5 Jun 2003(Thu)

The Japan-Korea game did not make for pleasant viewing, did it?

I thought Korea were well worth their victory, and the 1-0 scoreline flattered Japan.

Japan could not have complained if the score had been 2-0 to Korea, or even 3-0.

It might have been, in fact, if the referee had awarded Korea a blatant penalty midway through the second half when Morioka clearly pulled the shirt of Yoo Sang Chul as he looked about to score.

On Monday I attended a World Cup symposium at a hotel in Shinagawa, and a familar face was there: Peter Velappan, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation.

He had been in Seoul, at another World Cup anniversary function, over the weekend, and had watched the Japan-Korea game on television.

Velappan, who was FIFA's coordinator for the 2002 World Cup, said he was "quite surprised with the lack of organization and commitment, in the second half in particular, from the Japanese team."

He said the next two games, against Argentina and Paraguay, were "very critical" for Japan.

"The team must begin to show order, shape and some form of strategy, which was lacking," said Velappan.

Everyone who has followed Zico's Japan closely will not be surprised by Velappan's observations, as few people can see any strategy or organization.

What was more worrying, however, was Japan's lack of commitment and spirit.

This was evident after the final whistle, as well as during the game.

It's like they were looking for help, for advice, for leadership, and nothing was forthcoming.

As the attention turns to the Kirin Cup, all eyes will be on Hidetoshi Nakata and Naohiro Takahara.

These two in particular will be viewed as the saviours of the team, and maybe of Zico.

But by relying so much on individual players, Zico's Japan has become exactly what Troussier's Nippon worked so hard to avoid.

Velappan did not want to compare the two coaches, but he said Japan should start picking some young and untested players from the J.League.

He said Japan could afford to experiment for another year, until qualification for the 2006 World Cup begins, so that, two years before the World Cup, there would be at least 30 players in the squad.

This all seems like good advice for Japan, who have gone backwards, not forwards, in Zico's five-game reign.

ends