Japanese Soccer

Zaccheroni Believes Japan Will Be At Peak Condition

By on Monday, June 23, 2014

Japan will be at their peak physical condition when they head into the World Cup according to its coach Alberto Zaccheroni, who has modified the team in such a way that they are extremely good to watch. Coming into the World Cup 2014 as one of the top teams from Asia, much will be expected from Japan. They have done extremely well to win the three pretournament friendly matches up until now. They will still be facing the likes of Costa Rica and Zambia before taking on Ivory Coast in the first match of the World Cup.

Due to the recent form of the Ivorian’s, Japan have been installed as the favourites to get a win. This would put them in good shape ahead of the remaining two matches against Greece and Colombia. This could be the final tournament in charge of the Japan national team for Zaccheroni, as he is widely linked with a return to European club football. Key players like Maya Yoshida, Atsuto Uchida, and Makoto Hasebe have been lacking in gametime. However, they finally got it in the match against Cyprus, which finished as a 1-0 win for the Japanese.

Uchida scored the only goal of the game in the 43rd minute to give himself some confidence ahead of the tournament. “This team has a lot of experience with more players playing on the big stages in Europe. There weren’t so many players on our team playing abroad four years ago and we didn’t have much international experience. But now the players playing in Japan have also improved, and that combined with the fact that we have more international experience makes this team a different proposition from the one four years ago,” said Japan’s goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.

Kawashima is the goalkeeper for Belgian outfit Standard Liege.

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Japanese Soccer

Zaccheroni Announces Strongest Possible Squad

By on Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni has come out with his final 23 man squad for the World Cup 2014 and it rings no surprises since the Italian has named his strongest squad possible. This even includes players like Shinji Kagawa, who has found the first team opportunities limited at Old Trafford this season. Yet, the former Borussia Dortmund man remains an important part of the Japanese squad partly because Zaccheroni plays him in his favourite position. At Manchester United, he has been used out wide, which has not always been his position.

AC Milan midfielder Honda is also in the squad and these two players will be getting on the headlines, as Japan prepare to fly out for Brazil in the next few weeks. Japan will be coming up against Greece, Ivory Coast, and Colombia in the group stages. Hence, they are seen as having a great opportunity to reach the knockout stages since none of the teams are favourites. Colombia were thought to be the favourites, but the injury to Radamel Falcao has changed the whole dynamic of the group. Zaccheroni says that he is feeling confident ahead of the World Cup 2014.

This could be his last tournament in charge of the Japanese national team since he has been linked with a return to club football with AC Milan.

“The basic thing I looked for was quality, and we have a lot of players with that. The next thing was the harmony of the team, because that will be important. I went for players with a high level of tactical intelligence and versatility. As much as possible, I wanted players who could play in two or more positions,” said Zaccheroni, who has made the Japanese football team into a dream for attacking football, but they have struggled with defence of late.

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Japanese Soccer

JAPAN STARTS PRODUCING

By on Thursday, May 8, 2014

Japanese football has been producing a number of high profile players in recent years. Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa has been one of them. They have also been extremely good at producing high-quality strikers. Even though some of them have not been proved to the very top level, they have been slowly making an impact nonetheless. Albirex Niigata striker Kengo Kawamata has been one of them. Kawamata has so far not been part of Alberto Zaccheroni’s plans for the World Cup, but he has been one of the impressive Japanese strikers around.

He managed to score 23 goals in just 32 matches last season. Despite that, he has found himself nowhere near the Japanese first-team. The striker, though, is unconcerned about this aspect, as he simply wants to impress the manager and hope for the best. He is not looking to grab the World Cup place in the final minute. J-League players will be given a last chance to impress and get into the squad when they will be part of the camp in Brazil. Kawamata was part of the squad that took part in a 70 minute training session.

After the session, Kawamata said to reporters that he was just trying to learn the concept of playing under Zaccheroni.

“I want to show what I am made of and make an impression when we have a match on the final day of the camp. It wasn’t really full-on practice today, I just learned about the team concept. I was a bit hesitant at the start but gradually fitted in. It is my dream to play at the World Cup, but I am not looking at that just yet. I am just going to take each day as it comes here,” said the striker, whose team play in a friendly match against Cyprus at the end of May.

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Japanese Soccer

ZACCHERONI LINKED

By on Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Japanese coach Alberto Zaccheroni has been linked heavily with a return to Italian football with rumours about the national team looking to hire him as a replacement for Cesare Prandelli. As the current national team coach, Prandelli has done exceedingly well, but he is looking at returning to love football after the end of the World Cup. He has gained immense reputation since becoming Italy’s manager and it is thought that several top clubs like AC Milan and Manchester United would want to hire the manager.

This would leave Italy once again looking for a top manager and they are believed to have zeroed in on Zaccheroni, who has done extremely well with the Japanese national team. He has managed to immerse himself in Japanese football extremely well. It has helped him find new players with consistent hits. It has been a major reason behind Japan qualifying for the World Cup 2014 with ease. In Brazil, Japan will be up against Colombia, Greece, and Ivory Coast in the group stages. This is seen as a great opportunity for the nation to get into the knockout stages since all of the teams are at the same level – if not – below than Japan.

Zaccheroni, though, has insisted that he has not received any offers from Italy and that there has been no contract as well.

“I’ll wait until the end of the World Cup and I will decide based on what proposals arrive. I don’t even know when this call [from the FIGC] could arrive. Until now, anyway, nobody from Italy has called me. My intention is to decide [his future] in July, not that I know if others can wait until that time,” said the manager, who has been involved in Japanese football since becoming their national team manager in 2010.

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Japanese Soccer

FORLAN JOINS J-LEAGUE

By on Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has undoubtedly become the highest profile player to play in the Japanese J-League in its history. The former Manchester United and Atletico Madrid striker made the move to Cerezo Osaka and stated that it is extremely good for his prospects are the World Cup 2014. Forlan is undoubtedly expected to be in the squad, as Uruguay hope to do well in the World Cup 2014. He was a major influence on the team coming close to an unlikely victory in the 2010 edition. Even at 34 years of age, his influence on the team has not waned.

After spending the last two years with Brazilian outfit Internacional, Forlan decided to make the move to Japanese football. He will be one of the highest earning players in this league after reportedly agreeing a contract worth around $ 5.8 million per year. Contrary to reports, he has stated that the move to Osaka will actually help him do well in the World Cup. Uruguay will be facing a tough group stage since their opponents will be the likes of Italy and England.

Forlan received a huge reception upon his arrival to his new club. More than 1000 fans are thought to have turned up at the airport to see their star arrive. The 34-year-old said that the reception has been unexpected.

“I’m not worried about that at all. The level of football here is very high from both a technical and physical standpoint so if anything, I think this will be good preparation for the World Cup. I’ve never received such a reception. This is my third time to visit Japan and I am always impressed by the level of respect people are given here,” said the striker after completing the move. Forlan has already played in six different countries.

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