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Japan's World Cup Hopes In Tatters
Japan's World Cup Hopes In Tatters
Mike Tuckerman
Limp, lame and lifeless: and that's not even the description of an average day in Japanese parliament.
He may have received more votes of confidence than a struggling politician, but the bells will soon toll for Takeshi Okada if Japan's insipid display against South Korea is anything to go by.
For the second time in three months the Samurai Blue were undone by their slick South Korean opponents, with a capacity crowd of 57,873 at Saitama Stadium watching in disbelief as the home team crumbled to a catastrophic friendly defeat overnight.
Manchester United star Park Ji-Sung opened the scoring for the visitors barely four minutes in, and things failed to get better for Japan as Park Chu-Young added a late second from the penalty spot, after veteran goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki had hauled down the Monaco striker inside the box.
The defeat prompted a predictable response from Okada's critics, and his legion of naysayers in the Japanese media continues to grow after an uninspired World Cup squad selection was followed by an even worse final friendly display on home soil.
Several of the Japan squad look well short of international class, with many questioning Okada's continuing loyalty to Vissel Kobe striker Yoshito Okubo - who started last night's friendly - and goal-shy Albirex Niigata front man Kisho Yano.
Worse still for Okada is the fact that talisman Shunsuke Nakamura has looked sluggish since returning to J. League club Yokohama F. Marinos, and the former Celtic midfielder was ineffective against the pacy and penetrative South Korean midfield.
Japan Football Association president Motoaki Inukai was nonplussed by the defeat, but nevertheless backed his under-fire coach on the eve of the World Cup finals in South Africa.
"Manager Okada seemed shocked," Inukai told reporters after the match.
"We need to think more about strategy."
But despite Okada himself questioning his tenure as Japan coach, Inukai guaranteed that the po-faced tactician would still be in charge in South Africa.
Thus one of the most beleaguered coaches in international football will go into the four-week tournament with the weight of the world on his shoulders, as Japan battle the odds to avoid what many believe will be a predictable first-round exit.
Copyright: Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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