Okada picks best team for South Africa dry run

Shintaro Kano / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter

Takeshi Okada named a full-strength squad of 22 on Thursday for Japan's final two matches of 2009 against South Africa and Hong Kong away.

Although Shunsuke Nakamura has been losing minutes with each passing weekend at Espanyol, Okada called up the midfielder for the Nov. 14 friendly at Johannesburg or Port Elizabeth, and an Asian Cup qualifier at Hong Kong four days later.

Okada felt compelled to assemble his best players because he wil not have such an opportunity until late March, at the earliest.

Urawa Reds' centerhalf Marcus Tulio Tanaka has been left off the team for the time being with a groin injury, but Okada expects to add him to the mix once he gets final clearance from the medical staff.

"This is our last game of the year and it'll be the last chance to work with the Europe-based players until possibly next March," Okada said.

"I won't know about Tulio until Friday, but the doctors have told me he should, in all likelihood, be OK for the trip."

Japan's three home games last month against Hong Kong, Scotland and Togo turned out to be anything but competitive, and Okada is relishing the chance to play abroad where his side should face more of a test.

"We're getting to play away, which is something we need to be doing," the manager said.

"We have an opportunity to play in the country of the World Cup finals. I know they haven't had the results recently, but from what I remember at the Confederations Cup, they're a very strong side."

Okada also said getting a feel for South Africa before the June 11-July 11 tournament should do wonders for his players.

"It'll be huge for them, mentally," he said. "It will also help the national team staff prepare for the finals, find out firsthand what they need and don't need."

The squad is:

GK: Eiji Kawashima (Frontale), Shusaku Nishikawa (Trinita)

DF: Yuji Nakazawa (Marinos), Yuichi Komano (Jubilo), Daiki Iwamasa, Atsuto Uchida (Antlers), Yasuyuki Konno, Yuhei Tokunaga (Tokyo)

MF: Shunsuke Nakamura (Espanyol), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba), Kengo Nakamura (Frontale), Daisuke Matsui (Grenoble), Yuki Abe (Reds), Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Honda (Venlo), Junichi Inamoto (Rennes)

FW: Keiji Tamada (Grampus), Hisato Sato (Sanfrecce), Yoshito Okubo (Vissel), Shinji Okazaki (S-Pulse), Takayuki Morimoto (Catania)

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Frontale willing to return prize

Kawasaki Frontale offered to return the 50 million yen they received for finishing runnerup to FC Tokyo in the Nabisco Cup, a day after J.League chairman Kenji Onitake said he was prepared to discipline the J1 leaders for their behavior during the post-match proceedings.

The J.League will determine at an executive committee meeting next week whether to accept the money returned.

After Kawasaki was denied its first title by Tokyo, several Frontale players removed their medals on the podium and ignored handshakes from soccer officialdom, among them captain Hiroki Ito and Japanese international Kengo Nakamura.

Also infuriating Onitake was rightback Yusuke Mori, who was chewing gum during the ceremonies and has had a history of disciplinary issues.

Led by Ito, Frontale players apologized to Onitake in person on Thursday. Kawasaki said it would also suspend Mori for one game internally, and cut the pay of three club executives including president Shinpei Takeda.

"I came here to apologize on behalf of the players," Ito said. "We have to take it upon ourselves to make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

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Albirex, Suzuki to part ways

Jun Suzuki will not return as coach of Albirex Niigata for the 2010 season, the J1 club said on Thursday.

No replacement was immediately announced. The 48-year-old Suzuki, who has been in charge since 2006, will see the team through the remaining four league games and the Emperor's Cup.

Suzuki's side was in third place as of late August, but after a 1-0 loss to Vissel at Kobe last weekend, Albirex had dropped to sixth, nine points behind leaders Frontale.