It’s been a blast, it’s been fun, but it’s over. Sadly I am stepping down as Japan national team blogger due to simply not having enough time to do the site justice anymore.

My stint on these virtual pages has seen Japan secure their World Cup and Asian Cup qualification. It has seen the dark days of early 2010 with all things Okada, and the poor East Asian Championships and pre-World Cup form. It has also seen the dramatic change in fortunes in South Africa which saw Japan reach the last 16 and so very nearly go one step further – Japan’s best ever World Cup showing.

It has seen the embarrassing search for a new boss and the eventual appointment of Alberto Zaccheroni, still unbeaten as Japan manager. It has seen a win over Argentina making Japan the Unofficial Champions of the World. It has seen Japan winning Asian Games gold with the kids last autumn.

It has seen a stuttering start to the Asian Cup lead to eventual triumph in a series of hugely dramatic matches in Qatar earlier this year, and the qualification for the Confederations Cup that goes along with being Champions of Asia. What it has not seen is Japan going to the Copa America, but you can’t have it all eh?

Well it’s been a blast, and I loved it all. During the World Cup and Asian Cup in particular blogging about the Samurai Blue has been really exciting, and all the better for all the readers and commenters who have added to the discussions and shared their thoughts alongside my articles.

So thanks to all of you who’ve read and commented on here, it wouldn’t have been the same without you.

And if any of you fancy taking over from me on here get in touch with the powers that be of this website and soon you too could be offering up your views to the world!

So I’ll finish with a few pictures of the team’s recent times and head off into the sunset with a final お疲れ様でした .

After Japan’s 0-0 with Peru in the opening match, the Czech Republic also drew a blank against Peru. So it was to the final match of the mini tournament and winner takes all.

Except there was no winner. No winner and no goals. Again.

It must be something of a record for a tournament to feature no goals whatsoever and the Kirin Cup is therefore shared between all three.

From Japan’s point of view these two matches have allowed Alberto Zaccheroni’s 3-4-3 formation to get a bit of a try out ahead of the World Cup qualifiers beginning next autumn.

Perhaps it’s just taking time to bed in, but it would be a shame if Japan lost their usual attacking verve in favour of more solidity due to this formation change. However, with World Cup action unlikely to be too taxing at first there is plenty of time for the squad to develop in this style.

Big Zac had this to say after the match…

“Of course we wanted to win tonight, but we haven’t had so much time to work together and to implement the new system, so I’m satisfied with what I saw. Some of the players weren’t in great physical condition after coming back from Europe, so considering everything we did well. We’ve got the World Cup qualifiers starting soon, and I’m hoping we can go on and build on this.”

Japan fielded a strong side and improved after a shaky start, having some joy down the flanks in particular, but came up against a top class keeper in Petr Cech who kept them out. At the back things were a little more jittery with several players struggling against the size and strength of their opponents. A perennial Japanese problem.

But that’s it for this season for Japan’s national team now that the Copa America has bitten the dust. September will see the umpteenth meeting with South Korea ahead of the World Cup qualifying beginning after that.

2010-11 began for Japan in difficult circumstances, with no boss, and seemingly no idea how or where to get one. But once Zaccheroni was appointed Japan’s fortunes have been going along very nicely indeed.

Having beaten Argentina in his first match, Zac is still unbeaten as Japan boss including of course winning the Asian Cup at the start of the year. Of course Japan remain Unofficial World Champions too…quite a year despite the slightly underwhelming finish witnessed in the Kirin Cup.

Well that was a bit of a damp squib from Japan with a 0-0 draw with Peru in the Kirin Cup opener.

Peru were the more likely victors, with Eiji Kawashima putting in a good display in goal to keep Japan level.

Big Zac commented afterwards…

“We had a different lineup to what we have been playing until now and I had the chance to look at new players. We were better in the second half and I think that we can take positives from this game.”

Ok, so yes he’s right that there were a few new players involved, particularly in the first half, who has been able to have a look at, and yes there are always some positives to take, but it wasn’t the most inspiring of displays.

