what Asian football can learn from Japan in AC2004

Discussion in 'AFC: Tournaments' started by buggy, Aug 11, 2004.

  1. buggy

    buggy New Member

    Aug 11, 2004
    I am not a Japan supporter, but I have learned a lot about this team as I watched each game, surfed the web, etc. Looking back at the entire run of the Japan team through the Cup, I have to share this summary of why this Japan team should be Representative and Champions of Asia.

    What did the Japan NT show at this AC that the rest of Asian soccer can benefit from?

    The basic fact is that a strong National Team is not truly strong unless the entire Team and everything that supports it has depth of both technique, experience/maturity, support, leadership, communication, and heart.

    Japan had a lot of bad conditions to deal with:

    1.) hostile crowds, booing of anthem, middle fingers, Japanese supporters getting attacked, and the Team bus getting attacked so they had to leave players behind at the stadium and later send a taxi to retrieve them.
    2.) a tough Group -- with Iran who is obviously a strong team, and Oman who has shown they were worthy opponents to two Asian champions.
    3.) when the team arrived for practice, scheduled during the later part of the afternoon/early evening, they found there were no lighting; they were told by the managers of the grounds that they were not allowed to use the bathrooms or lockers.
    4.) poor refereeing made worse by heavy bias for the non-Japan team.
    5.) sweltering conditions, all games kicking off at 37-40 degrees Celsius.
    6.) horrible pitch conditions, esp in Bahrain match in Jinan, where both teams were slipping constantly.
    7.) a team devoid of many players it has depended on for the last six months -- Ono of Feyenoord (in olympics), Nakata of Fiorentina (hurt), Takahara of HSVHamburg (hurt), Inamoto (hurt), Kubo (hurt), Tsuboi (hurt), Yanagisawa (left to join new Messina team).

    So, what did the Japan Team do?
    vs. Oman -- technique and experience; Nakamura's golden left foot for a beautiful goal. defenders who didn't panic under the barrage of the Oman attack.
    vs. Thailand -- gave up the first goal: why? b/c Tamada went down hurt and the team thought the Thais would kick the ball out so that he could get help so they momentarily stopped, allowing for the goal -- not an excuse, but under international standards, this would be quite expected. But still technique of Nakamura, plus the high accuracy of set plays win 3 more points because communication between Nakamura and scorers about CK/FKs is done well in practice.
    vs. Iran -- lots of great goal ops but defender/goalies did their jobs on both ends, plus a bit of fatigue on both ends. At the last 5 minutes, the score is 0-0, the Japan defenders start to pass the ball back and forth under the booing of the fans; don't fall to pressure, they just keep doing that, and Iran doesn't come after the ball. This is a unique sight, especially in Asian football, since I don't think I've ever seen an Asian team initiate anything like this. This takes maturity and confidence.

    vs. Jordan the famous penalty match. Leadership, experience, heart, and technique. Before the penalties, the entire team/staff/coaches get together in a circle, and the coach stresses only one thing -- never lose hope, fight to the end. Captain Miyamoto mentions to the ref that the kick spot is in poor shape, but ref ignores him. Kicks start, and the Japanese players kick way wide -- Jordan goalie is dancing and strutting even though he has not done a thing. Ref agrees to Miyamoto's renewed request to change sides after seeing that the spot is very loose on the right side (unfair for leftie kickers). The Japan team holds their belief in themselves, in their goalie, and the goalie makes two great saves and pressures the other two kickers into missing the goal.

    vs. Bahrain This is the 'its never over til its over' match. Red carded unfairly, only 10 men on the field. Japan players running all over, covering for each other, pushing themselves to the max despite the fact that they have almost all been playing full matches since the beginning. Technique (forward's skills, Nakamura's FK/CK, goalies amazing saves) mixed with heart, loyalty to the team. Bahrain gets too tired, and can't finish Japan off. Japan is probably even more tired, but they don't give up. When the point needs to be made, someone steps up and makes the point.

    vs. China well, you all know this game.

    Note: prior to the China/Japan final, Japan coach Zico is bombarded by the dumbest, most insulting questions from the chinese reporters -- questions about why Taiwan is not colored in properly on the Japanese Asia Cup catalog (which turns out to be b/c they used a copy of the FIFA map), and what he had to say to the old saying about how 'one man cannot have good luck three times', and so on.


    In all these games, this Japan team never gave up, and made a point during huddles to dedicate the game to those who couldn't be standing on the pitch themselves (substitutes, injured, coaches, staff). The substitute players were instrumental in making the team a happy, energized one -- they kept the laughter going during practices and non-playing times. They believed that if they started to lose interest in the team just b/c they were not playing themselves, or if they started to sulk, it would put more pressure on the starting members. The coach made sure that the substitute players got equal face time during practices, giving lots of direction and encouragement to those who were not starting. The coaches/staff took the team to tour the Great Wall the day before the final with China.

