SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2010: Japan coach Okada confident ahead of World Cup match against Netherlands

Record ID: 452413

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2010: Japan coach Okada confident ahead of World Cup match against Netherlands
  • Date: 19th June 2010
  • Summary: DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 18, 2010) (REUTERS) POLICE ESCORT JAPAN TEAM BUS ARRIVING AT THE PRINCESS MAGOGO STADIUM IN KWAMASHU TOWNSHIP TOWNSHIP BUS DRIVES IN WITH PLAYERS JAPANE TEAM AND COACHES ON TRAINING FIELD JAPANE PREPARING TO TRAIN JAPANESE JOURNALISTS AND CAMERAS VARIOUS JAPANESE TEAM TALK JAPANESE FOOTBALLERS WARMING UP OFFICIALS WATCHING KEISUKE HONDA TRAINING WITH HIS TEAM MATES WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITES) (Japanese) TAKESHI OKADA, JAPAN TEAM MANAGER, SAYING: "A football tale is something that cannot be told until the end of a match, so before the match we just have to keep the faith and keep believing and channelling all our strengths into completing the tale. We do this as that's the only thing we can do" NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITES) (Japanese) TAKESHI OKADA, JAPAN TEAM MANAGER, SAYING: "Last September we played against the Netherlands and that served as a watershed for us. Previously we hadn't played with the world's top class soccer teams outside our country, but this opportunity enabled us to understand very clearly what kind of soccer worked and didn't work. The team you see now has gone through various changes and improvements since last September. Having been observing the Netherlands team, they too have matured and improved into a very good team as well. Since last September, we have not just been training to win this game or to beat the Netherlands, but working to beat world class teams. We are very grateful for this valuable lesson" NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITES) (Japanese) TAKESHI OKADA, JAPAN TEAM MANAGER, SAYING: "I have already said and I repeat that victory is the best. But 0-0 or 0-1 (at half time) would be acceptable at least. This doesn't mean that we will aim for 0-0 or 0-1 (for half time) of course. If we can lead in the first half again, that would be the greatest happiness. But even if we can't score in the first half, given that it is the Dutch team, 0-0 or 0-1 will be satisfactory too. But if our team is capable of scoring three goals in the first half, that wouldn't be a problem at all either" NEWS CONFERENCE HONDA KICKING SOCCER BALL JAPAN TRAINING
  • Embargoed: 4th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVACFLYD3GASSMYUD02UAGLQ88P1
  • Story Text: Japan coach Takeshi Okada believes his team learned valuable lessons in a friendly against the Netherlands last year and is confident they can defeat the Dutch -- one of the World Cup favourites -- on Saturday (June 18).
    "Last September we played against the Netherlands and that served as a watershed for us. Previously we hadn't played with the world's top class soccer teams outside our country, but this opportunity enabled us to understand very clearly what kind of soccer worked and didn't work. The team you see now has gone through various changes and improvements since last September," Okada told a news conference on Friday.
    The Dutch still have fresh memories of their shock at being outplayed by the Japanese for an hour in last year's friendly, even though the European side ultimately ran out 3-0 winners.
    But a Japanese victory in the Group E match in the Moses Mabhida stadium would be almost a bigger upset than Switerzland's win against Spain on the same ground.
    The Japan side is brimming with confidence after an opening 1-0 win against Cameroon and the coach promised his players would fight until the last kick.
    "I have already said and I repeat that victory is the best. But 0-0 or 0-1 (at half time) would be acceptable at least. This doesn't mean that we will aim for 0-0 or 0-1 (for half time) of course. If we can lead in the first half again, that would be the greatest happiness. But even if we can't score in the first half, given that it is the Dutch team, 0-0 or 0-1 will be satisfactory too. But if our team is capable of scoring three goals in the first half, that wouldn't be a problem at all either," said Okada.
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