Japan

The Japanese, ever the optimists it appears. In the land of the rising sun natives have been blinded in recent years but shades have finally begun to flitter through allowing football fans to witness the true capabilities of football players outside the realms of the J-League.

Stifle a laugh because it really is not funny, more embarrassing, but Japan’s manager Takeshi Okada aim for this summer is to reach...the semi-finals...I personally think if you are going to shoot so high you may as well go for glory and state that you are going win the whole tournament, but evidentially that would be unrealistic.

Maybe I am being overly harsh though, so, let’s look at the statistics. This is the 4th consecutive World Cup Japan have qualified for. In 2002, they were the joint holders of the competition along with South Korea, who outshined their co-hosts and made it to the elusive semi-finals. However, Japan did at least win some games and make it through to the second round.

In 1998 and 2006 Japan faired a lot worse. In their first ever World Cup appearance in France, they lost all three games. In 2006 they could only muster one draw against Croatia, effectively meaning they have not won a World Cup game on foreign soil yet.

If Japan are going to “defy” expectations then it is their midfield that is going to have to get them there. Junichi Inamoto is still about, an integral part of the defensive midfield. Next to him lines up Makoto Hasebe, one of the rare players to play outside the J-League – for German side Wolfsburg.

Another player who plies his trade elsewhere is Keisuke Honda. The CSKA Moscow midfielder is a powerful player, but also has an eye for a goal. Expect him to bring some European style to the Japanese midfield.

Ex-Celtic star, and Japan’s most famous player, Shunsuke Nakamura shall add slight glamour to the side. Yet, whether his left-foot can carry the team to a victory, let alone to the semi-finals, is once again debatable. Nakamura’s set pieces are a dangerous threat, but he will have to share this role with Yasuhito Endo, who got voted Asian Player of the Year in 2009.

Yuji Nakazawa is Japan’s captain and also their most experienced player. The centre-back is solid and having gained over 100caps for his country, he will be looked upon to lead the defensive line against the high quality opposition that Japan are set to face.

Japan have been drawn in Group E in South Africa. It is not the hardest group but it will still be a struggle for the Samurai Blues. The Netherlands are the likely team to top the group. Cameroon are one of the best African sides in the tournament. The Danes came through a tough qualifying campaign, beating off the likes of Sweden and Portugal, but then again Japan fended off Qatar and Uzbekistan.

The midfield 5 will need to shine if the sun is not to set on the Japanese advance on South Africa. How they will fair in reality will no doubt be obvious to all in Britain come tomorrow, when the Japanese face England in a friendly in Austria. Semi-finals? Fully unachievable.