Osim drops his European walkers!

Coach Osim has cleared most of these guys out because....

they don't run fast enough!

Inamoto, Takahara's new Frankfurt team mate, and Nakata, who plays for Swiss side Basel, were regular fixtures under Japan's previous two coaches, Frenchman Philippe Troussier and Brazilian Zico.

But Osim appears to have decided neither has a part to play in Japan's future.

"If we'd been playing at the Asian Cup I would have taken anyone not running off after 10 minutes," Osim said, effectively spelling the end of both players' national team careers.

As it was he took both players off at half-time in the recent friendly againstColumbia.

"I'm not interested in players who aren't prepared to work for the team."

Should Australia be afraid of the new look Japan?

Japan 2 Montenegro 0

SHIZUOKA - Japan warmed up for the defence of their Asian Cup crown next month with a 2-0 Kirin Cup victory over Montenegro at the Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Shizuoka on Friday night.

Of course Coach Ivica Osim was not happy. Is he ever? Suppose his team didn't run enough. Anyway here's what he said.

"I'm not satisfied with the way our players performed," said the former Yugoslavia coach.
"We have many things to work on. Some of the players played too individually and we should have been punished with the penalty for their careless play.

Japan have picked a team for 2010 rather than concentrate on defending their Asian title. Should Australia do the same?

That would mean no Viduka, Schwarzer, Chipperfield or Aloisi...or should do because they will be no good to us in 2010. Too old, too slow.

So should Arnold look to the World Cup and play the young guys in Asia, or do we forget about 2010 and go for the win?

Only 3 overseas players in Japan squad.

Ivan Osim who's name translate in Japanese to Regret! Japan has named only three overseas players in the Japanese squad for the Kirin Cup.

The Japanese team is almost completely changed form the one which played Australia in the World Cup last June.

Only two or three players who played against Australia are expected to start in the first eleven.l

Players like 27 year old Shinji Ono Ex-Feyenoord) are considered too old too slow as Osim puts a huge emphasis on youth and pace as Japan build for the 2010 World Cup.

Japan will play Montenegro on June 1 in Shizuoka and Colombia on June 5 in Saitama.
Japan squad is:

Goalkeepers: Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Jubilo Iwata), Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale)
Defenders: Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F. Marinos), Koji Nakata (FC Basel/SWI), Keisuke Tsuboi (Urawa Reds), Yuichi Komano (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Yuki Mizumoto (JEF United Chiba), Naoaki Aoyama (Shimizu S-Pulse)
Midfielders: Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic/SCO), Hideo Hashimoto (Gamba Osaka), Naotake Hanyu (JEF United Chiba), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Keita Suzuki (Urawa Reds), Yuki Abe (Urawa Reds), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Satoru Yamagishi (JEF United Chiba), Jungo Fujimoto (Shimizu S-Pulse), Koki Mizuno (JEF United Chiba), Keisuke Honda (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Akihiro Ienaga (Gamba Osaka).
Forwards: Naohiro Takahara (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Ryuji Bando (Gamba Osaka), Seiichiro Maki (JEF United Chiba), Hisato Sato (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Kisho Yano (Albirex Niigata).

Nice to see a couple of Urawa Reds players in their. I would expect Australia to beat this side comfortably if Kewell Viduka and Cahill are all available.

What do you think? Can Japan win the Asian Cup for a third straight time?

Osim Japan

Ivan Osim the new manager of Japan has cleared out almost the whole Japan team since Germany 2006. The team is called Osim Japan in Japan.

Only 2 players from Germany 2006 are expected to start in their opening game against Qatar. Nakamura of Celtic and keeper Kawaguchi are the lucky or should that be the unlucky ones.

With a new side, a young side, I can't see Japan making it three-in-a-row.

Osim Japan when translated into Japanese means Regret, Japan!