The second half improvement he refers to also meant a change of formation from Zaccheroni’s favoured (or at least it was in Italy) 3-4-3 to 4-3-3 which seemed to suit the players better on this occasion.

He continued…

“I wanted to see how the new system and the new players can work. The 3-4-3 system didn’t work (as) I had expected, but it’s not a surprise as I used new players. We always try to play our own game, but we couldn’t do it today like we usually do in other games.”

Making his debut from the start was Daigo Nishi in midfield, with the likes of Honda and Nagatomo starting from the bench. Also on the bench (though not making it on for his debut) was Takashi Usami who was being strongly linked with a move to Bayern Munich this week…

Japan’s Olympic squad also played this week, beating Australia 3-1 with 2 more goals from Kensuke Nagai (who has scored a hatful at that level and will surely get an opportunity for the seniors before long?). That was a warm-up ahead of the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Alberto Zaccheroni has named his squad for the upcoming Kirin Cup matches with Peru and Czech Republic and included three new names – and none of them are Ryo Miyaichi!

The three new guys are forward Takashi Usami of Gamba Osaka (one of the J-League’s rising young stars), and in midfield Daigo Nishi of Kashima Antlers and Kosei Shibasaki of Kawasaki Frontale.

Says the boss man Big Zac…

“These two matches are precious opportunities for us to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers in September, following our withdrawal from the Copa America. The results are important. But more importantly, I want to see the development of our team and also get to know the players. It’s a great opportunity to see some unfamiliar players.

“I called up some new players and some who hadn’t been called up for a while, as they have shown good performances in their leagues. I hope that they can show their growth and give me a hard time when deciding my team for the games, as Maya Yoshida did in the Asian Cup.”

“The players in the Asian Cup grew through the tournament. So I believe this is also a good opportunity to give some younger players a chance to develop their game, especially when we think about the World Cup in three years time.”

Some of those he’s referring to coming back into the squad includes Shinzo Koroki of Kashima and Akihiro Ienaga of Real Mallorca, but it’s a shame we won’t get to see a first run out for Ryo Miyaichi in the national team this time.

On the two opponents Japan will face Zac added..

“Peru and the Czech Republic are two different types of teams, but they have a similar characteristic: They are both fighting teams. Peru play with all their might, and the Czech Republic played very well against Spain recently. I hope we can learn something by playing these teams with a different styles.”

Full squad:

Goalkeepers—Eiji Kawashima (Lierse SK), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Albirex Niigata), Shusaku Nishikawa (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)

Defenders—Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Yuzo Kurihara (Yokohama F. Marinos), Masahiko Inoha (Kashima Antlers), Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan), Tomoaki Makino (1FC Koln), Michihiro Yasuda (SBV Vitesse), Atsuto Uchida (Shalke 04), Maya Yoshida (VVV Venlo)

Midfielders—Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Makoto Hasebe (VfL Volfsburg), Kosei Shibasaki (Kawasaki Frontale), Ryota Moriwaki (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Hajime Hosogai (FC Augsburg), Akihiro Ienaga (RDC Mallorca), Daigo Nishi (Kashima Antlers)

Forwards—Ryoichi Maeda (Jubilo Iwata), Tadanari Lee (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Kunimitsu Sekiguchi (Vegalta Sendai), Shinji Okazaki (VfB Stuttgart), Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow), Shinzo Koroki (Kashima Antlers), Takashi Usami (Gamba Osaka)

Japan play Peru on 1st June in at the Big Swan in Niigata, before playing the Czechs on 7th June in Yokohama. Peru face the Czechs on 4th June in the delightful town of Matsumoto.

After all the issues, problems, discussions, negotiations, wranglings and I dare say it arguments, Japan have finally officially withdrawn from this year’s Copa America.

As we know this is in large part due to the earthquake a few months ago, and it’s knock-on effects on Japanese football’s calendar this year. The final straw to break the camel’s back was the refusal of several European clubs to release their Japanese players for a tournament that Japan are merely guests at.

