13 Feb 2003(Thu)

Eisuke Nakanishi has done it. Akira Narahashi has done it. And Yutaka Akita has done it, too.

Done what, you may ask?

The answer, of course, is that they have returned to the national team starting line-up under head coach Zico after a long absence under his predecessor, Philippe Troussier.

According to Kentaro Oka, president of JEF United Ichihara, his new signing Shigeyoshi Mochizuki could be next in line for a recall.

Mochizuki, who has joined JEF from Vissel Kobe, played 15 times for Japan from 1997 to 2001, scoring only one goal.

But it was a very important goal, winning the Asian Cup final for Japan against Saudi Arabia at Beirut, Lebanon, in October 2000.

When asked if he thought the 29-year-old midfielder still had a future with the national team, Oka said: "Yes, I think he has some possibility to be a national player again because his play is very attractive.

"If he does well in the JEF United team, Zico will select him as a member of the national team. I think he has much possibility this season."

Mochizuki, who played for Nagoya Grampus Eight from 1996 to 2000, before joining Kyoto Purple Sanga for a brief spell, is one of JEF's two major winter signings, along with Brazilian midfielder Sandro from Samsung Suwon Bluewings in South Korea.

With a new manager, too, in the vastly experienced Bosnian, Ivica Osim, club chief Oka feels JEF could be ready to win their first trophy since being a founding member of the J.League in 1993.

"We have a new coach, who is very famous and a very good coach, and some new players, especially Mochizuki and Sandro, so I feel our level will be higher than last year," said Oka.

"We surely want to win a championship this season, and I feel we have the most probability to do so."

Certainly JEF look to be very strong in attack.

The big South Korean forward, Choi Yong Soo, returns for his third season, to lead the line with his characteristic aggression and courage.

New manager Osim could play Choi as the lone target man, with Katsutomo Oshiba and Sandro behind him.

With Shinji Murai on the left wing and maybe Naotake Hanyu on the right, this would be a very strong forward line.

Mochizuki and Yuki Abe would provide the defensive stability in midfield, in front of a back three which includes the versatile Nakanishi as well as the Slovenian World Cup defender Zeljko Milinovic.

No wonder Oka feels JEF could make the breakthrough this year, in what is promising to be the most exciting and interesting J.League season on record.

ends