Here's who I think will go to WC 2014 GK (3) Eiji Kawashima Shuichi Gonda Seigo Narazaki DEF (7) Yuto Nagatomo Yasuyuki Komano Maya Yoshida Gotoku Sakai Hiroki Sakai Tomoaki Makino Mizuki Hamada MF (10) Makoto Hasebe Keisuke Honda Shinji Kagawa Hiroshi Kiyotake Takashi Usami Hajime Hosogai Genki Haraguchi Akimi Barada Yuki Otsu Gaku Shibasaki FW (3) Mike Havenaar Tadanari Lee Kensuke Nagai LINEUP: ---------------Havenaar--------------- Kagawa---------Honda--------Kiyotake ---------Shibasaki-----Hasebe(c)------- Nagatomo---Makino---Yoshida---H.Sakai --------------Kawashima--------------- SUBS: Gonda G.Sakai Hamada Barada Usami Hosogai Lee I don't really think Nikki is gonna be ready by WC2014, he is too young, and needs to improve his game a lot. I never really liked Konno too much, unlike you guys, and I think Makino will definitely return to his best and grab that starting spot. Now Shibasaki was a wildcard, but I don't really think Endo will continue at the age of 34, for that reason we need to find a new one, the only one that I can think of is Shibasaki, the kid is a huge talent, he will be the one that has to have a breakout 2012-2013 season. Attacking mid spots are pretty standard. I prefer Kiyotake to Usami, and between Lee and Havenaar, I picked Havenaar because I feel he will blow up in Europe, and his size is a huge advantage!
You're not taking Endo to WC2014? This is madness.. This IS SPARTAAA! :lol: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvYZRskNV3w"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvYZRskNV3w[/ame]
Nakamura was in South Africa but did not play much and Shunsuke was 32. For midfielder age is even deadlier than for defenders or even strikers. Yes ofcourse there are some who can still play incredible even in their 30s, 31, 32...and than it slowly but surely stops when they reach 34 there are not many who can play on a good enough level for national team. I don't think even the likes of Xavi will be able to. It is simply too demanding, midfielders have to make constant runs and be really agile players in general. I think that Endo has a chance to make it to Brazil 2014 squad, however I dont think he will be in the first 11. He will be a super sub in times when team needs experience and to boost the squad in general and give them guidance.
I think Narazaki won't be at WC. Anyway, here's the line-up that I'd like to see. ---------------Havenaar--------------- -Kagawa---------Honda--------Usami--- ---------Yamamura-----Hasebe---------- Nagatomo---Makino---Yoshida-----Uchida ---------------Kawashima---------------
At around July, I'll take the 2010 squad and will compare it with the 2012 one just to see how many new players there is. My point is, there is no way to predict what the line up will be so this is so far a waste of your time. Besides, if you put Makino ahead of Konno, you are someone who cares more about hype than skills, and Whispered, the "biggest mystery of japanese football" is not one, Kanazaki was injured and spent most of the year on the bench.
Using the classic 4-2-3-1 Goalkeeper: Kawashima Leftback: Nagatomo Centerback: Yoshida Centerback: Tulio Rightback: Hiroki Sakai Central Midfielder: Hasebe Central Midfielder: Hosogai Left Winger: Miyaichi Attacking Midfielder: Kagawa Right Winger: Honda Striker: Okazaki Goalkeeper bench: Nishikawa, Gonda Defense bench: Uchida, Gotoku Sakai, Konno, Makino Midfield bench: Endo, Naoki Yamada, Kiyotake, Usami Striker bench: Havenaar, Lee Tulio might be a pipe dream, but I guess we can wish for it. As for moving Okazaki back to striker, our attacking midfield will be so good by then that I think we'll need to move him to make room for guys like Miyaichi, who will be absolutely amazing by 2014. Okazaki can also be moved back to left winger if necessary, which is why I only listed four back up midfielders. Hosogai's gotten really good with Augsburg recently, and hopefully he'll slot in as a starter when he goes back to Leverkusen so I marked him as Endo's replacement. As for Endo, I think he'll still be good enough to play for the national team, though I suspect he might be retained to act as a sort of Kawaguchi/Narazaki figure and provide general leadership (it'll be his 4th World Cup!!). Finally, I'm not sure if Honda's much of a right winger, but I want to move him there to accommodate Miyaichi and Kagawa. If this doesn't work out, then another possible attacking midfield configuration could be Kagawa on the left, Honda in the middle, and Kiyotake on the right. I'm really, really excited for the Confederations Cup and Brazil 2014. Can't wait to see all our young up-and-comers, especially Miyaichi, Usami, Kiyotake, and Hiroki Sakai...it's gonna be awesome !!
I've changed my mind. ---------------Okazaki (Havenaar)------ Miyaichi---------Kagawa--------Honda ---------Hosogai-----Hasebe(c)------- Nagatomo---Suzuki---Yoshida---H.Sakai --------------Kawashima---------------
Two points: 1- Ok Endo is an amazing player and so on, Konno is experienced etc. but please don't make the mistake to build a JNT2014 based on old geezers, this is a typical mistake that italian coaches do everytime. Endo will be too old. Konno not so much but it will be better to use a younger cb imo (maybe that Iwanami guy from PSV?). 2- No one of you have even thought about Miyaichi as a starter. I know he had a poor half-season in Bolton but if this guy will be not a starter (in place of someone like Usami and Kiyotake) in the future JNT this would mean his adventure in Arsenal has been a complete failure... I hope not!