    In all these games, Japan never got violent or offensive with an opponent team's player. Or with themselves, for that matter. The defense never had situations of handing out a penalty kick. The only red card went to Endo, who clearly did not deserve it. The goalie, Kawaguchi, was stunning in his ability to keep his demeanor up, even when dangerous almost-situations occured; he had a smile on his face and encouragement in his voice to show his teammates that there is no reason to panic.

    In all these games, Japan picked themselves up even after the ref made bad calls, and played on. They got the points in that they needed to move to the next game.

    In all these games, in the post-match interviews, the 'hero' players of that day's game always mentioned the team, the great atmosphere of the team, and the desire to win. They never used the ref's bad calls as an excuse, or bragged about their own goal. They never looked down, but moved on.

    At the awards ceremony, Japan's captain takes the Cup and offers it to the Coach Zico to hold for photos. But Zico smiles, and pushes it back to the captain saying, 'This Cup belongs to the players. You guys hold it.'
    So, after the game, what happens?

    The China coach boycotts the awards ceremony because he's whining about bad ref calls. Not only does he disrespect his own players who worked hard to make it to the finals, but he sets such a poor example of sportsmanship.

    Not only did China team have one of the easier Groups to play in, they also had the home court advantage, the referee calls in their favor throughout the tournament, a really nice pitch to play on in Beijing, favorable weather conditions, and not having to travel anywhere, not to mention the advantage over Japan who by the finals is battered, exhausted, and has to arrive at the stadium protected by rifles.

    By this time, I hope we all get it -- Japan is the best of Asian Football today. They should represent Asia, for they are Champions in more ways than one. They have players to back up 7 unavailable 'A-Team' players to still win against the best of Asia. They have a coach who is the embodiment of football's best sportsmanship and philosophy. They have a captain who is intelligent enough to speak appropriately to the ref when he feels it is the right thing to do, who can keep their team calm and focused. They had a goalie who was all about guarding his goal, not about strutting around or yelling at teammates if the ball got too close for his liking. They had the superb technique and sensitivity of Nakamura who was not only instrumental in a 36% success rate of set-plays (CK, FK, etc), but covered his teammates with lots of running and defensive playing. The entire team kept their cool, got the points that they needed, covered for each other, and celebrated together. They had substitute players who knew that in order for the team to keep winning in bad conditions, they needed to help the team keep their spirits up. They had the backing of the Japanese Football Association heads, who stepped in to request the AFC for better security measures for the team and the fans when things got ugly in the crowds.

    And the only time Japan coach Brazilian legend Zico complained was in protest of the booing of the Japan national anthem. That's it.

    As a post note, the Japanese Football Association has rewareded the entire team and coach/staff with a generous bonus, even to players who didn't play at all, showing that they appreciated and noticed the entire team effort that went into making this Championship happen.

    Isn't this what Asian football should be about? If we want to be the best, we have to stop relying on excuses and complaining. We have to have non-corrupt thinking in the management of teams. We have to be able to win no matter what conditions go against us. We have to have teams that are stronger than one great player. We have to stop flaring into embarrassing fights on the pitch. What the ref says, goes. Accept it, or get out of the game. Surely, isn't this what we ultimately want to see for all teams?
     
  2. Liban

    Liban Red Card

    Jul 24, 2003
    Agree with you 100%


    but you ARE a Japan fan to write this dammned much
     
  3. junjunforever

    junjunforever Member

    Feb 18, 2002
    japan had the easiest road of winning the cup. iran, korea and china, other three contenders killed each other in the process.

    Not that i'm taking away their achievement, but they were the luckiest of the four. Winning on pk's like that... and having "weaker" opponents until the final.
     
  4. Premium Hamatachi redded

    Sep 9, 2002
    let's put korea in our group and they should have been eliminated at the group stage. easiest way sure you hope but as far as my memory goes our "weaker" opponents were teams that far weaker korea and china could not beat. so let's get the fact straight and stop whinning for christ sake.
     
  5. Premium Hamatachi redded

    Sep 9, 2002
    well said buggy you are the real football supporter. but let's just make your point short next time. we have so many jealous pathetic sick minded losers in this forum that if anyone says good about japan they all become a japan supporter no matter where they come from.
     
