The French match showed that Japan is lacking physically. They totally could not cope with the French and kept on kept on getting shrugged off the ball. Japan lost on penalties.
Yes...yes... nothing we can do about our physicality, and there's no secret that is our handicap since like a gazillion years ago. And, it's not like if we trained our boys to bulk up their muscle they will manage to outmuscled their European counterpart. Technically, we are at the same level, if not better than the likes of France or England (Except that they loss Sancho today, which is a massive issue for them) in this age category, but, what made the difference is, the european or south american team are tactically far more superior than us. Their understanding of the game is just miles better. But credit to where its due, our 2nd half performance was a vast improvement. I'm more than happy to see that they still have a grit to played like that after major disappointment against France and bloody New Caledonia. That showed, if we can create a decent structure and have some clear gameplan, we can give them run for their money. Better coaching is what we need. It's even more crucial in the age category. Hope that we found someone like Rangnick, Schmidt, or even better Bielsa who currently struggling at Lille and soon i think will be available after Russia, to fix our dogmatic approach to the game of football, which is so-called risk management and our complex about our physical disadvantage. All that so that the Japanese Football pundit doesn't feels like to highlighting average height as if it's a major thing in football still.
Personally I'm never that concerned about the phisicality, it's the intensity that's often lacking... either way, it was expected to go out today so I'm glad at least they fought well. Looking forward to the developments of 3-4 of these players.
Yes. i watched some TV programe called Gatten! a couple of weeks ago, and it seems like there is some study about exercise to sharpens our motor neuron in Japan, which is i think a kind of similiar to neuroathletic training which is currently booming in Germany. Hope JFA doesn't overlook that. As in football right now, the understanding of the space and an ability to interpret the reference of an action of the opponent and the ball movement thus the players can make a proper action based on that as fast as possible is the key to win the duel. I think it summerize what is you called intensity, dax. And yes, it is a thing that differentiate a good and great player.
Clearly, Japan went from less to more in the game, it was a shame there was PK instead of ET, maybe Japan could have win the game. Tani is true that lost a lot of balls with his feet, but for the rest he did a good game. Sugawara was superb, he could do a great pair of CB along Nakayama if they keep improving. And I know many of people here doesn't like Kubo very much, but, for me, he made a good 2nd half and create many of the chances Japan had in that half. I am not happy about the result, but yes with the performance, so, we see what will happen in the future. PS: If there is a team with worst luck that England in PK shootouts, is Japan
If the japanese players go to Europe in an early age, they can catch up the european level of phisicality. Hope many will go now after this u17 world cup, there were a lot of scouts from european clubs in India. And about coaching, as I said things will improve a lot once some japanese players who have european experience start retiring and become coaches. Currently, none japanese coach had experience playing in Europe. In the next 10 years, this will start to change.
Kubo certainly a brilliant player. Most of the time, it is just that his team-mates don't play football as a same wavelength to him as an unit that makes him looks silly. with a better unit and a better gameplan, Kubo could've been devastating in this tourney. Yes he'd made some one or two bad decision, but his will to carry the ball and beat the opponents, is what Japan is lacking in a very long time.
Even without Sancho this is considered a special generation in England, so for Japan to effectively force a draw they must be a talented team. But the best side went through imo.
Well, every person has his opinion, but, for me, is a future brilliant player if he could stand the heavy pressure he has for playing at barcelona (today, the spanish comentators compare him to Messi, and that is too much for a 16 yo teenager). He is so different that all the japanese players I've seen. I think these tow last u-17/u-20 teams have some players in each position, that, together, they could put Japan, finally, in a big football spot for the entire world.
Forget about producing Euro level coaches now, if Japan can at least produce more Okada, Hasegawa and Morishima, etc in the near future. I will be satisified. I hope Hasebe can become a coach after he retire, he suits being one imo. Same with Honda.
I would like to watch Ishii as senior head coach in the future after Halil leave. Now that is not coaching Kashima, he could work for JFA and make good things with these future teams.
Maybe, who knows, but he certainly didn't show anything that could encourage that view during the tournament.
yeah that's right, my bad. Still, only one coach with european experience is too little for the J League, let's hope it doesn't take too long until this situation changes.
Thought that the CB no.5 performed pretty decently yesterday. Went and check no.5's name and found that he is Ayumu Seko. Is he not?
Oops, my mistake, I was basing it on the Wikipedia page. In the Japan U-17 squad selected for AFC U-16 Championship, it stated that no.5 is Ayumu Seko. Didn't realise it was Sugawara. Anyway, I quite like Sugawara, he wasn't perfect yesterday but at least he helped to clear some dangerous chances. Ishii is a bit like Magath, there is a reason why he lost the dressing room this year. Kanazaki, etc. were unhappy with him.
At least he showed his un-Japanese playing style based on individual efforts rather than meaningless ball onanism compared to the rest of the squad. Still, he will be better in the coming years than his teammate Nakamura who's really limited compared to Takefusa even thogh he scored more. For Saku Nakajima is a perfect player. For me such players are epithomes of everything that's wrong with Japanese football and how they shouldn't raise the next generation of players if they want to move things forward. No wonder he don't like Kubo too much.
A player with a bit of individuality and who's willing to shoot is what's wrong with Japanese football . You contradict yourself within the same post, it's quite a feat.