WORLD CUP - SPORTS NOTES
Japan Exits Coach Philippe Troussier Departs

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Monday June 17, 2002

Whatever you believe, believe this….Since Philippe Troussier took the team over in September 1998 he implemented a style of play that brought the best out of the Japan squad and they were and are successful. They took a giant step as a team under his tutelage that resulted in a monster step for Asian football.

JAPAN EXCELLS WITH TROUSSIER

The Japanese excelled in their bid to win the WC title but came up short in a 1-0 loss to an experienced Turkey squad. After their exit there was more talk about the departure of coach Philippe Troussier than what the side has accomplished during his four-year tenure.

Troussier guided his team to the Asian Cup title in Lebanon 2000. They made an impressive showing in the Olympic Games making it to the quarterfinals and reached the final of the Confederations Cup last summer. As Troussier put it they deserved a place in the final sixteen of the World Cup.

Japan drew with Belgium 2-2 in their opening match before defeating Russia 1-0 and Tunisia 2-0 to clinch the top spot in Group H. The loss against Turkey is their worst performance. They weren't synchronized.

I first saw the Japanese squad when they squashed Thailand 6-1 in an Olympic qualifying match in Bangkok. The squad sliced up the Thais with such precision that they would have made a brain surgeon proud.

After the match I interviewed Troussier with the help of a translator. I was shocked to find that the match could have been his last since the Japanese Football Association wanted to fire him.

Having previously seen Brazil with their full squad thrash the Thai national team 7-1 in a friendly, I was more impressed with Japans play. They were more organized than any team I had ever seen up to that time which included Korea and Arsenal. Since that time I observed Manchester United in their narrow 2-1 victory over Thailand.

Japan was impressive because of the precision, organization, speed, quickness, aggression and ball control. They had a skill level that defied their age. Their only recognized star Hidetoshi Nakata was in Italy at the time of that Olympic qualifying match. They excel with players that don't have a lot of experience playing for clubs in Europe...percieved as the end all of gaining true soccer experience.

Currently only Nakata playing (Parma) and Shinji Ono (Feyenoord) are the only first-team players on their respective European squads. This past season Janichi Inamoto was a reserve with Arsenal but coach Arsene Wenger stated that he would not to have him back in a decision made prior to his World Cup success.

The side that lost to Turkey was not a true Japan team. Troussier was criticized for his selection and substitution of players in the Turkey loss. There may be some merit to those criticisms.

The weather conditions prevented Japan from playing its up tempo game. The heavy rain made the field wet and ball heavy slowing down Japan's pace and the tempo of the match. That worked in Turkey's favor. Turkey has a more deliberate style and is physically stronger.

Experience and age make a difference. Turkey played an excellent match but Japan is a better football team. In my opinion they are better than Korea and that is not to discredit the Korea side.

Only nine of Japan's twenty-three players are over 25-years of age. By comparison seventeen Brazil's 23-man squad 17 are over 25.

Thirty-year-old Hiroaki Morichima is the sides third oldest player and the most capped with 57 entering the tournament.

Troussiers' reputation is that he is somewhat of a tyrant, disciplinarian and physical with his players. Talk is cheap. What is most recognizable are the results….the Japan side is highly skilled squad but lacking experience.

In my interview with Troussier he was polite, respectful and considerate. At the time I knew nothing about the man. I didn't know that he was known as the White Witch Doctor that coached South Africa in the 1998 World Cup in France. He seemed like a shy introverted person but honest and straight forward.

Since soccer was and is so new to me, my limited experience has taught me to appreciate the magnitude of the game and its people over my past four years on the Asian soccer beat. From that encounter and some unpleasant instances in dealing with others [Luxemburgo], I can now see how considerate he was. My being naive was a good thing…I was open to listen and had no negative agenda, as many in the media do. I had no bias.

Whatever you believe, believe this….Since Philippe Troussier took the team over in September 1998 he implemented a style of play that brought the best out of the Japan squad and they were and are successful. They took a giant step as a team under his tutelage that resulted in a monster step for Asian football.

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