20 Oct 2008(Mon)

October 18, 2008: Looking at the cold statistics, Japan are still on course to qualify for the next World Cup.

Four points from two games is a satisfactory return, and if they can maintain this pace throughout the final qualifying round, a tally of 16 points from eight games would be enough to finish in the top two.

The customary route to qualification is to draw away and win at home, so Japan were already two points ahead of schedule by winning their opener in Bahrain.

All that's happened now, following the 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan, is that Japan have dropped back on course.

No need to panic, then; and JFA president Motoaki Inukai has already declared he has no intention of changing course by firing Takeshi Okada.

It is Okada who must decide if he needs to change course in terms of the style of play.

Does he continue with his policy of selecting small, quick forwards in the hope they can unlock defences with their passing and movement?

Or does he go back to basics and play a more direct game with different personnel, using the flanks, crossing the ball into the box and shooting from distance?

I sincerely hope he changes course and starts picking a bigger, more experienced team, especially up front, as I fear the players he is selecting are not ready for the task. The four points may be on the board from two games, but the team looks fragile and vulnerable and could crash any time soon. There is still time to toughen up, which they must do in Qatar on November 19.

What disappointed me most against Uzbekistan was that Okada's bench did not have the personnel to offer a more direct threat, as the introduction of Okazaki and Koroki was more of the same after Okubo and Tamada.

As for Kagawa, I am surprised Okada has brought him back into the fold so quickly.

After being selected for the Olympics, he had a good game against Australia's under-23s in a friendly at Kobe, but was out of his depth in Beijing.

I thought the best course of action would be to leave him alone in the J.League for a year or two, and allow him to develop, but Okada has obviously seen something special. He might be proved right in the long run, but at the moment he has more pressing issues -- today, not tomorrow.

ends