Okazaki was a starter before WC2010. The fact that he was "only" a substitute (in all 4 games) had more to do with a shift in Okada's strategy which favored Okubo's defensive work ethic for the first ~70' than anything else. Okada wanted to tire opponents out by pressing hard, and then sub in a player like Okazaki in for the last 20 minutes. At least that's how I always saw it. Also agree 100% w/Dax -- Okazaki isn't the most brilliant or exciting player to don blue for Japan, but he's always given it 100% regardless of opponent.
Okazaki was pretty bad the year leading up to the WC (even more disappointing since he was fantastic in 2009), that, also, motivated the change of tactics.
i could be wrong. am basing my assumptions off his time at stuttgart. he didnt do well there, then suddenly before WC2014 he starts to perform. people will say he was played out of position, or that his team mates sucked. but lets be honest, he wasnt just played as a winger at stuttgart, he was a played as a striker/forward to begin with but didnt perform. Even against big teams like dortmund, he was given chance as striker http://www.goal.com/en-us/match/60784/stuttgart-vs-borussia-dortmund/lineup-stats?ICID=OP
Soccer is teamwork first and foremost. Marten already wrote the fitting quote re his Stuttgart time on the last page. Stuttgart was (and still is) an unbalanced mess with no coach yet having been able to find a good combination of the talented players there. Though Stevens already looks much better than most coaches there.
What Stuttgart does is buying players and load great expectations on them, until they drop them. That's what happens when the Director of Sports or other people in the board have more power than the manager.
wait: "just 3 more goals and Okazaki will become the most prolific japanese player in Germany" ? I'm confused, I thought Kagawa held the record? edit: ooh I see. Total amount of goals I guess? But they're not counting Okudera's goals in 2nd div I guess...
14 goals, Okazaki breaks the record of Kagawa. There is only one Shinji in Bundesliga. Ok, I'm kidding, don't hit me