Japan getting more serious about World Cup dream
Saturday, 2 January 2010
TOKYO, Jan 1 (AFP): Japan's national football coach Takeshi Okada says a growing number of his players share his ambitious goal of a semi-final spot in this year's World Cup.
"Honestly, I am surprised myself," he told reporters when asked if the number of his players, who are "seriously" aiming for a top-four finish in South Africa, had risen.
"The players have ups and downs and they can flinch when they hit the wall... So I can't say how many on a constant basis," Okada said in the interview embargoed for release on New Year's Day.
"But I have a feeling that the number was just a few this time last year and has since exceeded 10 and then 15," he said.
His target has been snubbed as unrealistic because Japan have not won a World Cup match on foreign soil since Okada guided them to their finals debut at France 1998 in his first stint as national coach.
They came home after three straight losses at the group stage.
Securing just one point at the group stage in South Africa is widely seen as a tall order for Japan, who are pitted against the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark -- all of them ranked above the three-time Asian champions.
Japan's best World Cup result was a last-round spot in the 2002 tournament, which they co-hosted with South Korea, who finished fourth.
At Germany 2006, Japan bowed out after losing to Brazil and Australia and drawing with Croatia.
"Honestly, I am surprised myself," he told reporters when asked if the number of his players, who are "seriously" aiming for a top-four finish in South Africa, had risen.
"The players have ups and downs and they can flinch when they hit the wall... So I can't say how many on a constant basis," Okada said in the interview embargoed for release on New Year's Day.
"But I have a feeling that the number was just a few this time last year and has since exceeded 10 and then 15," he said.
His target has been snubbed as unrealistic because Japan have not won a World Cup match on foreign soil since Okada guided them to their finals debut at France 1998 in his first stint as national coach.
They came home after three straight losses at the group stage.
Securing just one point at the group stage in South Africa is widely seen as a tall order for Japan, who are pitted against the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark -- all of them ranked above the three-time Asian champions.
Japan's best World Cup result was a last-round spot in the 2002 tournament, which they co-hosted with South Korea, who finished fourth.
At Germany 2006, Japan bowed out after losing to Brazil and Australia and drawing with Croatia.