As we reach the end of 2017, It is time to open a thread for 2018, and hopefully it will be a great year for the Samurai Blue. First piece of news: https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20171225-00000009-spnannex-socc Former Kawasaki Frontale and U-23 manager Takashi Sekizuka will join the senior NT coaching staff as a training coach.
He got nothing when we already dealed with Eto'o (who by the way scored in all the other matches back then)
Romania and Algeria as possible matches in March; http://www.hochi.co.jp/soccer/japan/20180106-OHT1T50422.html I can understand scheduling a friendly against Romania because of perceived similarity to Poland. But, Algeria? Yes, they are African team but their style is totally different to Senegal's (There is a difference between the Arab North African teams and Sub-Saharan teams from West Africa). It is like a team scheduling a friendly against Australia, Iran or Saudi Arabia because they are going to play Japan at the WC (assuming that all teams from AFC are similar).
Poland + The two potential second stage opponents: England and Belgium. I cannot think of a team that has a kind of similarities to these 3 teams more than Switzerland. Japan will schedule 2 friendlies in March against an African team and a Central/Eastern European team (the latter shall be a good preparation to Poland's game), hence scheduling a friendly against the Swiss will be another preparation for Poland + second round potential opponents.
LOL. As you probably know Italy has two scheduled friendlies against England and Argentina this spring, friendlies that will be a reminder of their historical epic fail in the WCQ. Actually Italy NT lacks a coach, a president and any mood to play football at all. Except Ancellotti will be hired as the new coach but that's quite impossible.
You know there is no national team news to report when a bored writer scratches out a whole article entertaining the possibility of Musashi at the WC.
JFA officially announced three further friendlies: 23/March vs Mali. 27/March vs Ukraine. Both matches will be played in Leige, Belgium. http://www.jfa.jp/national_team/news/00016158/ 12/June vs Paraguay. The match will be played in Europe (venues TBC). http://www.jfa.jp/national_team/news/00016155/ --- There will be a send-off match which will be played in Yokohama on 30/May with the opponent to be confirmed, but it will be either a South American or North African or Eastern European team.
An up-to-date of pre-WC matches: 23/March vs Mali (in Leige, Belgium). 27/March vs Ukraine (in Leige, Belgium). 30/May (To be confirmed), in Yokohama. 8/June vs Switzerland, (in Lugano, Switzerland). 12/June vs Paraguay (To be played in Europe).
When there is a few months in between matches, he don't have time to go home for a week or two? I find it hard to believe that he needs the JFA to schedule a match for him to just go home.