Germany in particular is home to several Japanese internationals, and the Copa coincides with their pre-season training camps and they have simply refused the release of these players as they have the right to do so.

Had this been the Asian Cup of course they could not (and indeed did not) block player release, as that is Japan’s own confederation’s tournament. By no stretch of the imagination is Japan part of South America and hence the clubs’ refusal.

JFA main man Junji Ogura had this to say…

“With all due considerations, we cannot form a team to participate in such an important tournament as the Copa America and lamentably we must withdraw our place in the competition.”

And there it is. Japan do have two upcoming Kirin Cup friendlies with Peru and Czech Republic, before getting into World Cup qualification in the autumn.

Also a scorer for the first time this week was Shinji Okazaki, with his first Bundesliga goal for VfB Stuttgart.

Germany

With matters at the top sorted out, Japanese interest in Germany is with the relegation zone where Wolfsburg are treading a very fine line indeed. Stuttgart have ended their worries and it was a big weekend for Shinji Okazaki who scored his first goal in the Bundesliga in Stuttgart’s win. Click here to see his well taken goal.

Schalke 1-3 Mainz – a season on wind down for Atusto Uchida and his colleagues, as they fall further down the league.
Werder Bremen 2-0 Borussia Dortmund
Wolfsburg 1-2 Kaiserslautern – Makoto Hasebe started but didn’t finish as Wolfsburg flirt with relegation.
Eintracht Frankfurt 0-2 Koln – Tomoaki Makino stayed on the bench.
Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0 Freiburg – Kisho Yano stayed on the bench.
Stuttgart 2-1 Hannover – Shinji Okazaki scored Stuttgart’s second and winning goal.

Italy

Inter 3-1 Fiorentina – no place for Yuto Nagatomo this week.
Brescia 1-2 Catania – and likewise no place for Taakyuki Morimoto either.

Spain

Real Mallorca 0-0 Villarreal – Akihiro Ienaga came on for the last 30 minutes.

France Ligue 2

Two matches and two draws for bottom placed Grenoble this week. Relegation is imminent. Daisuke Matsui played in both, but is surely counting the days until the summer transfer window.

Grenoble 1-1 Evian Thonon Gaillard
Grenoble 2-2 Boulogne

Russia

Dinamo Moscow 2-2 CSKA Moscow – Keisuke Honda on the bench but no further.

England Championship

Leicester City 4-2 Ipswich Town – Yuki Abe signed off his debut season in England with a win and a goal as Leicester finish 10th in the Championship.

There may be trouble ahead. All is not well with Japan’s prospective Copa America squad.

The problem? Player release.

Takayuki Morimoto may have been granted permission to head off to Argentina this summer by Catania, but then given he barely plays for them it’s not that surprising. But what about the other European based players?

Now that the J-League will run through July, it had been decided that 15 of the squad for the Copa America would be European based, with only the remaining 7 coming from the J-League. The JFA and CONMEBOL (South American governing body) had agreed that FIFA would be asked to ensure the release of these European based players.

FIFA then said they would do no such thing. Marvellous.

And now many of the European clubs are deciding they would rather not let their players spend the summer break risking injury and generally not being on holiday in what they see as a meaningless tournament for Japan.

Meaningless because Japan are guests in the Copa America, and it obviously isn’t Japan’s confederation championship. These same clubs have already faced the disruption of losing their Asian players for six weeks or so earlier this year for the Asian Cup.

In Borussia Dortmund’s case they lost Shinji Kagawa for the remainder of the season as a result of an injury picked up in that tournament, and no that he is nearing recovery they are being asked to release him again, but just to be a guest in South America’s championship.

You can sort of see why they might be a bit narked about it.

Borussia Dortmund are far from being alone however. Atsuto Uchida’s Schalke have also said they will not release their player for the Copa America, and I would expect some others to follow.

And these are just clubs who will be on their summer break at the time. What about Keisuke Honda at CSKA Moscow? That will be mid-season for his club.

