This is Japan's roster for confed: Squad: Goalkeepers -- Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Portsmouth, England), Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Hitoshi Sogahata (Kashima Antlers) Defenders -- Yutaka Akita (Kashima Antlers), Akira Narahashi (Kashima Antlers), Toshihiro Hattori (Jubilo Iwata), Nobuhisa Yamada (Urawa Reds), Ryuzo Morioka (Shimizu S-Pulse), Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (Gamba Osaka), Keisuke Tsuboi (Urawa Reds). Midfielders -- Daisuke Oku (Yokohama F-Marinos), Takashi Fukunishi (Jubilo Iwata), Hidetoshi Nakata (Parma, Italy), Alex (Shimizu S-Pulse), Shunsuke Nakamura (Reggina, Italy), Mitsuo Ogasawara (Kashima Antlers), Koji Nakata (Kashima Antlers), Junichi Inamoto (Fulham, England), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka). Forwards -- Masashi Nakayama (Jubilo Iwata), Takayuki Suzuki (Genk, Belgium), Yuichiro Nagai (Urawa Reds), Naohiro Takahara (Hamburg SV, Germany)
Ono's left ankle is keeping him out. Porbably a good move. Not the most impressive squad. I wish Zico included more younger players, but he doesn't like to rush them, apparently.
Matsuda is visiting me next month. He does not want to play in the Cnfederation Cup. How about the kid from Osaka whom I like very much?
Okubo or "Naniwa no Gon" Nakayama? Speaking of which... the real Gon Nakayama was dropped from the squad because of the left hamstring tear he suffered against Argentina. Yoshito Okubo (Cerezo Osaka) takes his place. Also, Yoichi Doi replaces Hitoshi Sogahata, who is injured. I don't think Zico likes Toda very much. I don't think he's been called up since the World Cup. I guess Zico likes midfielders who can attack, but the team's definitely missing some toughness.
And two more injuries. Suzuki and Fukunishi are out, Matsui and Myojin are in. Inamoto and Yamada are probable/questionable. Updated squad (new members in bold): Goalkeepers -- Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Portsmouth, England), Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Yoichi Doi (FC Tokyo) Defenders -- Yutaka Akita (Kashima Antlers), Akira Narahashi (Kashima Antlers), Toshihiro Hattori (Jubilo Iwata), Nobuhisa Yamada (Urawa Reds), Ryuzo Morioka (Shimizu S-Pulse), Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (Gamba Osaka), Keisuke Tsuboi (Urawa Reds). Midfielders -- Daisuke Oku (Yokohama F-Marinos), Hidetoshi Nakata (Parma, Italy), Alex (Shimizu S-Pulse), Shunsuke Nakamura (Reggina, Italy), Mitsuo Ogasawara (Kashima Antlers), Koji Nakata (Kashima Antlers), Junichi Inamoto (Fulham, England), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Daisuke Matsui (Kyoto Purple Sanga), Tomokazu Myojin (Kashiwa Reysol) Forwards -- Yuichiro Nagai (Urawa Reds), Naohiro Takahara (Hamburg SV, Germany), Yoshito Okubo (Cerezo Osaka)
I think you mean Okubo (with a "b"). Satoshi Nakayama (Naniwa no Gon) isn't ready for the full NT yet. He'll probably be on the 2006 WC squad, though.
Only three FWs? Matsui can be the 4th striker, right? Takahara and Okubo should start. Bring on Matsui in the second half to exhaust the opponents. Cups are much more exciting than friendlies. I think this can be the best Confed Cup ever!
Whats the story on Alex? Guys last name is Santos? Is he a Japanese immigrant (or is it emigrant), have a relative a generation or 2 back, or is he a native? I know this was probably covered in the WC, but I missed it. Maybe I should call my friend Nao, the Japanese Government official, it was probably all his doing anyway
Re: Whats the story on Alex? He was born in Brazil. He came to Japan when he was recruited by a high school. After he finished, he decided he wanted to stay in Japan and he got his Japanese citizenship in November of 2001.
I humbly dissent. Matsui isn't really there as a striker. He can play as a FW, but he's really there as a backup playmaker. The only guys who can distribute the ball really well are Nakamura, Nakata, and (at times) Santos. Santos has been pushed to the backline, so there's no backup for Nakamura or Nakata, should either go down or is suspended.