The U-19 Japan National Team, led by coach UCHIYAMA Atsushi, started their training camp in Kakegawa city in preparation for the AFC U-19 Championship Bahrain 2016 commencing on Friday 14 October. The current squad was assembled in January 2015 and got through the primary qualifiers held in Lao without any defeats. Now their target is to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2017 which will be held in Korea next year. 

Prior to the training, the players and staff had a meeting in the hotel at 2 p.m. In the beginning, the Coach Uchiyama expressed his expectations of the team. “Until now, we focused on both the result and performance in getting through to this tournament. Now that we are competing for the U-19 AFC championship, we have to solely focus on attaining the results. I believe that if we keep on performing the way we are accustomed to play on the pitch, the positive result should follow. We need to develop ourselves as a better person, pondering on improving the team as a whole, and work hard as a united team. We look forward to returning back to Japan with smiles on our faces”. Lastly, the lectures were given to check upon the team vision and tactics to conclude the meeting.

Since most of them played matches last weeked for their respective club teams before coming to this camp, the training was light, not using the ball but instead having a running session for an hour. 

After dinner, Dr. Sugimono lectured about doping and conditioning in front of the players. He stressed the importance of having a good understanding about their physical conditions and managing their free time responsibly as a squad member.

During their four-day camp which ends on Thursday 6 October, they will have training sessions and a practice match against Jubilo Iwata, which is planned to take place on 5 October in Ecopa Stadium. After the match, the team will move to the UAE to have another training camp to get used to the hot weather and to recover from the jetlag travelling there. On 11 October, they will move to Bahrain and start preparing for the first match against the U-19 Yemen National Team on October 14. 

Players' Comments

GK #1 KOJIMA Ryosuke (Waseda University)
The final camp before the AFC U-19 Championship has begun today. We have only a few days before the first match, but we want to prepare ourselves well while improving the level of our football. Getting good results will be everything for us, so we will think about attaining them and work hard from our training. To qualify for the U-20 World Cup 2017, we will be united as a team and do our best.

DF #2 FUJITANI So (Vissel Kobe)
We only have few days prior to the first match of the championship. Since we have only a limited number of practice sessions as a team, I want to make the most out of each day of training. To understand the concept of this team, we have to communicate well and share our ideas amongst each other. To keep winning in the championship, I want to do my best and make the best preparation possible.

DF #3 NAKAYAMA Yuta (Kashiwa Reysol)
Today we have started training for the AFC U-19 Championship. We have 11 days to go before the first match. We will do our best, getting ourselves in good condition both mentally and physically for the first match. This championship will decide if we can qualify for the World Cup, I just want to spend my days preparing for this championship. All of us are considering ourselves as challengers and doing their best to get the ticket for the U-20 World Cup in Korea. Hopefully, we all can end the tournament with smiles. 

Schedule

*Local Time
*The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.
*The Championship's top four ranked teams will then fly the Asian flag at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017. If Korea Republic, the hosting country of 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, advances to the semifinals, the playoff matches will be held deciding the fifth place among the four losing teams in the quarterfinals.