The problem is that since Japan are not part of CONMEBOL the clubs are under no obligation to release Japanese players for a CONMEBOL tournament. Obviously they have to allow their South American players to compete, as they had to with their Asian players for the Asian Cup, their African players for the Cup of Nations and so on.

So what is the answer? The J-League clubs fear that the only solution will be to take more players from the J-League. No more than 7 players was the agreement, but if the European based contingent is fewer, then where else are the players to come from?

But with the J-League in catch-up mode at that time it is highly unlikely that the top home based players would be released in sufficient numbers.

This then begs the question that of the squad is to be bereft of many of the top European based players and only a limited number of the best home based players, then what is the point of going at all?

If the squad will effectively be a reserve one is there really anything to be gained by participating?

This had been the worry ever since the earthquake, but the supposed agreement with FIFA to allow player release from Europe was meant to have resolved it to allow a strong enough squad to take part but that now appears to be unlikely.

Kashima Antlers boss Oswaldo Oliveira expressed his thoughts on it all recently…

“I think it is a very good opportunity for Japan to take part in such a tournament.

“It is a very high and different level. The players would learn a lot but my complaint is they should have the best team, the best players. If you use players that will never stand in the national team (again) then what is the point?

“If you make a mix you are not going to achieve your objective. The season is off in Europe. Brazilian players, Argentina, Chilean, Uruguayan, Colombian players; all of them will be there and they all play in teams in Europe.

“I think the best way is if Japan take all those (European-based) players and important players from the J-League. You can take one from each team for example, because here we are still playing the J-League.

“I think they have to force the release of all the best players from Europe. They will be free in that moment. This cannot be transferred to the clubs. This is not our responsibility. It’s very important for Japan to play in the competition.”

What is the answer? Who knows. What is for sure is that there will be plenty of arguing to be had before the squad is announced. And my hunch? It will be an effective B team with a few of the Euro boys and a load of home based players, but not the top home based players.

“There’s no way I’m changing my mind. I think there are a lot of possibilities, but the important thing for me is to be playing. I feel like I’m in great condition.”

He’s a young player and still nedds to develop, and so being sat on the bench or not even making it that far must be particularly frustrating. A move elsewhere is in the interests of all I feel, so hopefully it will happen.

As for where he will go, we can only speculate but so long as it is a club where he can get some regular games then I doubt he’ll be too bothered.

One place he will be playing later in the year is in the Copa America after Catania agreed to allow him to join Japan’s squad for the July tournament. Japan have to include at least 15 overseas based players in the squad to satisfy the J-League and Morimoto looks certain to be on that list.

The deal was sealed thanks to a 2-0 win over Nuremburg, giving them an 8 point lead with 2 games to go. A warm round of applause to Kagawa and co if you please…

He now joins Yasuhiko Okudera (Koln – 1978), and Makoto Hasebe and Yoshito Okubo (Wolfsburg – 2009) as German Champions.

Let’s not forget the impact Kagawa has had for Dortmund this season as part of a dynamic attacking midfield, primarily terrorising defences from Dortmund’s left. He scored 8 goals in his 17 Bundesliga appearances, not to mention a couple more in the Europa League too.

His selection for the Asian Cup squad and subsequent injury in that tournament ended his season with Dortmund but he played a major role in Dortmund’s charge to the top of the league before the winter break.

Kagawa had this to say…

“I feel joy from the bottom of my heart. I threw away the second half of the season with this injury, but I feel honored that I was able to be involved in winning the title in my first year after coming to the Dortmund team. Now we have a chance to appear in the European Champions League next season, so I am really overjoyed. There are only a few matches remaining, but I’d like to try my best to get on the pitch again.”

Elsewhere there was a vital 3 points for Wolfsburg who are still fighting for their lives against relegation, currently sitting just 1 point above the relegation playoff spot, and 3 above automatic relegation.

