Is Zaccheroni the right man for Japan?

I believe in Zaccheroni. Maybe Japan might not become 1st place, but im looking forward to see some great teamplay.

Zaccheroni has carried Japan forward, I really appreciate his work for the team. I've supported him since he took the job and I think the tactics that he brought into the team have worked well. I believe Japan can do well at this world cup providing they show solidity and consistency in the group stage! particularly against Colombia and the tall, strong players of Ivory Coast. Ganbare Nippon!!

Absolutely not. No self-respecting national team should have a foreign manager, it has worked well only once in modern football and that was a fluke.

If you do have a foreign coach then at the very least you'd expect them to be fluent in the language after a couple of years in the job. I mean there aren't that many international games, apart from that you're doing nothing. Its basically extremely well-paid semi-retirement.

Zaccheroni's experience is unquestionable, It will be controlling the media ravenous expectations, Zaccheroni is in the best place to understand how these expectations can be dealt with effectively. Zaccheroni has always portrayed realistic expectations for the success of the national squad.

Failure to do so and you end up with the situation in England where intense media pressure is viscerally critical, controlling, overbearing. There is nothing comparable to effect the team's performance than rabid media expectations constantly rammed down fans throats on a hourly basis. As sure as night follows day this will have a damping effect on fans verbal support on the pitch.

'Absolutely not. No self-respecting national team should have a foreign manager, it has worked well only once in modern football and that was a fluke.'

Really? Do you mean Hiddink in charge of South Korea? I agree that was a combination of luck and erm...questionable refereeing but the same man did a great job with Australia. I'd argue Troussier did a good job in charge of Japan. Jack Charlton is revered in Ireland - I could go on. Non of these team won the World Cup but these managers overachieved. When I think of the Graham Taylors and Steve McClarens, I'd rather have a Martian microbe in charge of the English national team than either of those two turnips. Sven and Fabio weren't great but if Hodgson's boys are sent home from Brazil with a spanking ( very possibly going out in the first round ), the English managerial talent is pretty thin. Spurs and Newcastle are the highest ranked premiership managers with English managers. Pardew or Sherwood for England? Give Harry a call?

Zaccheroni is well respected abroad, and he works well with European teams. However, Japan does need an South American coach: to teach players how to play unfairly (remember Maradona's "Fist of God"? That landed them the title). Yes, soccer is about a little bit of being ungracious, like kicking the rival when aiming at the ball. The way Japanese players are, well, playing, they look like kindengartens against junior high school players. They need to mature in a mainly way.

@Jimizo

I was actually thinking Greece when they won the Euros with a German coach. I don't count Hiddink or Charlton because they luckily scraped through to quarters/semis.

I respect what the Germans did after finishing bottom of their group in Euro 2000. Consensus was that they were awful and there were many foreign, in particular top Dutch coaches being talked about for the role at the time. They basically said we'd rather lose than do that, and instead we'll rebuild and aim to be good in ten years time. Gave it to the least rubbish German coach at the time, never looked back.

Okada did well with Japan. I bet Zaccheroni does no better, but however it goes there won't be any development for the future in terms of an identity for the way the national team plays or experience for a Japanese coach at the WC.

Zaccheroni's style and development of the team goes a long way further than anything Okada did.

Italy and Japan in the final