3/5 vs. New Zealand @ Kokuritsu 5/27 @ Saista - World Cup - 9/5 @ SapDome 9/9 @ Nissan 11/14 @ Toyota 11/18 @ Nagai schedule not sure if it's official
So NZ buck out of a friendly late notice 2 years ago and now Japan invite them again?!? Almost they could've got other teams. Seriously what? Do they think Greece = NZ?!?
They are but this is WC we are talking about. All the teams have their own ideas and wishes. So who knows. I believe they could have easily got Russia or Algeria because they themselves have South Korea in their group and would probably like to test themselves against Japan. But none of them resemble Russia CiV or Columbia. Second thing of note is that They will be playing in Japan, so the team must be willing to come there as well... Imo NZ in their minds Zacs mind = Greece And the other opponent I would bet will be an African nation Nigeria would be the most fitting
The problem is - what African country will go to Japan in the middle of March with the full flesged squad to play afriendly game? The answer is: none. Don't tell me you can't understand the decission they made at the time. Zac at press conference today: 'As the year 2013 is coming to an end there 63 candidates for the National Team. Looking forward to World Cup the competition for competition between them has opened again.'
Btw, there's also another important thing that wasn't posted it: the European players will reach the team on the 4th of march. That's right, one day before...
March might be good timing to play a relatively "easy" opponent. Having reconvened for the first time in 4 months and accounting for the conditioning gaps between European- and Japanese-based players, this will be a good opportunity to shake off the rust. http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20131212-01129755-gekisaka-socc I wonder who the 63 candidates are?
http://www.persianfootball.com/news/2013/12/15/aria-hasegawa-on-queirozs-radar/ Not sure where to post this but what do you think of him? I have watched a few games of Aria Hasegawa and I think he is a speedy playmaker and that's exactly what Iran needs when having aging, slow midfielders.
Good player, he had a very strong 2013. Similar situation to Beitashour in that he's currently on the fringes of the Japan NT picture, though considering he just turned 25 I would expect him to wait it out while Endo and Hasebe are phased out and shoot for 2015 Asian Cup/2018WC.
I would add that Aria was named vice-captain at FC Tokyo and was the J.League player of the month in September, so he's definitely in form. Probably projects as an attack-minded CM in international play. Also he has no official competitive caps at any level, so I believe he wouldn't require a change of nationality request to be filed with FIFA. Basically if Queiroz calls him up for a friendly he can test the waters with no risk or paperwork involved and still leave the door open for Japan.
They can have Aria. There is no way he ll get in JNT as the attack midfield roster JNT has at their disposal
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/soccer/news/2013/12/18/kiji/K20131218007226620.html JNT camp set at beginning of April
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/soccer/japan/news/20131219-OHT1T00121.htm No one posted it before or somehere else? So Japanese NT will stay in Itu, Sao Paulo state, for the WC. They're sheduled to go there on 7th June, a week before the first game.
Guys good luck to Japan from Iran I support Japan next after Iran at the World cup! It's my second favorite national team TBH!