  6. persiantiger

    persiantiger Guest

    lol dude it is soooooooo obvious you are japanese. Anyways look at the other threads and you would see that almost everyone(including most of the japanese posters) believe that IRAN was the best team of the tournement not japan.
    Japan might be the 2nd best but until iran exists you will never be best :)
     
  7. buggy

    buggy New Member

    Aug 11, 2004

    Actually, I am from Singapore, dude. I just ended up watching most of the games this year's AC, and was pretty surprised at how much Japan was understrength and yet how they kept winning. You can say luck, and you can say they sucked compared to what is expected of them, but I was impressed by their entire team and the attitude and depth of the team and all the management that supports it.

    I wrote too much, I know, and I'm sorry for putting you all through that, but I was just sick of watching how good yet mentally weak a lot of the other Asian teams were. They didn't have the depth to win it in the end. Even Iran, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, China, Korea, who had some of the best "play" in the tourney couldn't deliver -- they ended up losing psychologically and making the dumbest mistakes WHEN IT COUNTED. Like hitting players, or their own teammates, or being arrogant enough to think they won even before the whistle blew. bad sportsmanship. Too many f***ing red cards and so on. In the end they all screwed themselves out of the Cup. It wasn't luck -- Japan just out-finessed them all, even when they weren't so good overall themselves.
     
  8. Liban

    Liban Red Card

    Jul 24, 2003

    you calling me pathetic and jealous? did I not agree wholly with what buggy said? I know I shouldnt even be replying to you, seeing that most of your posts are similar to the insane ramblings heard at the Mental Ward.

    Japan is the best team in Asia right now, followed by Iran. China and Korea are about tied for third place. As for Saudi, yes, we have been down these couple of years, but never undersetimate the green falcons. in Asia Cup 2004, we underestimated our opponents, we didnt schedule any friendlies, and I am happy we got this wake up call before WCQ, because thats what truly matters.


    the last 20 years the cup has been either Saudi's or Japan's. We are also one of the only 3 nations in Asia who went beyond 1st round.
     
  9. persiantiger

    persiantiger Guest

    Err is getting screwed by the AFC and the refs our fault? Dude we were the best team in the tourni you can't deny that and the 2nd best team was probably Oman! Japan got lucky wins against oman and jordan and a lucky draw with iran. The fact that they did not have many of their players is impressive but we are talking about the teams that participated and out of those teams Iran was just better than japan.
     
  10. Elninho

    Elninho Member+

    Sacramento Republic FC
    United States
    Oct 30, 2000
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You again!

    Tell me, when was the last time Colombia actually played its "A" team? And who is that "A" team?

    To everyone else: sorry about the off-topic post.


    Japan vs. Iran: hard to say because they really played a meaningless match. But no one's accusing Iran of causing Japan's problems. I was not aware of Japan's difficulties at the training ground, which I think are simply outrageous.
     
  11. buggy

    buggy New Member

    Aug 11, 2004
    getting screwed by AFC/refs is a fact of life at the Asian Cup. Have you watched the Japan games at all? These guys got majorly robbed in the refs dept, but they got the job done anyway. as i said before, you cannot use that as an excuse.

    What exactly is your definition of "best team"? The one with the coolest goal scene? The one which kicks the ball at the goal a hundred times no matter that it never goes in? The one with the one Great player?

    The whole point of tournaments is that in order to get to the top, you have to play smart -- not necessarily the best. And you have to win -- that's the hard part. That's why soccer and cups like this one are so full of drama and agony. which is why it's so fun to go crazy over. so much is out of your control. If you don't think that's "fair", you don't have any business playing in a Cup.

    Iran is a great team with all the "parts" of a great skillful team -- but again, mentality -- the last penalty kicker in the china game was just stupid. He thought he was going to try something slick and cool, and ended up costing the game. He apologized, and I thought that was nice. But even before that, the slapping incident and the stepping on the back incided with Oman. Yeesh, please. You can have great players like Iran does, but until they get their act together As A Team, this team is not going to be winning any cups.
     
  12. persiantiger

    persiantiger Guest

    Yes I did watch some of japan's matches did you watch Iran's matches? And how is getting screwed by AFC a fact of the asiancup? :confused: explain urself. This is not the first time they have screwed us thats the thing if this was the first time it would be something but they screwed us more than once in this tournement and a lot of times in the past. LOL they were showing interviews iranian journalists did with valapan and that chinese woman and they had no answers and kept ignoring the question and changing their answers! lol finally they told the camera guys to turn the cameras off those fools.
    Oh and the best team is the one that is the most powerful and plays the best football ahem Iran.
     
