JAPAN

I notice that the topic, "future wc winners" being constantly brought up in these forums. Of course you will have fans of the perennial top 8 bigging up their countries. Each boasting about their probable world class starlets that will lead them to glory in the not so future world cup. Those countries being, Brazil, Argentina, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Italia.

ENTER JAPAN

They are quietly putting together quite the national team. I will not be surprised if these group of players end up making a splash in t he next WC.

Here are my reasons

* The Japanese no longer have the "token asian guy" playing in some random team in a random league in
Europe

* Big chunk of the starting 11 of Japan applies their trade in Europes Elite teams.

* The players who play for those teams are quite crucial to that team (star players).

* They are all of around the same age -therefore they will gel and grow up together.

* The players sense of national pride.

* Footballing culture has been built from the ground up without the reliance of foreign aid.
The Japanese league could have done what MLS is doing now, and bought buncha "has beens", but they chose to use their league as a platform to nurture their home grown talent.


So whats your take on this?

I remember the commentator during the WC, mentioning they have a 100 year plan, to improve their league to compete with Europe's elites.

Here's one article about it:

http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/5577/38/

Kagawa (22)
Honda (25)
Miyaichi (18)
Morimoto (23)
Nagatomo (24)
Usami (19)
Okazaki (25)
Uchida (23)

yes i think they'll do very well in the future with growing youngsters like these.

south korea isn't that far away from Japan

I dont think the koreans are in the same level of pedigree as the Japanese.
EDIT: obviously in footballing terms(,and from how things are going in the present.) before i get labeled as being discriminating

I hope EA starts putting the J-league in FIFA instead of the K-League

Koo Ja-Cheol (22) Wolfsburg
ki Sung- Yueng (22) Celtic
Park Chu-Young (26) Monaco
Lee Chung-Yong (23) Bolton Wanderers
Son Heung-Min (19) HSV
Ji Dong-Won (20) Sunderland
Nam Tae-Hee (20) Valenciennes FC


not as good as Japan but this season/ last season the number of asians moving to Europe has improved...

lmao.. I noticed.. I think every German team or almost every German team has a Japanese player.. as if it was an obligation.

The Japan women's team winning their World Cup recently may just be a good omen.

They've definitely improved at every level and have the means to become a top national side; they've got the money, the population and, perhaps most importantly, producing more good talents more frequently.