The Road to South Africa

Given that the top two in their group qualified and, Australia apart, the other teams were Bahrain, Uzbekistan and Qatar, it is hard to see how Japan could have messed up getting to South Africa. They didn’t, although it would be hard to say that they got there impressively, drawing at home to Uzbekistan and Qatar and Australia, who were to beat them 2-1 in the final qualifier at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. That, perversely was the only away game in which Japan dropped points – they were much less effective in the stadia where they had hosted the 2002 World Cup.

The Star Players

Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow) This inventive midfielder will turn 23 in the first week of the tournament and given his performances for CSKA, where he made and scored a goal during their surprise Champions League victory in Seville, he will be of Japan’s most dangerous players in South Africa.

Yuji Nakasawa (Yokohama Marinos) His long hair and graceful play have made him one of Japanese football’s most recognisable figures for more than 100 internationals. He has spent the vast majority of his club career in Japan and although he was not selected for the 2002 World Cup, he has been at the heart of the Japanese defence ever since.

Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Nagoya Grampus) Born in Brazil, Tulio, as he is referred to, moved to Japan at the age of 15 and established himself as a sweeper for Urawa Red Diamonds before moving to Nagoya after a dispute with the club’s management. Internationally, he has made a name not just as a sweeper but also as someone who averages a goal every five games for Japan.

The Coach

Takeshi Okada When he said that Japan could make it to the semi-finals in South Africa, at least their coach was aiming high. He might remember the Scotland manager, Ally McLeod, who went to the 1978 World Cup saying he would come home with the trophy, only to be eliminated in the group stage. Having managed Japan in the 1998 tournament, where they failed to collect a point, Okada took over in December 2007 after Ivica Osim suffered a stroke. His preparations have been hampered by the absence of Japan’s European players and distinctly unimpressive goalless draws with Venezuela and China in pre-tournament friendlies.

Honours

World Cup: Round of 16 2002.
Asian Cup: Winners 1992. 2000, 2004
Confederations Cup: Finalists 2001.

Analysis

In this company, Japan are makeweights and had Takeshi Okada said his goal was to qualify for the round of 16 rather than the semi-finals, then it would still be a formidable task. Qualification was unimpressive and the Japanese FA have informed Okada that were the performances and results achieved in the subsequent friendlies repeated in South Africa, then he could quickly expect to find himself unemployed. They will have to go all out to win their opening game against Cameroon in Bloemfontein because facing the Dutch in the second game at Durban is likely to be an unforgiving experience.

Verdict

Squad (2/5)
Quite simply does not have the standard of players required to progress very far in a difficult group in a World Cup. A lot depends on Nakamura and Honda.

Coach (2/5)
Okada is renowned in Japan as a tactician and with better players he might be an effective manager but there are doubts to how much confidence his own football association have in him.

Attack (1.5/5)
This is not a team that is likely to score goals. In France they managed one; in Germany it was two. Three in South Africa will be an achievement.

Defence (3/5)
Good, solid and well organised and in the shape of Tulio and Nakasawa it contains two of Japan’s most impressive footballers.