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?

Nakamura understands the Aussies!

Japanese and Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura will understand everything the Australian team says on the pitch should the two sides meet in this year's Asian Cup.

Celtic manager Strachan said: "Nakamura understands everything you say, he just finds it hard to hold a conversation, which anyone who tries to learn a foreign language understands.
"It might be difficult for him in social terms but with regards football terminology, it's been so easy it's not true.
"You only need to tell him once to do something and that's imperative as a coach.
"He picks instructions up right away and he has a photographic memory in terms of football.
"No matter what position you try to tell him to play, he picks it up no problem. You need intelligence to do that.
"So he deserves everything he has got this season and it shows that you can be skilful but also work as hard as everyone else.
"He's played every league game this year and people talk about having rests and breaks but you don't if you look after yourself and train properly."

Maybe so, but his teammates didn't seem to understand too much in the last meeting between the two sides. 1-0 with ten minutes to go in a World Cup game. The message in any language is, you don't lose from their, never mind 3-1.

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!

Rommel, will he turn up for Japan?

Did you know the Japanese side have a mascot, a 10-year- old dog called Rommel. For eighteen games when he turned up at training the Japanese national team won.

Who broke the spell? Australia's 3-1 win in Germany. Rommel was there but no luck.

Still, rumour is Rommel is off to Vietnam to follow the boys in blue.

Waste of time I say. The team have lost their bark:)

Japanese striker Tamada may miss AFC 2007 Asian Cup

AFC website is reporting Japan striker Keiji Tamada has been sidelined for at least five weeks after suffering a broken foot.

The 27-year-old Nagoya Grampus Eight striker, who was a member of the Japan squad who won the Asian Cup in 2004, suffered the injury during training last week.

At this time of year there will be plenty of injuries. Also at the end of a long season, three weeks of football in the heat of South East Asia should test the players.

Let's hope the games are played at the pace that Asian football has become famous for.

Can't wait!

Japan's Nakamura is SPFA player of the Year

Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura capped off a perfect day as he was voted SPFA Player of the Year overnight.

The Japan international, 28, recieved the award just hours after Celtic clinched the Bank of Scotland Premier League title following his superb last-gasp winner at Kilmarnock, earning the Hoops a 2-1 win.

Nakamura has been in outstanding form this season and is hoping to make a big contribution for Japan at the AFC 2007 Asian Cup to be held in Thailand, inodnesia, Malaysia and Vietnam in July.