Werder Bremen 0-1 Wolfsburg – Makoto Hasebe joined in from the bench mid way through the second half.
Koln 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen – Tomoaki Makino was an unused sub.
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Nuremburg
Hamburg 0-2 Freiburg – Kisho Yano was an unused sub.
Hoffenheim 1-2 Stuttgart – Shinji Okazaki started but had left the field before Stuttgart’s two goals.
Bayern Munich 4-1 Schalke – A bad week got worse for Atsuto Uchida and Schalke.

Bundesliga 2

Energie Cottbus 1-1 Augsburg – Takahito Soma and Hajime Hosogai both started on the bench for their respective teams, but only Soma saw some action. Augsburg are within touching distance of promotion.

Italy

Cesena 1-2 Inter – Yuto Nagatomo faced his parent club and nearly lost, Inter scoring twice in stoppage time to win.
Catania 2-0 Cagliari – Takayuki Morimoto stayed on the bench in this win which lifts Catania a bit clearer of danger but not safe yet.

Holland

PSV Eindhoven 2-1 Vitesse Arnhem – Michihiro Yasuda was in the Arnhem defence that doesn’t have much to play for in the closing weeks.
VVV Venlo 3-2 Feyenoord – Maya Yoshida and Robert Cullen played their part in a terrific win for Venlo against a Feyenoord team playing without Ryo Miyaichi. When he palys he helps them win, when he doesn’t they lose to a poor side like Venlo – a clear lesson there!

This win means that Venlo can’t finish last, and so can’t be automatically relegated. They have no escape from the relegation playoffs however, as they are too far adrift of guaranteed safety.

Spain

Racing Santander 2-0 Real Mallorca – Akihiro Ienaga started but didn’t finish this one.

France Ligue 2

Tours 2-2 Grenoble – a point for Daisuke Matsui and his colleagues merely delays the almost inevitable second relegation in two seasons for bottom placed Grenoble.

Russia

CSKA Moscow 0-1 Spartak Moscow – a return to the team for Keisuke Honda in a Moscow derby match, but CSKA lost out to Spartak.

England Championship

Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Leicester City – Mid table result for mid table guaranteed Leicester and Yuki Abe.

Some nice quotes from Yuto Nagatomo this week about life at Inter Milan, and how he feels he’s progressing at one of the biggest clubs around.

He’s been in and out of the team at times fighting for a place, but has not looked out of place when he has been playing and is on a run of appearances in the last couple of weeks.

As for Inter, they stuttered a bit recently culminating in the humiliating defeats to Schalke in the Champions League and a tonking from Milan in Serie A meaning that they won’t be adding any silverware this spring, but they still sit second in the league and for Nagatomo it is a big step up from being at Cesena earlier in the season, the club which he is still contracted to of course.

His raiding runs down the left are a good source of opportunities for Inter, and his seemingly endless energy makes him a bit of a fans favourite which is great to see.

“I always feel more inserted into the group, as if I have got over a mental block. Then when you hear the fans when I have the ball it gives me even more of a boost.”

Cesena will be Inter’s opponents this weekend and unlike in England where you can’t face your parent club it seems he is allowed to do so in Italy (at least I think he is) and will naturally want to impress.

“Now we have to focus on Cesena. It’s a very special game for me. I want to show my progress to my former team and fans. But, of course, I don’t want to lose.”

And of course, he wants Inter to take him permanently in the summer. I hope he gets that move as it’s great to see a Japanese player flourishing on such a big stage, and can only help the cause of the national team by the experience gained.

Nagatomo wouldn’t have been my first pick as the most likely Japanese player to have reached such a club level at the moment, the likes of Honda would have been a more obvious choice. Even Kagawa at Dortmund, though top of the Bundesliga by some distance, isn’t at a club of the same stature as Inter.

And Uchida at Schalke may have reached the semi-finals in the biggest club competition at the expense of Nagatomo and Inter, but Schalke are distinctly average in Germany despite their European exploits.

The fear for Nagatomo would have been that he might not see enough game time at Inter, and at times he has indeed been left out, but the biggest praise like I said earlier is that when in the team he has not looked out of place.

Just for kicks, here’s Nagatomo’s goal again from last month for Inter against Genoa…enjoy!