Okazaki thinks Japan can reach World Cup quarterfinals

Consider the source... What else is he supposed to say?

I absolutely think they could make the Quarters - but Okazaki will have to have a blinder of a tournament, as will the rest of the team. But Japan are certainly capable of it on their day and should not be dismissed.

I have a couple of soccer-mad Japanese friends who wouldn't be happy with this - they are talking semis already! Certainly the Samurai have the potential to go very deep into the comp, it is the best team in their history.

Problem is, even if they make it out of their group, a big ask, in the next round they'll play either Uruguay, Italy or mighty England, so quarterfinals are extremely unlikely.

Let's all not get too excited. Otherwise the disappointment will be only bigger. Hope yes, assume no.

mighty england

Hahaha.

I do agree with Bura, it is their best team in ages. I think the qtrs are possible. Likely? Im not so sure. Overall, this world cup is shaping up to be quite an interesting competition.

So long as they don't put Honda in as a striker they have a good chance to at least get out of the initial group phase. They certainly have the potential, more than ever, to go far, but that also depends on the other teams not doing very well. Best of luck to them, though.

If Japan get England in the last 16, and that's a big if because England may well struggle to get out of their group, I'd say they would have a good chance of beating them. England are no powerhouse in international football. It gives me no pleasure saying that BTW but years of hope and disappointment have taken their toll.

50/50 for Japan to get out of that group and I'd say England will finish third. Italy or Uruguay a big ask.

Japan have a brilliant midfield, though there are questions about form. The perpetual problem for the Blue Samurai however is they lack a proper finisher. Colombia and Cote D'Ivoire have lots of quality and you can see them scoring. They will be formidable opponents. Then there's Greece, notorious bus parkers with a suffocating defence. Japan struggles when they're forced to try and walk in goals. Anyway, not saying it can't be done but quarter finals seems a bit arrogant considering the company they're in. Best of luck though.

@davestrousers LOL mighty england hahhahaha I see you don't know much about football, england won't pass their group, they have the lamest team in decades !!

banz10: "Anyway, not saying it can't be done but quarter finals seems a bit arrogant considering the company they're in."

Agreed, but then we ARE talking about Japan and Japanese team predictions. How many golds did they predict for the Winter Olympics again? The summer Olympics? The last WC results? I have to side with cracaphat on this one; these predictions always end badly for the nation, with press conferences having to explain why other nations did better, etc. In any case, I'm truly looking forward to watching it, and hope the Blue Samurai do their best (again, put Honda at the back!).

'again, put Honda at the back!'

Put Honda at the back of where? In defence? really don't understand your fixation with Honda. I don't know anyone else who doesn't think Honda is one of Japan's best players. This is a decent Japan side and while I'd grant that Honda isn't of the quality of other top players in this group - the likes of Yaya Toure or Falcao ( few are ) he is one of the few Japanese players who other sides would be particularly wary of.

Ah! How cute! Okazaki has clearly lost his mind if he thinks Japan has a chance at getting into the quarter finals.

I don't know anyone else who doesn't think Honda is one of Japan's best players. He is but that doesn't say much. Japan hypes him up far too much and he often fails to deliver. I still chuckle about the ref blowing the game whistle while he faffed about with the ball for a kick. He takes ages to set up his kicks and he pisses everyone off in the meantime while he show ponies.

And it seems the talking up of Japan has begun... When will this country learn that talking and delivering are two different things?

Jimizo: "I don't know anyone else who doesn't think Honda is one of Japan's best players."

Ummm... his European team, for starters. Where'd they put him, by the way?

"he is one of the few Japanese players who other sides would be particularly wary of."

Not really. If I were a team playing against Japan I'd beg Honda be put in a striker position so he can hog the ball and kick wildly outside of the net all the time, then pretend to be a hero because the media says it's so.

So smithinjapan, how many goals did Honda score in the last world cup?

I'd beg Honda be put in a striker position so he can hog the ball and kick wildly outside of the net all the time, then pretend to be a hero because the media says it's so.

100% agree with this. I don't doubt it was one of the many reasons his Russian teammates hated him. He gets the ball, keeps the ball and takes wild shots rathers than passing to other open players. Every bloody time I watch a game and he plays he does this over and over again. I don't think he is anywhere near as good as Kagawa. Kagawa passes though and is about the team whereas Honda is all about himself.

Crystal Palace will win this World Cup, no doubt about it. Go Eagles!

I fancy Japan reaching the knock out stages over England. Japan has a more positive approach to climate conditioning, good results in the early stages builds the confidence., Shinji Okazaki hold Japans 4th highest goal scoring record, so relishing the opportunity. The climate is alien to English players, the humidity, rumour has it the English team suffer from insect and skin allergies, so not just the wife's and Girlfriends.

I was surprised how low Japan's current FIFA ranking is. I would rank them around 30th-31st in the world...oh well what do I know.