There's too many things I want to say here... but boy, you are rushing things too much. As for any NT you have to handle callups and omissions sensitively. We don't know if we'll have somebody who fulfills the role of Endo or Konno in two years time. If we have, I don't like a coach who demotes Endo or Konno from one day to another just to try somebody on their position, disregarding the psychological effects demoting regulars has (on all the team). As for building up options, I think Zac is doing that, otherwise we wouldn't have seen Sakai, Kiyotake, Hosogai getting some minutes. Also, using older players is not a typical Italian thing. You see that everywhere, and sometimes it's successful, sometimes not. But you can't possibly accuse Zac of hanging on too much to his older players, as Endo is the only one who will perhaps be past his prime in two years time. Your second point: Are you talking about the Olympic squad? Usami has not even played a full NT match yet, and Kiyotake's NT career just started, why/how should Miyaichi be used over them? Just to prove that he's no failure at Arsenal... ? I think not. Usually it should be the other way around: The player produces performances at the club to prove he is a success at the NT, it's not like the NT is the stepping stone for the career at the club.
Wait till Iwanami actually steps onto the pitch as a proffesional footballer, even if he has two amazing seasons at Vissel (Ousting guys like Inoha etc) he'll only be 20 at Brazil 2014. I was hoping Suzuki/Hamada/Yamamura step up their game but Toulon showed they have a looong way to go. Again, if Konno is going to be replaced then IMO Tulio is the guy, won't happen though.
------------------Lee------------- Miyaichi-------Kagawa(C)--------Honda ---------Usami-----Hosogai------- Nagatomo---H.Sakai---Yoshida---G.Sakai --------------Kawashima--------------- Bench: Kiyotake, Uchida, Makino, Konno, Inoha, Lee, Havenaar, Endo, Gonda To me this would be a very complete team with players that all play in Europe(or are projected to), young athletic and in the prime or entering the prime of their careers in 2014. I kinda threw H.Sakai's name in the middle because he's tall and Japan has such poor depth at CB I really didn't know who to say. I wish Zac would use Tulio, Im not big on Konno and Makino is too small and soft to be a CB. Hopefully someone will emerge. To me Gotoku is ahead of Hiroki until he plays in Europe and shows his stuff. He didn't impress me all that much vs. Oman, but neither did Uchida. Both were ok, still waiting to see Gotoki with the JNT. Sorry to say but IMO Endo is done now and in 2014 he will be a senior citizen, and Hasebe seems to be on the decline as well and his club career in Germany is shaky hardly playing and when he does its out of position. Hosogai showed me a lot in his little time vs. Oman and of course playing in Germany he is very impressive as a player. So he replaces Hasebe. People are always saying who will replace Endo...well, its impossible to replace a legend. But Usami is a player with decent touch, he's young and still can develop and since the MF is so crowded he can be stuck in place of Endo. If not I feel Honda would be a good candidate there as he is a great passer and dead ball player, but I know he likes to be near the goal so who knows for that spot, I'm sure someone will emerge...I also wouldn't mind the pairing of Hosogai and Hasebe(if he gets consistent playing time in Germany and is in good form). Other than that, the forwards are interchangeable depending on the matchup or form. Lee, Okazaki, Havenaar, maybe even Morimoto all can get in there, they have to fight for that spot. The super sub for the team is Okazaki who can play up top or as a winger, but the emergence of Ryo is evident and the thought of him and Nagatomo on one side is exciting so Okazaki gets pushed out of the lineup. Japan has a lot to figure out come 2014, they are a very strong side, but they an take it to another level, they are a few players away from being one of the worlds best and a favorite for the WC. Yes, I said it!
------------------Sugiuchi------------- Watanabe-------Misaki(C)--------Wada ---------Katsunaka-----Nakajima------- Ogasawara---Matsunaka---Iura---Akaminai --------------Kitagaki---------------
I'd say at this point, anyone would be an upgrade over Endo as a 'volante', if you even want to throw that word around as if Endo is one anymore. I think the problem most people have is they want a player that will be Endo or the Endo of old to be exact, but that won't happen. The sooner people get over that, the sooner it will be that a player replaces him and the team improves. And same goes for the CB position, Yoshida is not very good, but he's young and tall and strong, but his decision making and defensive technique are not good. And he's supposed to be our future at CB and seems to be a unanimous pick on everyones mock team. Wouldn't take much for anyone to displace him I feel, but people have their preferences and dwell too much on potential and not results and live in the past. Hiroki Sakai's name being there is simply to bring attention to the fact that there are not many worthy candidates at the CB position and that he(H.Sakai) needs to be on the field just not ahead of Gotoku.
man I'm happy you weren't in Toulon because your dreams of G.Sakai being a world beater would have been crushed.
Saku not all of them have learned your sarcasm, which btw I personally really like, but can see how some who dont know much about Japanese football can find confusing So just to be clear Saku is making a joke (well all but perhaps Watanabe )
Is it a team of wrestlers? lol I try to imagine how the team will look like in the future, but things change and you can't really predict them. It will be fun to read this topic in two years time.
I tried to find names that weren't on the team already so it's a bunch of actors and pro yakyu players.
Hmm, If Endo continues to play to 2014 (and given his age) and I think he will. He will most likely be in the Starting XI for Japan and WC2014 will most likely be his last major tournament. He will be 34. Old? Yeah but not to the point where he is unusable. People like Di Natle, Pirlo, Puyol, are 33 and over and they still make it happen. Endo can make it happen, too. Endo in the starting XI for 2014? Most likely, my guess.
Yeah, I guess so too, but at the same time I'm hoping someone steps up and gets as good. I know it's hard, but I really hope for it.