World Cup Team Guide: Japan

Japan / Dave Farrar / 17 May 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

He's got the Nak for it: Shunsuke Nakamura is dedaly from set-pieces

Japan have a tough group here and high expectations back home so it probably hasn't helped matters that coach Takeshi Okada has suggested they could make the semis. It would take a minor miracle for them tro achieve that...

"Because Japan play like a mid-ranking French team: the emphasis is an organisation, they’re reasonably solid at the back, and they rely on one player who is probably past his best for their inspiration."

The statistics say that Japan will be the strongest Asian representative in South Africa. And I suppose that the winners of three of the last five Asian Cups must be respected, but their chances this time round don't really excite me. They were disappointing in Germany 2006, gaining only a single point from a draw with Croatia, and it will be hard for them to do much better here after being drawn in a tough group.

They lost a friendly to Holland last year, which had many Japanese fans suggesting that they would once again fall short at a World Cup. One of Japan's defenders, Tulio Tanaka, says that he hopes that Japan's World Cup ends up tasting of strawberries. Their problem is that the cream normally rises to the top, and this Japanese squad just isn't good enough. They also look short on inspiration, and life seems dull for Japanese fans after being entertainined by the likes of Philippe Troussier, Zico and Ivica Osim in recent years, they're now coached by a man who looks and behaves like a Tokyo bank manager who likes the occasional night out in front of a microphone, but would normally prefer a quiet night in watching tapes of Ligue 1.

Because Japan play like a mid-ranking French team: the emphasis is an organisation, they're reasonably solid at the back, and they rely on one player who is probably past his best for their inspiration. The likes of Morimoto and Honda, Hasebe and Endo, will be talked up pre-tournament, but I don't think that any of them are as good as their reputations, and I'll be happy to take on Japan this summer.

COACH: Takeshi OKADA

Okada won two league titles with Yokohama Marinos and is renowned for his tactical ability, something that you don't always associate with home grown Asian coaches. He has been in contact with his friend Arsene Wenger to get advice ahead of the tournament, and has done a reasonable job since taking over from Ivica Osim. One problem for Okada will be managing expectation from back home. South Korea's success eight years ago means that Japan are now expected to follow suit, but Okada knows that's a tall order. He hasn't helped the lowering of pressure on his players by announcing that the team could reach the semi finals.

Key Players:

Shinji Okazaki

Okazaki only made his debut for the national side 20 months ago and yet his rise has been stellar, with 16 international goals at better than a goal a game. He got the early goal against Uzbekistan which sealed World Cup qualification, and now that he's leading the line to such great effect, his name is in lights and the pressure is on. If he responds, then Japan could enjoy themselves this summer.

Shunsuke Nakamura

I met a Hidetoshi Nakata fan in the back of a cab in Italy recently and he told me to put down "Mr Nakamura" as one of my key players, so here he is. (The guy had travelled from Japan to watch Parma play because Nakata USED to play for them, so I owe him this at least.) Nakamura is back in the J-League now at Yokohama Marinos after his move to Espanyol from Celtic didn't work out. He still has that wonderful left foot and he's still Japan's best player, but is he still good enough to trouble the best defences?

Yuji Nakazawa

Nakazawa has nearly got to the 100 cap mark, and he remains Japan's defensive key. He's still only 31, and is coach Okada's eyes and ears on the pitch. Okada himself was an international defender, and you feel that he channels much through his centre half. Nakazawa is a real physical presence at set pieces, and with Nakamura's quality delivery, he'll be worth taking note of in "To Score" markets.

Recommended Bet:

Back Japan to finish fourth in Group E @ [2.0]

Tags: Hidetoshi Nakata, Japan football betting, Japan World Cup team, Japanaese world Cup fixtures, Shunsuke Nakamura