The need for speed will see Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda front and centre for Japan’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu has four games planned for next month as he prepares his side for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year, and it appears our exhausted Japanese stars won’t have too much of a break before they are back in action for their country.
Yet the words of Moriyasu will no doubt be music to the ears of Kyogo and Maeda, as it indicates their places in the World Cup squad are not only secured, it looks also like starting positions may too be a strong possibility.
Japan will play four home games in 12 days next month, when they face up to Brazil in Tokyo on 6 June, and Paraguay four days earlier in Sapporo. After that it will be Kirin Cup games against Ghana and either Chile or Tunisia for Maeda and Kyogo, and possibly Reo Hatate too, who recently won his first cap for Japan.
As reported in Daily Record, Moriyasu has clearly been keeping an eye on Celtic’s Japanese contingent, and whilst recognising the talent his squad will be up against when they face Brazil in particular, the Japanese boss has namechecked Kyogo and Maeda as Japan’s ‘weapon’ of choice when they face the superstars of Brazil.
“We are building towards our final squad for the World Cup and to play a team like Brazil with so many wonderful players will be a great test for us. They have global superstars like Neymar and Vinicius Junior who we are told will be coming to Japan.”
“Brazil have many wonderful players, but so do we. We have players in great shape like Furuhashi who has now scored 20 goals for the season with Celtic and Maeda too. They are two very quick players and we know that opponents dislike that. I want to make use of their speed as a Japanese weapon.”
For the Celtic support looking on a period of extended rest for our Japanese stars would be more welcome than a further four international games during our close season, but you can imagine that couldn’t be further from the thoughts of Kyogo, Maeda and Hatate when the World Cup is so tantalisingly close.
Meanwhile the fact Hajime Moriyasu is clearly keeping an eye on the Scottish Premiership this season can only help attract further talent should Ange Postecoglou return to the Japanese market during the summer transfer window.
For now, though it seems like a World Cup dream is a very real possibility for both Maeda and Kyogo, and a good showing against Brazil next month may well seal the deal.
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