3 Apr 2003(Thu)

Zico was there. Saburo Kawabuchi was there. Masakuni Yamamoto was there and so were all his Olympic team players.

But there was only one person everyone wanted to talk to.

Philippe Troussier.

The Frenchman has returned to Japan for the first time since the 2002 World Cup, when he achieved his mission to guide the co-host nation into the second round.

On Tuesday he was at Toyota Stadium in Toyota City, Aichi prefecture, working for a TV company broadcasting the Japan-Costa Rica under-22 international.

Everyone was wondering if Troussier would be talking to the media after the game, and the Japan Football Association kindly organized a brief post-match conference with Zico, his predecessor as national coach, and JFA president Kawabuchi, who was one of the Frenchman's biggest critics during his stormy four-year reign.

Having arrived at the stadium a couple of hours before kick-off, I went searching the corridors in the hope of bumping into Troussier by chance.

I must admit I have missed him. I have missed his humour, his philosophy, his training sessions and his dedicated approach to the game.

Suddenly, a door in front of me opened and out walked Troussier, flanked by his interpreter and a representative of the TV station he was working for.

Troussier was quick to brandish his accreditation pass, which read "Official."

"Look!" he said. "Now I am a member of the media. Now I can ask questions instead of answering them."

I asked him how his knee was, following an operation at the end of last year.

To prove he was back to full fitness, Troussier performed a quick Irish-style jig, not quite as extravagant as Leonardo Di Caprio in "Titanic," but just as entertaining.

"I will see you after the game. I cannot talk now because I have to meet Captain," he said, with a wink, before being escorted from the scene by the TV staff member.

He was referring, of course, to Kawabuchi-san, who has changed his nickname from Chairman to Captain after taking over as the figurehead of Japanese football.

After the game, mischievously I asked Troussier if Kawabuchi had asked him to take over from Zico as national coach, following the Brazilian's unconvincing start.

Troussier thought for a moment and replied: "Yes...but of Japan's over-45 team."

On a more serious note, Troussier said the current crop of Olympic players could become as good as his own team at Sydney 2000 if they continued to work hard and learn.

"This is the start of their build-up to the qualifying campaign for Athens, and they have shown the right attitude. It was a positive result," he said, after Japan's 1-1 draw.

"I am sure they will improve the longer they are together."

I asked Troussier how he felt when the "Kimigayo" national anthem was played before kick-off.

"I feel a bit Japanese," he said.

"When Japan lose I cry at home in Paris. When they win I drink to celebrate. Football is all about drinking. You drink when you lose because you are sad, and drink more when you win."

Troussier's presence even seemed to lighten up the serious Zico, who described Yuki Abe's brilliant curling free kick as a "sugoi shooto."

Now that's quite a compliment from Brazil's free kick master.

ends