Japan

[Cannon ball]

Okay, I decided to make a thread about one of my favourite teams, who I've been keeping an eye on for a while now. Japan are a team on the up, more Japanese players are playing their football in Europe, and with the increasing standards of the J. League, that is expected to continue. Japan are Asia's most successful football nation, with a record 4 Asian Cups, after they beat Australia 1-0 in the 2011 final. The progress they have made in becoming Asia's most successful team has been quite amazing, considering that Japan only qualified for their first Asian Cup in 1988, and finished bottom of their group, with just one point. Four years later though, they won it for the first time on home soil, and haven't looked back.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a1/Japan_national_team.png

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0bkgfdw1Sg00O/610x.jpg

Asian Cup winners: 1992, 2000, 2004, 2011

They're also competing in this years Copa America, this is their group:

Group A
Argentina
Bolivia
Columbia
Japan

[uA - 1905]

They're also competing in this years Copa America, this is their group:

Group A
Argentina
Bolivia
Columbia
Japan

:lol::lol::lol:

WHAT

[Michu]

Yeah, that is mental :D

[Cannon ball]

For the Copa America, they can have two "guest" teams, usually the USA or Mexico, as there isn't really enough in that region for a proper South American tournament. I think the US must have declined or something, meaning a country on the other side of the world were invited. It is pretty mental though, I agree.

[Ali_BWFC]

I have a little bit of a soft spot for Japan.... but I prefer South Korea.... does that make us rivals? :)

Sometimes it seems like they're more bothered about their hair than playing football. :D

[Bish]

That's a joke that they're in Copa America. Was it just USA and Mexico they asked? What about Costa Rica, Honduras, T&T, Canada etc?

[Ali_BWFC]

Japan have been in it before, in 1999. You can see the list of invited teams on wikipedia. There must be some sort of rotation system.

[Michu]

Under Zaccheroni Japan have been quite impressive of late so it'll be interesting to see if they can put in a good showing at the Copa America. That competition really needs a name change though!

[Cannon ball]

I have a little bit of a soft spot for Japan.... but I prefer South Korea.... does that make us rivals? :)

Sometimes it seems like they're more bothered about their hair than playing football. :D

I've got no beef with South Korea, quite like them, but I prefer Japan. Koo Ja-Cheol, who joined Wolfsburg in January, looks to have a bright future. The modern footballer always cares about his hair, Ronaldo is bothered by his hair, eyebrows, fake tan, and shaved legs, and does him little harm.

[Cannon ball]

Japan 3-0 Korea. The link up play between Kagawa and Honda was a joy to watch at times. I have Borussia Dortmund down as Champions League darkhorses, I honestly think they can win it.

[Barrote]

Japan 3-0 Korea. The link up play between Kagawa and Honda was a joy to watch at times. I have Borussia Dortmund down as Champions League darkhorses, I honestly think they can win it.

wow? seriously? im going to be honest, i havent seen a single Dortmund game last season. i know they won the bundesliga but thats it. Are they really playing that good of a football?

[Cannon ball]

wow? seriously? im going to be honest, i havent seen a single Dortmund game last season. i know they won the bundesliga but thats it. Are they really playing that good of a football?

They lost Sahin, but seem to be coping quite well, and have started the Bundesliga season where they left off.

[Chilli81]

wow? seriously? im going to be honest, i havent seen a single Dortmund game last season. i know they won the bundesliga but thats it. Are they really playing that good of a football?

Sad to see that so much guys don't gut dortmund on the map :D

some impressions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx_iRoy6_K4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx1nsFI1S3E&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH8-sA3EWWQ

[uA - 1905]

The D are an awesome side with probably the best fans in the world but I think they could do with a top class striker. Barrios is pretty good but I don't know how he would fare against defenders that are not of the Bundesliga