TOKYO: Japan will need to be able to “deal with anything” at next month’s Asian Cup if they are to win a record fifth title, coach Hajime Moriyasu said on Thursday (Dec 7).
Japan are one of the favourites for the tournament in Qatar, which kicks off on Jan 12, after winning their last eight games including away victories over Germany and Turkey.
Moriyasu named a 23-man squad for a warm-up friendly against Thailand in Tokyo on New Year’s Day, featuring 15 overseas-based players but missing Premier League stars such as Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma.
The coach is expected to have everyone available when he names his Asian Cup squad in early January and he wants his players to be ready for any challenge.
“We want to be perfect from the first game but have to be prepared to grow with each match, and also to be able to deal with injuries and other things,” he said.
“Of course physical and tactical preparation is important but we want to make sure before the tournament starts that we have the mentality to play tough and deal with anything that is thrown at us.”
Source: CNA
