With four days to go before Japan’s opening match in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Alberto Zaccheroni, the head coach, appeared at a press conference held at the team’s base in Itu in São Paulo, Brazil, on Tuesday 10 June and noted: ‘So far, so good.’

The Japan National Team had a day off for the first time since the 23 players were selected and attended training camps in Ibusuki and Florida. The players spent some time on their own during the day off.

The head coach Zaccheroni elicited plenty of laughs from the media by saying ‘I’m here to see you lot instead of the players, because they all have a day off.’ He noted: ‘I decided ages ago to give them a day off today, if every practice goes according to plan.’ He explained that the preparation for the team is going smoothly.
He also commented: ‘we held the best practice session yesterday. Today’s break will improve their physical condition for the first match, as their bodies have been under a lot of stress up to now.’ The day off will have a therapeutic effect ahead of the opening game against Cote d’Ivoire on 14 June.

The coach himself chose the team’s base in the outskirts of Itu from other potential locations after a personal visit. He implied that ‘the players like it’, and seem comfortable there.
The team will move to Recife, where the match will be held, the day before the game. In the two days remaining before the match, their training sessions will focus on ‘attack one day, and the defence on the other day’ on 11 and 12 June respectively.

When asked about the recently conceded goals, he answered: ‘our team is well balanced. What we need is concentration on marking. In the previous match, the forward and midfielders didn’t defend enough,’ highlighting the importance of the balance and ‘total football’.
It will be the fifth time in a row that Japan has played in the FIFA World Cup. They will play their first match on 14 June, followed by the game against Greece in Natal on 19 June and then against Colombia in Cuiabá on 24.

Comments

Alberto ZACCERONI Head Coach
There are four days to go before the opening match. I just expect from the players what I’ve always expected. I will be careful about how the players prepare for the match, though. I’ll tell them to focus on starting the match in good condition. Neither too relaxed, nor too tensed. As this team is well balanced in age and experience, I don’t see any problems. Judging by the players’ status, I believe our preparation is going smoothly.
For four years, I’ve told them to play confidently in approaching the opponent’s goal, but also to keep the balance of the team. Every single player is required to cover the massive pitch. So the midfielders and the forward also have to join in defence. All the players need to be responsible for any mistakes as a team.

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