Japan fans urged to boo their hearts out
Reuters - Sunday 07 February 2010, 07:13
TOKYO - Japan's football chief wants
disgruntled fans to continue jeering the national side in the
hope of toughening them up before this year's World Cup.
Japan's players were booed from the pitch after Saturday's
0-0 home draw with China in the East Asian championship, piling
more pressure on coach Takeshi Okada.
The Blue Samurai copped similar flak from fans after their
goalless draw with Venezuela in a friendly in Kyushu four days
earlier.
Japan Football Association (JFA) president Motoaki Inukai
told Sunday's Sports Hochi: "I want the supporters to boo their
hearts out. It's good for the players."
Okada has come under fire since his bold declaration that
Japan's target at this year's World Cup in South Africa was the
semi-finals.
Inukai added some perspective.
"We have problems - 180 minutes without a goal," he said.
"If we play like that at the World Cup we don't stand a
chance."
Japan have never won a World Cup finals game on foreign
soil and face Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark in the group
stages in South Africa in June.
Only a late penalty save from goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki
spared Japan further embarrassment in Tokyo where swathes of
empty seats told their own story.
"If we win the next two games we can win the title," said
Okada. "We need to reflect on what's going wrong and find a way
to score goals."
World Cup-bound South Korea were beginning the defence of
their East Asian title against Hong Kong in Tokyo later on
Sunday.