  13. buggy

    buggy New Member

    Aug 11, 2004
    it's a fact because bad refs are part of the asian football landscape. they don't have the eye nor the sense of the flow of the play, that some of the best refs in the world have. These guys were particularly horrible, and I'd say that the referee organization (whatever they are called) has to majorly do some surgery in their asian backyard. Most host countries for ACs are gonna be in less than stellar locations-- whether the grounds are awful, the weather terrible, the management not great, some political reverberations, etc.

    Feeling like you're getting screwed in any cup is a fact -- ask any team, and they'll give you a number of instances. But in the end that doesn't count; you have to let it go and play on to win.

    In a perfect world, you're probably right about the best team. But we saw in this last Euro that "best football" is a highly changing concept. You like powerful and inspiring plays -- that's great. But I say Iran will only start winning anything again when they can follow a behavior/attitude model similar to Japan's.

    I hate these inane press conferences! I missed the one you talk of, but I can imagine! :)
     
  14. buggy

    buggy New Member

    Aug 11, 2004
    yeah, i wrote too damn much...! :p I never rooted for Japan, but I was impressed. but if truth be told, I'm jealous that Japan has such great organizational backup, success and money from their enthusiastic fans (who were voted Best Fans in previous World Cups) for the J-League, a team whose players are disciplined and skilled and loyal to their team whether they are sitting on the bench or playing on the field, etc., and a coach who is a legend and has been present through the entire rise of the Japanese football scene and respects the country, and a slick diplomatic management that can get them Friendlies with countries like Czech and England.

    With players returning from injuries for the next round of WC qualifiers, Singapore doesn't stand a chance at this point.
     
  15. buggy

    buggy New Member

    Aug 11, 2004
    see, you're not getting my point. Luck may have a lot to do with the PKs, in many ways, but they Way that Japan changed their Luck was NOT LUCK. Their captain, who speaks English very well compared to most other Japanese players, made a point to let the ref know BEFORE the kicks began that a whole square of grass was uprooted. He was ignored. The captain knew that he was probably requesting in vain, but after the second missed kick, he approached the ref again to ask him to take a look at the grass. He didn't think it would make a difference to the ref, but he tried anyway, because as a leader he had to do what he thought best for the team's chances. The ref changed sides not because of luck, but because of firm leadership by Japan captain and the attitude of not giving up before you try.
     
  16. Power_of_foot

    Power_of_foot Red Card

    May 28, 2004
    Japan is an OK team.
    They are consistent, and knows how to score goals.

    But, Japan is too overrated than Japan actually is
     
  17. Premium Hamatachi redded

    Sep 9, 2002
    get over tiger!! don't make yourself look bad anymore
     
  18. Premium Hamatachi redded

    Sep 9, 2002
    olympic is almost starting but i can't believe there are still someone in pain... :( i never understand their feeling until i join their side...:(
     
  19. Premium Hamatachi redded

    Sep 9, 2002
    well said.
     
  20. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    but that's not luck. You seem to be forgetting that Japan and Iran were grouped together, and Japan came out on top so we could avoid Korea and China until the final.
    In the final group match, Iran was playing for a win and Japan could have just rested and let Iran beat them. But they didn't, and fought for the draw to secure a first place finish in the group.

    Japan fought for, and earned the easy path (if you can call it that) to the final. In light of that, the fact that Japan was in the less glamorous side of the bracket should be a credit to the team.
     
  21. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    *******************
    Guys, remember, if you want to talk trash, we have a nice little rivalries forum. Be nice.
    *******************
     
  22. Premium Hamatachi redded

    Sep 9, 2002
    actually i like turning losers sad comments into the celebration of our glory.
     
  23. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    Also, no one cares about Colombia here. More importantly, the Confed Cup match is irrelevant to the topic here and will be considered trolling. You've been warned.
     
  24. persiantiger

    persiantiger Guest

    Correction skipster No one cares about colombia Anywhere...

    Oh and hama get over what? I just spoke the truth. Iran was the best team in the tournement period and according to fifa's rules we finished the tournement undefeated just like japan :) anyways again congrats.. you didn't deserve it! :mad: lol jk you deserved it but we deserved it too so did oman.. they should give 3 cups away next time :eek: baka baka baka you think im loco? nah just a bit high.... oh it's a plane it's a tornado no it's persiantiger.
     
  25. Txtriathlete

    Txtriathlete Member

    Aug 6, 2004
    The American Empire
    Buggy, point taken, but since youre such a big fan of soccer and all... I cant see how you believe that Oman lacked the mental capability to beat Japan (since they almost did) No one disputes the fact that Japan got lucky with Oman. And there was no desire to beat Iran. Other than those two pathetic shows from the Japanese though... yes they did good considering all the unfair play.
     

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