On the Japanese sports site Sponichi Annex, Yuji Nakazawa recently commented on the need for continuity in Japan’s national team’s style of football:

In response to the Japan being eliminated in the group stage of the 2014 Brazil World cup former Japanese national player, Yokohama F. Marinos defender Nakazawa Yuji said,

“I have recommended the establishment of ‘Japanese Football’”

Based on his experience of participating in two consecutive tournaments in Germany in 2006 and in South Africa in 2010 he feared that there is no continuity in Japanese football,

“In 99 Japan’s style was modelled around the French who won in the previous year. After that, we played ball-moving and people-moving football. From around 2010, we played Spanish ‘pass football’. With every World Cup when a 4 year cycle is ended, so, the ‘Japanese style’ constantly changes”

To establish a style, consistent leadership is essential from junior training age so he has suggested to the JFA that, “it would better if they managed this and this won’t happen unless the Association appoints a leader who is able to organise this in all age groups.”