Japan coach Aguirre demands unity, focus from players

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan coach Javier Aguirre has warned his players to shelve their egos and bring their game-face to training or risk being dumped from the team as they build for their Asian Cup title defence.

Japan coach Aguirre demands unity, focus from players

(Reuters)





The former Mexico and Espanyol coach, who replaced Alberto Zaccheroni in July after Japan were dumped from the World Cup in the first round, is chasing his first win with the Blue Samurai after a loss to Uruguay and a draw with Venezuela.

"You have to feel pride when you are with the national team. I don't need players who look like they are bored," Aguirre told Japanese media.

"It doesn't matter how famous you are, if you are moping, showing the attitude of a loser and not cooperating with the team, I won't need you. The team has to come before individuals."

Aguirre has already left his imprint on the team by dumping a number of players who failed to perform at the World Cup from an initial 23-man squad he named last month.

Although declaring that he had settled on a core group of four or five seasoned campaigners to build the team around, he was far from settled as to who would make up the numbers.

"There are players that I am interested in that have not come to the national team yet and I want to try and call them up for friendlies," he said.

"I don't want to make selection mistakes. You should use players who are going through a good phase."

Aguirre left Dortmund attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa out of his initial squad after he suffered concussion in a League Cup game for Manchester United prior to his transfer back to the Bundesliga.

The coach said the team's most potent weapon, now playing for his former club, would be recalled for the Blue Samurai's next match against Jamaica on Oct. 10 in Niigata along with Spain-based striker Mike Havenaar.

"He (Kagawa) can play in four or five positions up front that will give me options," Aguirre said.

Japan will further warm up for the Asian Cup with friendlies against Brazil on Oct. 14 and hosts Australia in November.





(Writing by Ian Ransom; Editing by John O'Brien)


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