Heading into their fifth consecutive World Cup, expectations couldn’t be much lower for fans of the Japan national team. Onto their fourth manager in as many years, the spotlight needs to be turned on the players, as they look to put to bed the demons of Brazil four years ago.
Managerial changes aren’t exactly a rare occurrence in Asia. Of the five qualified AFC nations (yes, teams that met their objectives), four go into it under a different coach within the last 12 months, three are set to swap coaches after the World Cup, while the other two won’t be unexpectedly moved on either.
In a region of flux Japan have peaked in their axe wielding, firing Alberto Zaccheroni after a failed World Cup, Javier Aguirre after a failed Asian Cup and most recently Vahid Halilhodzic after qualification success… I point out the comparison in jest, as Japan qualified in top spot ahead of Asian champions Australia in the final round of qualification, playing direct attacking football and introducing new blood to the international fold. The concerns didn’t ever lie however merely on the results on the pitch.
From day one, Halilhodzic was at odds with the JFA, the J-League, Japanese players, the Japanese media, the Japanese fans, pretty much anyone or anything you’d ask him about. This was his character, it was maybe assumed it would be tempered over time (and success) as the relationship bedded in but if anything the friction grew.
It was an overdue stay that should have been curtailed earlier, missing the perfect opportunity to part ways upon qualification to Russia in September, the JFA held on to the end of March before releasing the Bosnian of his duties, a loss of the dressing room being the final reasoning behind his sacking. Three months to go to Russia and no friendly matches to spare, his replacement had to name a provisional World Cup squad without even seeing his side kick a ball.
Stepping into the breach, rather predictably given the short time frame comes a fixed term appointment from within. After failing with three successive foreign coaches, former Asian Champions League winner Akira Nishino was sworn in to bring back a sense of Japan to the national team. A reputable talking head within the nation’s football, but without the necessary recent experience you’d expect in a pretty do or die situation, more than a few commentators were and are still are concerned.
Rather than steady the ship, Nishino has already ripped up the Halilhodzic textbook and pushed the JFA agenda. Rather than effective, direct football, a return to the possession and guile of old has been instructed, and with it comes a reversion of personnel. Out went disciples of Halilhodzic (Kubo, Asano & Ideguchi), in returned the old favourites (Kagawa, Honda & Okazaki). While the talk was tough upon his appointment, with sponsorship and image playing a significant role in the JFA’s selection of him, Nishino was never going to risk it with the next generation, instead putting hope in their last “golden age”.
The most notable call for inclusion which went by unheard, was that of playmaker Shoya Nakajima. He arguably blends the creativity craved by Nishino, with the speed of Halilhodzic to be this squad’s stand out bolter. However, having only appeared once (be it a goal scoring debut also against Mali, Halilhodzic’s penultimate match in charge) and lacking flexibility according to the new coach, the midfielder who starred in Portugal this last year wasn’t even included in the provisional Kirin Cup squad call up.
A return to the predictable names, was coupled with a radical switch in formation, moving to a 361 of sorts in their home farewell match against Ghana. The system which displayed a number of examples of square pegs in round holes (Makoto Hasebe deployed at centre back, Genki Haraguchi flung out at right wing back), looked predictably confusing, uncomfortable and lacking the urgency Halilhodzic had instilled over his tenure.
The drab 2-0 defeat, met with boos from the Yokohama crowd at the final whistle was far from the start Nishino required, sending him back to chalkboard with more questions than he had answers. Ahead of the final week of preparation, the sensible thing to do would be to revert back to what got them here, a more conservative 4231/433 of sorts, but with Nishino who knows what is about to be coming? And while it could be argued this squad requires plenty of individual talent, it remains difficult to pin an integral player that fits a particular system.
Skipper Makoto Hasebe is the rock to which the side relies on, while Maya Yoshida & Tomoaki Makino form a solid enough base to build upon, however attacking wise remains a conundrum. From a slowing down Keisuke Honda, an out of sorts Shinji Kagawa to the reliably unpredictable set of young wingers playing in Germany (Usami, Muto, Haraguchi), it all feels a bit stagnant and lacking a clear idea.
There’s little to really get your heart racing in this squad, and the bench doesn’t inspire hope either. In their short period at the pinnacle of World football, Japan have always bounced back; reaching the knockouts in 2002 and 2010 after miserable group stage exits in 1998 and 2006. A similar sort of turnaround to banish a winless 2014 is looking a distant pipe dream at present.
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