Things can only get better for Japan at World Cups. The Samurai Blues have never won a World Cup match overseas and it would raise more than few eyebrows if they could beat Holland, Denmark or Cameroon in Group E.
Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea and amazingly made it to the last 16 after defeating Russia and Tunisia, before crashing out 1-0 to an over-achieving Turkey side. Polar opposites clearly exist between the group Japan competed in eight years ago and the opposition they will face this month.
Qualification is barely worth mentioning. Thailand, Oman, Uzbekistan, Bahrain and Australia are hardly world shakers, and to finish second in a group like that does not deserve a gold star.
Head coach Takeshi Okada is not the most popular choice amongst supporters and his team selections have puzzled on occasions. Okada tends to sway with home-based players and shun the overseas “big-name†players.
CSKA’s highly-rated midfielder Keisuke Honda could be one to keep an eye on in South Africa and 22-year-old Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto, a speculated transfer target of Arsenal and Manchester United, could also make a big impact if given the opportunity by Okada.
Former Celtic and Espanyol star Shunsuke Nakamura will zip along on the right wing as usual but Japan’s ultimate downfall will lie in the hands of their coach who is a certainty to make a cock-up of the selection process. Wait a minute. It probably won’t matter anyway.
Star Player: Shunsuke Nakamura
Nakamura has been through the international ringer a number of times and has the psychological battle scars to prove it.
The naturally-gifted midfielder has often come under scrutiny for his lack of physicality on the ball and his omission from Philippe Troussier’s 2002 World Cup squad was based upon this weakness.
What Nakamura lacks in physicality, he makes up for in creativity and free-kick abilities. The left-footer has been known to curl in a few spectaculars in his days with Celtic and in the Samurai Blue shirt.
He’s currently plying his trade with Yokohama Marinos in Japan and, at the age of 31, this could be Nakamura’s last chance to work his magic on the world stage.
Manager: Takeshi Okada
By now you should have a picture painted in your mind of what a stubborn and grumpy Takeshi Okada looks like. No? Okay, here he is below.
Okada can push the destruct button very easily. His first stint as national manager came in 1997 and was in charge for the disastrous 1998 World Cup campaign when Japan lost all three matches in France, including a humiliating 2-1 defeat to Jamaica.
Reappointed in 2007, Okada has a disgruntled relationship with the media and has made it his aim to reach the semi-finals this summer. Wishful thinking.
Prediction: Group stage exit
Wham, bam, thank you Japan. That’s what Holland, Denmark and Cameroon fans will be chanting in unison come 24 June when the Japanese step on to the plane home.
Odds: 300/1
Irishness rating: 2/10
Japan is an island, just like our own little rock, but after that we’re clutching at straws. The Japanese do like a good old sing-song but they have a tendency to proceed in a gentlemanly fashion in karaoke bars. We, on the other hand, have a steamed up free-for-all.
If they were a car they’d be…
A Honda Civic – Small, light and quick, but in the long run it’ll start showing the cracks.
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