Japan's coach says nothing to fear from tough World Cup draw

Aim for the Quarter-finals - and anything can happen from there. Gaffer Moriyasu is arguably the best ever Japan manager, and is right to be upbeat about things.

The Samurai-Blue are playing brilliantly, have a mean defense, will be playing in a place they have a lot of experience, have exceptional depth - and the confidence now to compete with - and beat - the best.

Nothing is impossible!

"We'll take each game as it comes," [Coach Moriyasu] said. "I want us to have the best preparation and give it everything we've got."

With a team coach who displays such radical perspicacity and incisive strategic insight, how could they fail?

TT

Gaffer Moriyasu is arguably the best ever Japan manager,

Very arguably! He’ got them tight but incredibly dull to watch.

Troussier was a far better manager back 20 years ago.

Japan has some decent skills and buildup but lack of scoring capacity is a major weakness. The defense of Spain and Germany will be very hard to crack while Japan's defense is not spectacular. I expect Japan to go out with 2 losses and a draw.

Would be quiet the accomplishment if Japan advances from that group.

"To be drawn against teams that have experience of winning the World Cup is meaningful for us because we're aiming to take on the best in the world,"

GOOD! This is the attitude people SHOULD have, even though it's only "The group of death" for Japan, really. I am sick and tired of people, and there are many, who cheer for Japan to get easy groups or Japanese athletes to win on default; it's insulting to the athletes on both sides, and it is not real support, nor does it say you think your team is any good. It's like the people who couldn't wait for the top tennis players to retire so Nishikori could finally rank higher, instead of saying he had the talent and ability to reach the top and just needed to do his best and work maybe a wee bit harder. Or hoping Chan would fall in figure skating so the Japanese skaters would "do better".

So, good on this coach, and with that attitude, I think Japan stands a better chance than without it. I have heard quite a few people grumbling about how unfair it is (they loved it last time). Do your best, and show them you are AMONG the best. If you don't think your players can compete in such groups, go home now.

Samurai Blue are a work in progress. With their intricate passing skills, precision in tackling, their counter-attacking energetic runs, body swerves, power-packed shooting skills, and effective nods in the box - Japanese footballers could impart shock treatment to renowned opponents at the Qatar FIFA 2022 festivities.

Good to see a manager with PMA (Positive Mental Attitude). Need to get that mindset into every player so they don’t show to much respect to other teams.

Yamato damashii on display here ...

It can help the Japanese, but it won’t save them ...

...

180 minutes against Germany and Spain...

Yeah, right...

...

“ In football we have 5 kinds of matches : easy, 50-50, 60-40, difficult and extremely difficult aka “ near impossible to win “ “. I’m afraid Japan’s probabilities are somewhere between the last two.

Ganbatte

Of course he's obviously worried otherwise he wouldn't have to say - nothing to fear !

Classic passive agressive with a superiority complex.

Wish i could be more impressed with Japanese performance.

The article doesn't even mention what sport it is

Hilarious.

Is that a medal tucked into his jacket ?

Focus on one match at a time.

The Football World Cup is without doubt a truly global event.

It is based on ability, skills money cannot buy, irrespective of gender, women can join in too , class or culture.

I wonder if they can make up the numbers....... of course they can...

Their tickets are already booked.

The 2026 World cup has 48 teams so almost everyone will be abe to be knocked out in the group stages...

ZZZzzzzzz

Don't forget that Team Japan was once almost disqualified for the World Cup Final. They have nothing to lose.

No one in Japan will blame Moriyasu when Japan is eliminated with three straight losses.

I forgot to mention, Germans are determined to defeat Japan at least 6:0 in order to restore Germany's honor after that disastrous 2:0 loss to Korea in 2018 World Cup.

So Germans won't be coming to the match like their usual relaxed selves, they are coming to the match to restore their national honor by destroying Japan.

I still stand by what I wrote in my previous post. The chances of them getting out of that group lie somewhere between extremely unlikely to almost impossible. Because... even if ( by some miracle ) the Japanese find themselves winning by one or two, they still need a world class defense ( which they don’t have ) to be able to resist to the Germans and Spanish pressuring them for idk how long. 180 minutes is a long time.