfielders -
Shunsuke Nakamura Yokohama F Marinos
Yasuhito Endo Gamba Osaka
Makoto Hasebe Wolfsburg (GER)
Keisuke Honda CSKA Moscow (RUS)
Yuki Abe Urawa Reds
Junichi Inamoto Kawasaki Frontale
Kengo Nakamura Kawasaki Frontale
Daisuke Matsui Grenoble (FRA)
Forwards -
Keiji Tamada Nagoya Grampus
Shinji Okazaki Shimizu S-Pulse
Takayuki Morimoto Catania (ITA)
Yoshito Okubo Vissel Kobe
Kisho Yano
Roster
Trainer
Takeshi Okada
Goalkeeper
1 Seigo Narazaki
21 Eiji Kawashima
23 Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi
Defender
22 Yuji Nakazawa
4 Marcus Tulio Tanaka
15 Yasuyuki Konno
3 Yuichi Komano
6 Atsuto Uchida
13 Daiki Iwamasa
5 Yuto Nagatomo
Midfielder
20 Junichi Inamoto
7 Yasuhito Endo
10 Shunsuke Nakamura
16 Yoshito Okubo
8 Daisuke Matsui
2 Yuki Abe
18 Keisuke Honda
17 Makoto Hasebe
15 Kengo Nakamura
Forward
11 Keiji Tamada
19 Takayuki Morimoto
9 Shinji Okazaki
12 Kisho Yano
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