Soccer: Okada raises bar after jubilant Japan reach 2010 World Cup+

YOKOHAMA, June 7 Kyodo -
Japan coach Takeshi Okada on Sunday threw down the gauntlet to his ''Blue
Samurai'' and called on them to fight all the way for a place in the last four
of next year's World Cup finals.

Japan became the first country to join hosts South Africa at soccer's showcase
event after a gutsy 1-0 win away to Uzbekistan on Saturday sealed qualification
with two matches to spare in Asian zone Group A.
Shinji Okazaki headed in the clincher in the ninth-minute in Tashkent and Japan
survived intense late pressure and a red card for Makoto Hasebe to claim a
fourth consecutive World Cup berth after debuting under Okada at the 1998
finals in France.
''As soon as the final whistle went yesterday it signaled the start of a new
challenge,'' Okada told a news conference in Yokohama, hours after the team
arrived back in Japan.
''I want the players to show fighting spirit and look to reach the semifinals
(in South Africa),'' said the 52-year-old, who lost all three games in his
first stint as national team coach at France '98.
Okada took over the reigns for a second time in December 2007 after former head
coach Ivica Osim suffered a serious stroke, and boldly announced a goal of
taking Japan to the semifinals in South Africa.
He came under fire after a series of disappointing performances, including a
World Cup third-round qualifying loss to Bahrain that he described as the most
humiliating moment of his life, but proved the doubters wrong by accomplishing
his first mission of guiding the team to South Africa.
''I have learned a lot from this team,'' said Okada. ''Gradually the players
have become a unit and they look forward to getting together. What I have
gained is a united team front on top of the tactics and technical side of
things.''
Japan reached the second round of the World Cup for the first time under
Frenchman Philippe Troussier when the country co-hosted the 2002 finals with
bitter rivals South Korea, who went on to reach the semifinals.
The three-time Asian champions bowed out in the group stage under Brazilian
coach Zico after two defeats and a draw at the 2006 tournament in Germany.
Japan claimed one of the two automatic spots from Group A on Saturday after
improving their record to 14 points with four wins and two draws from six
games.
Around 150 fans greeted Japan's arrival back at Narita airport on Sunday before
the team headed for Yokohama, where they will take on Qatar in their
penultimate Group A game on Wednesday.
Okada said he will probably have to watch the Qatar game from the stands after
he was banished from the bench apparently for dissent following Hasebe's
sending off.
''I probably won't be on the bench. I think I will get assistant coach
(Takeshi) Oki to take over and he will probably do a better job than me,'' he
joked.
Japan trail Australia in the group only on goal difference. The Socceroos
secured the other berth after they got the point they needed in a 0-0 draw in
Doha.
Okada's men wrap up the qualifiers away to Australia in Melbourne on June 17.
==Kyodo
2009-06-07 21:17:31