2 Oct 2003(Thu)

Before the start of this season I spent an afternoon at the Kyoto Purple Sanga training ground.

The purpose of my visit was to interview German coach Gert Engels, who has experienced many ups and downs during his time in the J.League, first with Yokohama Flugels, then JEF United and with Kyoto.

We spoke about Japanese players in Europe, and Gert singled out one player for a special mention.

"Of all the players I've worked with in Japan, the one I thought most would be a big success in Europe was Atsuhiro Miura," said Gert.

"He had everything...technique, physical strength, good at free kicks and corners, crossing the ball...I was convinced he would have had no problems in Europe because his playing style suited European football."

Atsu, of course, never made it to Europe, but he did make it into the national team.

He has won 16 caps for Japan, scoring one goal, and, after a lengthy absence, received a deserved call-up this week for Japan's two-match mini-tour of north Africa and eastern Europe.

With Alessandro Santos unavailable for the first game against Tunisia on October 8 because of the Nabisco Cup semifinal second leg, Zico needed a new left-back.

Hence his decision to have a look at Atsu, who is now 29, the oldest of the eight defenders chosen.

He seems to have been plagued by injuries and fitness problems in recent years, and came close to disappearing off the radar altogether at Tokyo Verdy.

But he has played a major part in the Verdy renaissance under Ossie Ardiles, and Zico feels he is ready to step up on to the international stage.

Apart from the qualities listed by Engels above, I also think Miura's long throw-ins are another weapon for Japan, as they are as good as a corner kick in penetrating the opposition penalty area.

Like Naoki Soma, injured at the moment, Miura is a right-footed left-back who can beat his marker on the outside and cross, or on the inside and shoot.

Zico has shown that if a player plays well, he keeps his place, working on the basis that "a player is only as good as his last game."

So if Atsu does the business against Tunisia, who I expect to be big, heavy and slow, maybe he will keep his place for the Romania game in Bucharest three days later.

ends