SASAKI Norio, head coach of Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women’s National Team) and TAKAKURA Asako, head coach of Japan U-23 Women’s National Team announced the squad for FPF Algarve Cup 2015 and International U-23 Women’s Tournament La Manga respectively.

FPF Algarve Cup 2015 in Portugal scheduled to open on 4 March will be the last tournament before FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015. Brazil and Switzerland made entry for the first time this year and France is back in the tournament in a long time. In the highly competitive tournament with many powerhouse countries, “I selected the best members I can think of today. I am going to raise the team quality and committed to win upcoming games eyeing for winning the cup” said head coach SASAKI Norio. They will start their tournament campaign with 22 members announced and adding one player from four players who will join pre-training camp in Japan. That makes total of 23 players.

Eighteen players were named for International U-23 Women’s Tournament La Manga in Spain, starting on 26 February bit earlier than Algarve. U-23 head coach Takakura said “I set up training camp for players of this generation last year and found them bit quiet. They have high skills and made a spectacular showing in the league. Nadeshiko Japan is no longer the unreachable target but it presents an actual position they can secure. I want to send one or two players from U-23 squad to the Women’s World Cup this year.” They will take on USA on 26th, Sweden on 28th and Norway on 2 March.

Head Coaches Comments

SASAKI Norio, Head Coach of Nadeshiko Japan
The World Cup year has started at last. The Algarve Cup is very important tournament for us. I made a selection of the best members I can think of. I would hope to raise team quality by all means in the process of building up the team up to the World Cup. I have a couple of things to make sure, upgrading football of making chain reactions in both offence and defence, making a trial in the game where the other side is around, checking which formations work better, etc. Of course, the winning takes priority when it comes to the game and totally committed to clinching the Algarve Cup title.

TAKAURA Asako, Head Coach of Japan U-23 Women’s National Team
Up-and-coming players who are likely to lead the next generation of Nadeshiko Japan are going to participate in the tournament clearly distinguished as U-23. Not just finishing the tournament as was a good experience but I really want one or two of them can make it to Nadeshiko Japan squad for the Women’s World Cup in Canada this year. The criteria of the selection were the players who had been actively playing in the league and university. There are some players in the squad I had been watching since they were in development generation and they have tremendous capability and high potentiality without exception. The key tactics would be based on implementing hard-working defence in front, faster switching and focusing on skills of scoring goal and launching attack for taking advantage of many players’ combination. 

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)

National Team Squads

FPF Algarve Cup 2015 - Nadeshiko Japan(Japan Women's national team) squad

International U-23 Women’s Tournament La Manga - Japan U-23 Women's national team squad