The State of the Blue Samurai

As of today, there are 294 days until World Cup 2010 begins in South Africa. 6 teams have already qualified; Japan among the four Asian teams to have booked a place. With the Asian qualification round concluded, Japan awaits the results of the other world regions, and the draw that will determine the other 3 opponents in the Group Stage of the most exciting football tournament in the world.

Japan, currently ranked 39th in the world, have never advanced beyond the round of 16 in the World Cup. However, their current coach, Takeshi Okada (left), has very vocally declared that only a semi-final place would spare disappointment. The Japanese media have berated Okada as being over-optimistic and with good reason. A top four finish indicates that Japan would have to beat out a field of perennial power houses including: Brazil, Spain, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, France, and Argentina. While the prospects of a semi-final birth seem unlikely, there are still reasons for fans of the Blue Samurai to remain upbeat.

Okada previously coached the Japanese National Team for the 1998 World Cup, that at the time, was thought to be the best Japanese side to date. Anchored by world class talent in Hidetoshi Nakata, the Blue Samurai went into the tournament sporting a World Ranking of 9; the highest world ranking Japan has ever claimed. Following a dismal WC performance of 3 losses in the group stage, team Japan plummeted in rankings, Okada was fired, and the Nihon Daihyo have yet to regain their place among the top teams in the world.

This time around, Okada has much to prove, and was only awarded a rare second chance when former coach, Ivica Osim, suffered a stroke that left him unable to continue coaching and in need of a replacement. Okada's second term has been a seesaw of results that include a highly criticized semi-final knockout in the 2007 Asian Cup, and with several successes such as two 4-0 thrashings against Chile and Belgium. With redemption in mind for himself and for the team, Okada took the first step by successfully navigating the qualifying round.

Okada's 2010 redeem team has at times dazzled, at others sputtered, but with less than 300 days remaining, a little fine tuning has the potential to create something magical.

With legend Nakata now far removed, former Celtic (now for Espanoyol) superstar Shunsuke Nakamura (right) has assumed the mantle as the clear playmaker of the team. Nakamura's creativity, vision, and ability to read the game faster than most, make him the one irreplaceable player on team Japan. Nakamura's dead ball proficiency is absolute class, and there is much evidence to suggest that he is one of the best set piece takers on the planet. One swing of his left foot can be the difference in any match. Notables alongside Nakamura in midfield are well-rounded Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), and Vfl Wolfsburg's Makoto Hasebe. Emerging starlet Keisuke Honda, currently for VVV-Venlo, is also sure to play a large role in 2010.

On defense, the "twin towers," captain Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F. Marinos) and Brazilian born Tulio Tanaka (Urawa Red Diamonds), provide sound security at the center back position. Okada has experimented with several side backs, but young guns Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers) and Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo) have impressed the most, and have displayed their ability to partake in attack with pace. Nakazawa and Tulio are also no strangers of the enemy box and provide much needed post-play height and are favorite targets on the ends of Nakamura's set pieces.

The tactical strength of Japan has always been its crafty and technically gifted midfield. The 2010 team is no exception and with a strong back four, the midfield and defense can compete with any team on any given day. Japan's achilles heal through its entire international career has been an inability to develop a consistent threat at the striker position. Once the only hope in front of goal, Naohiro Takahara has passed his prime and has not capped a match for Japan in over two years. There is not much evidence to believe that he will be a part of Okada's World Cup squad and the team coach has desperately searched for different attacking options. Of the recent call ups, 23 year old Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse) has shown the most promise with 7 goals in 13 caps. It is the belief of a few in the Japanese football world that the answer to Japan's attack lies in the reeds. Takayuki Morimoto, a center forward for Calcio Catania has been dubbed "Japanese Ronaldo" for his "movements and bald head" by Alexandre Pato who also awarded him the "best young player in Serie A." At just 21 years old, the untested Morimoto has not won a single appearance for the senior squad, but hope remains that he may emerge in coming months as the attacking edge for the Blue Samurai.

In preparation for the World Cup, Japan have scheduled several friendlies against good teams. The Netherlands, Ghana, and Scotland are three nations they will face in 2009. This blog will keep constant updates on Japanese Internationals, provide pre and post game analysis, player profiles, and serve as a forum for fans of team Japan in the build up to the World Cup. Please leave comments and check back often. I hope you enjoy this blog as much as i enjoy Japanese football.