Those days, Japan were the powerhorses of Asian football but at that time other Asian teams were also domineering forces in the region. Teams like South Korea, Myanmmar, Malaysia, India and China were the pioneers for Asian football.
However, that was in the 70s and 80s. Now things have totally changed and Asian football is certainly on the rise! Though teams like Myanmmar, Malaysia and India have fizzled out of contention, countries like Japan, South Korea and China are beginning to make their presence felt in the world stage.
Japan, especially, is a force to be reckoned with! Ranked 15th in the world now, this team has gone great lengths and it has been meticulously planned for several years! The 'Samurai Blue' team has finally come alive and it would be a possibility to see them one day carrying the World Cup trophy!
I'm not being overzealous with this statement, but with the current rate that they are going, nothing is impossible for them. Those days, Kazuyoshi Miura, Kunishige Kamamoto and Satoshi Tsunami were household names in Japan but now, they have lots of players who are world class and plying their trade with well known teams.
Hidetoshi Nakata, was the first player who was successful in Europe. Since then an influxx of players started to penetrate in Europe as the likes of Shunsuke Nakamura, Naohiro Takahara and Tsuneyasu Miyamoto made their presence in the European stage.
Come 21st century, Keisuke Honda, Atsuto Uchida, Yuta Nagatomo, Shinji Okazaki and Takayumi Morimoto are the new genration of players who have step foot on Europe and thanks to their prowesses there, the national is much stronger and Alberto Zaccheroni has a beautiful headache of selecting top class lads.
Even the players from the J-League are strong in nature as players like Kengo Nakamura, Keigo Higashi, Yasuhito Endo and Daisuke Iwamasa have strengthened the rooster of the squad. Thus, what has made them to such perennial forces in Asia and also now in the World!
Teams are beginning to take notice of this team and many are fearing for the worst as Japan is slowly becoming world beaters. What has made them so powerful in Asia?
They are not physically bigger than the Europeans! So, what is their secret?
Technically, Japan is one of the most well equipped team based on their techniques itself. For instance, the Olympic Qualifiers game against Malaysia last week saw their 'Young Samurai' bullying the 'Young Tigers' from Malaysia. Their level of confidence and composure during that game was just a marvel to watch!
Their passing, ball control and techniques were just exquisite. Takashi Sekizuka, the coach of the Japan U-21 team has certainly been instrumental with these kind of changes. Even Zaccheroni, has got a great set of players and these players are just technically brilliant. They might not have the skills of the South Americans or the physicality of Europeans but they make up for their discipline and sheer technical knowledge.
Furthermore, more academies are being opened up in Japan and from there, we can see players like Ro Miyachi, Takashi Usami and Shinji Kagawa coming out and now they are with big European teams! Shinji Kagawa is a great example as he helped Borussia Dortmund to win the Bundesliga last season and he is only 22 years old! Frightening but a progress for Japan nevertheless!
The Japanese also inherit the habit of the 'never say die' attitude. The team basically goes all out in their games and the players give their full commitment in games. Yuta Nagatomo and Atsuto Uchida are brilliant examples as they are one of the hard working wingbacks I've ever seen. Even with their clubs, they seem to be just running back and forth for their respective teams.
The future is getting brighter for Japan and Alberto Zaccheroni will surely relish the prospect as they are currently the best team in Asia and though South Korea is closing in, the team should just maintain their composure and attitude as it will help them prosper in the coming years!
Avinesh's verdict: I think Malaysia kena tengok dasar pandang timur dari segi bolasepak! Tun Mahathir words....Even through sports, we should learn from them..Look at them now, they are just a MARVEL to watch!
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