8 Jun 2009(Mon)

June 5, 2009: Who's Japan's main man these days?

Many would automatically say Shunsuke Nakamura because of his set-piece expertise and his big-match experience.

Others, probably wearing red at weekends, would go for Tulio because of his natural leadership qualities, his fighting spirit and his all-round skills.

But, for me, it's no contest these days, as I feel Yuji Nakazawa is the main man by a considerable distance -- and has been for some time.

He's always there; he is rarely injured, unlike Tulio, for example; he is dependable and he is inspirational. In short, Nakazawa has grown into the role of captain and has become the ideal right-hand man for the manager he knows so well, Takeshi Okada.

In fact it would not surprise me at all if Nakazawa popped up with the winning goal in Tashkent on Saturday to book Japan's place in South Africa with two games to spare. A Shunsuke corner, an Endo free kick...and the unmistakable head of Nakazawa nodding the ball into the net to lead his team to victory.

I remember the Asian Cup qualifier in Bahrain earlier this year, when Japan lost 1-0 due to some sleepy defending by Uchida following a deep free kick from the right. Nakazawa was in a class of his own that day, and saved Japan from a heavier defeat with a performance of pride and determination that put his teammates to shame.

No doubt he will be in the same kind of mood against the Uzbeks on Saturday, and this time will be guaranteed better support by a Japan team buoyed by two straight 4-0 wins in the Kirin Cup. Much has been made of the quality, or lack of quality, of Chile and Belgium, who both sent under-strength teams due to club commitments; but Japan can only beat what is in front of them, and learn things about themselves rather than about the opposition.

One example must be that Okazaki, with three goals in the two Kirin Cup games, will surely start; possibly as the lone striker supported by the line of three.

Those goals will have done him the power of good, and hopefully Japan in general will play with the same kind of positive attitude and spirit of adventure they displayed in the Kirin Cup. They were not a waste of time at all.

ends