20 Nov 2006(Mon)

Saturday, November 18, 2006: A year that began with high hopes for the World Cup ended this week with high hopes for the future, following Japan’s 3-1 defeat of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night.

I have to say I was delighted – and relieved, too – at Japan’s victory, because it pointed the way ahead for Osim’s new-look team.

Delighted because I feel Osim has picked some fine young players in his short time in charge. They are talented, intelligent players who will listen to the coach and who will learn from him – and quickly.

Take the second goal against the Saudis, for example.

It was a wonderful piece of play from Konno, who crossed exquisitely from the right with his left foot for Ganaha to hit the target with an expertly-weighted header. Ganaha has always scored goals and made Japan’s third look easy when it wasn’t, thanks to another clinical finish after Komano’s run down the left.

Delighted also for Tulio. He’s a fine leader and an inspirational player, and it was his goal that put Japan on the winning trail. I can’t understand why they let him take the penalty, though, because that is really not his scene.

Tulio likes to score goals by battering his way through defences, competing for the ball and lashing it into the net through a crowd of desperate defenders like an old-fashioned mud-caked hero from a comic book. Penalties? Naaah…those are for softies!

Also, what was the Australian referee doing awarding a penalty to Saudi Arabia? That was a joke decision in my opinion, after seeing it on TV replays. Didn’t the Saudi player just fall down? Maybe the Aussies, having been cheated at the World Cup by Grosso’s theatrical tumble at the end of their second-round game with Italy, are getting their own back on the world game and following the lead of the World Cup ref: if a forward falls down, give a penalty against the innocent defender!

All in all, though, I am happy about the result, and, as I said before, relieved.

In my opinion there are too many people around who did not realize the size of the job Osim took on. The team needed rebuilding after the World Cup debacle; a new mood had to be created, a new method and a new direction.

I feel Osim has already done this, and the future is very exciting as he will now look at the players in Europe who may be able to add something to the squad. Osim, of course, knows he must not affect the chemistry of the squad, as this is crucial for a successful team, but the faith he has shown in the J.League players will be repaid on the pitch with effort and energy and pride in the blue shirt.

Unlike many, I was not confident about the 2006 World Cup this time last year. But now I am full of optimism again for the national team.

ends.