Takeshi Okada has concerns over Keiji Tamada and Atsuto Uchida as the Japan national team arrives in Oita ahead of their friendly match with Venezuela tomorrow evening.
Kashima Antlers defender Uchida, who remains the subject of intense speculation over a possible overseas transfer, has reportedly suffered a recurrence of the stress-related nausea that has often plagued him in the past, while Nagoya Grampus striker Tamada has been forced to sit out training after feeling pain in his right abductor muscle.
News of Tamada’s injury has heightened speculation that Japan will call upon Sota Hirayama to start up front alongside Shinji Okazaki, after the 24-year-old followed up his hat-trick for an experimental national side against Yemen last month with an impressive showing throughout the full squad’s training camp in Kagoshima last week. Okada said yesterday that he will have to ‘wait and see’ if Tamada will be fit to play any part against Venezuela, but described Hirayama’s presence in practice as ‘having a very good impact on the squad’.
Tomorrow’s friendly game serves as a warm-up for the East Asian Championship in Tokyo, which kicks off on Saturday evening when Japan take on 2005 winners China. Japan have finished as runners-up in each of the previous three editions of the four-team tournament, which also features reigning champions South Korea, and Hong Kong, who ousted North Korea in a qualifying competition last summer.
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Former Japan striker Masashi Oguro has left Tokyo Verdy to join fellow J2 side Yokohama FC on a season-long loan. The 29-year-old made his name with Gamba Osaka before spells in Europe with Grenoble and Torino, but was unable to help Verdy return to J1 at the first attempt despite 21 goals in 39 league appearances last season. Oguro expressed his excitement at the opportunity to learn from veteran forward Kazuyoshi Miura and help Yokohama, who finished down in 16th position last year, back up to the top flight for the first time since 2007.
East Asian Championship 2010 schedule
Saturday 6 February
Japan v China
Sunday 7 February
South Korea v Hong Kong
Wednesday 10 February
China v South Korea
Thursday 11 February
Japan v Hong Kong
Sunday 14 February
Hong Kong v China
Japan v South Korea
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