Japan plays soccer like a computer, says former star Nakata

Tuesday 21st April, 06:55 AM JST

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aedfed at 01:00 PM JST - 21st April

I had a friend whose son played on a recreational junior high baseball team in Japan. They lost all the games they played, so they decided to stop playing games and just practice. Not much joy in that, from my point of view.

Could just as easily apply to soccer.
unscrejects at 01:17 PM JST - 21st April

Underperforming journeyman, Nakata? Man! What world is this person living in - JackDorf. Nakata took Asian soccer into the new century. He made Perugia a force in Serie A in one year! The guy did it all...
whitepocky at 01:20 PM JST - 21st April

Most kids will kick a ball, or some other unique interpretation of a ball, against a wall, in the street, in an open area available to them until the small hours of the night to perfect their ball skills. This in turn is nurtured into the team sport when kids get picked up at junior level. In my time in Japan I have never seen one kid doing this, for any sport. For all their work ethic, they really lack initiative in the final third of the pitch. Their passing range is limited and they struggle to break down stubborn defences. This is not limited to football however as this is a common thread throughout Japanese team sports. Very quick agile athletes who excel in their field where speed and technique are required.
magpie at 01:47 PM JST - 21st April

Underperforming journeyman, Nakata? Man! What world is this person living in - JackDorf. Nakata took Asian soccer into the new century. He made Perugia a force in Serie A in one year! The guy did it all...

unscrejects,Agree that underperforming journeyman is a bit off the mark, but the issue with nakata was that so much was expected of him. He was part of golden generation of Japanese players alongside, kawaguchi, nakamura and Shinji Ono and Inamoto who everyone expected so much of. Amongst them, it was without a doubt that Nakata stood out.

Yes he did real well at Perugia who paid a fortune for him and got every penny back. He would have been 33 at the next world cup and could have easily played in this current team and porobably globally at a high level. That said, he packed it all in in 2006 at the age of 29.

Compare that with a guy like Kazu, who's still playing in J2 for Yokohama FC. Okay so he's nowhere near what he was at his best, but his passion hasn't changed , if anything he's probably more passionate now. Compare the two and I have a lot more respect for Kazu and what he's done and is still doing than I do for Nakata who probably had as much talent if not more than Kazu did. For kids like my son who's 12, Kazu is as much of inspiration as gys like Gerrard and Shearer are.
Yelnats at 02:30 PM JST - 21st April

He could have been more colorful and called his fellow players 3CP'O's
Disillusioned at 04:49 PM JST - 21st April

This is so obvious when watching the Japanese team play. As soon as the game plan gets a bit out of whack their game falls to pieces. Possibly, if their training wasn't set up like a military drill and they encouraged players to be themselves instead of programmed drones they might actually win a game (occasionally). The same could be said nearly every international sport the Japanese participate in. - What's with bunting all the time in baseball?
Altria at 04:55 PM JST - 21st April

If the Japan team is a computer game, the shoot button is broken.
northlondon at 05:55 PM JST - 21st April

Zico once said (whilst managing Japan's national side) that Japan will always struggle to produce quality soccer players because there is not much poverty here and kids are so comfortable growing up in Japan. I noticed myself when my eldest was playing junior soccer here that all the kids at his club had the latest boots, brand new kit, expensive accessories etc, etc. I couldn't believe that his club requested that every new joiner buy a whole set of brand new (and expensive) kit. Back home in London we used to pay a minimum subscription each month and the kit (secondhand) came out of the dirty old club kitbag.
LostinNagoya at 06:15 PM JST - 21st April

Taiko 666:

Why not let the FIFA rankings do the talking? England up to 7th, Portugal down to 11th. Both are under-achievers though.

Fifa´s rankings does not mirror the status of every team very well. Take Brazil, penta-champions and in the 4h position there. Don´t go all numbers, or you will lose your bet.
magpie at 07:02 PM JST - 21st April

Back home in London we used to pay a minimum subscription each month and the kit (secondhand) came out of the dirty old club kitbag

northlondon, totally agree with you. I rememebr getting hand me downs from my brother who got his from our cousin! By the time they came to me, the moulded studs on me boots were half gone!

My nephew (whom I mentioned on another thread re one child policy families)plays for a club in Osaka where every 10 year old kid seems to be driven in by parents in nice new mercs and beemers. The kids have the latest Predators, T90's, F50's etc. For many of them football was about the gear and the need to have the latest gear. I guess by the time they get to 13,14 where they ahve to continue to play everyday to improve, they're too busy going to an expensive cram school as well. Wealth brings opportunities that others won't have.

That said, whilst I agree that hunger is an important aspect of football, it comes down to passion and drive. If a kid loves his football and hates to lose, he'll have the drive to improve. I guess if your poor and football is your only option, you will probably have that drive and passion. But also, you don't HAVE to be poor to have it....
LoveUSA at 02:12 AM JST - 22nd April

For me there is only one soccer star in Japan and this is Nakata. I respect him even more now, and not because of his handsome face and stylish look, but because of his kind heart - he does a lot for the retired soccer players, the local communities and for the little kids who would like to become soccer players. It is so zannen that he retired from professional soccer because as a soccer player he was really great and he retired very early, it was a surprise for me because he was the most successful Japanese player on theinternational scene, young and could give more to soccer if he had stayed. I agree with what he says and maybe he can make a great coach in the future, why not of the national - the Samurai Blue. Good luck, Nakata, you have golden heart.
ca1ic0cat at 02:52 AM JST - 22nd April

We are the borg. Resistance is futile. Your tender is putty in our hands and your technology is obsolete!
smithinjapan at 03:20 PM JST - 22nd April

Actually, computers play soccer better than Japan. While Japan's defense may be occasionally as tight as a team on the computer screen, the computerized team at least shoots the ball towards the net once in a while instead of always passing it off until the other team steals it or it goes foul. If Japan could improve its striking, it would increase their game 10 fold and put them in the ranks of the good teams.
sparksy at 11:23 AM JST - 23rd April

Regular real time game exposure during their teens will develop better Japanese soccer players. The current junior and senior high school system sees about 95% repititive, mind-numbing practice and only 5% real games in the form of knock-out tournaments. When I was at high school in Australia, we had a real game every week with another school that made up the local league. Skill under pressure, character and natural talent have more of chance in this environment than at tedious club activities with endless drills. This goes for a whole lot of other sports in Japan, too. Nakata is right. The teenagers of Japan are trained to all be the same. Their soccer style, no matter even if they have a coach from overseas, will be intrinsically difficult to change, just like the country.
ZazoomZa at 06:30 PM JST - 23rd April

Japanese cant be other than Japanese, typical or not. Hes not saying anything new.