7 Jan 2008(Mon)

January 5, 2008: Takeshi Okada is not exactly holding back in his comments since returning as national coach.

First he told the players his target is to achieve Asia's highest ever finish at a World Cup, meaning third place at South Africa in 2010.

Then, in his interview for New Year's Day, he said he wanted to play a brand of football that would leave its mark on the world game, in the way that the Dutch team of 1974 did with their Total Football.

My reading of those comments is that he is not trying to copy the tactics of master coach Rinus Michels, as this would mean Okada having to unearth a Cruyff, a Neeskens, a Van Hanegem, Haan, Krol, Rep.....the names still roll off the tongue and conjure an orange-hued dream, don't they! Rather, he wants Japan to play a unique style of football, based on speed, movement, passing, fitness and organisation. In other words, to perfect the style started by Osim and which was glimpsed on occasions at the Asian Cup.

This is bold and ambitious talk from Okada, setting the scene for an interesting year ahead during which Japan will face some tough tests on the long road to South Africa (a minimum of 14 matches to qualify, maximum of 18).

Against Thailand, Bahrain and Oman, Japan will have to take the initiative away from home as well as at home and force their football on their opponents. Not only this, they will have to add a sharper edge to their play, and be more ruthless and single-minded when the opposition goal beckons instead of passing the ball to death. This is why I feel Okubo could emerge as a major player this year, and why the news of Takahara's imminent return to the J.League, with Reds, is a massive bonus for Okada and the national team.

After all, why should Takahara -- or any other Japanese player for that matter -- waste their time on the bench in Europe, putting their international career in jeopardy, when they could be playing in front of 50,000 every home game at Saitama, or in packed grounds around the country? I am sure the return of Takahara will add a couple of thousand to every Reds away game, too, and the player will be under the nose of the national coach, his schedule in sync with the commitments of club and country.

It is a sensible move by Takahara, one that will benefit Japanese football as a whole in this critical year ahead...a year of Total Japan.

ends