SAMURAI BLUE (Japan national team) entered its second day of their latest training camp at a field in Chiba Prefecture on the 8th April.

On a sunny spring day, a Cerezo Osaka forward Nanno Takumi, who had to go through different training menus on the first day, reunited with the squad and all the 23 players got to work on game-style practices.
For the full-court games, Albirex Niigata forward Kawamata Kengo and Sagan Tosu forward Toyoda Yohei played one-top strikers for their respective squads, while Nanno, playing a central attacking midfielder behind Toyoda, played some energetic performances.
Meanwhile, defenders Shitotani Tsukasa, of Sanfrece Hiroshima, and Makino Tomoaki, of Urawa Reds, played the ride side backs, which were not their regular positions at their respective clubs.
Japan coach Alberto Zeccheroni repeatedly asked his players to be aware of the team concepts that he told them on the previous day, emphasizing on the pass-and-moves plays.

On the 9th, which would be the final day of the camp, the team would play an exhibition game against Ryutsu Keizai University.

Players comments

MINAMINO Takumi (Cerezo Osaka)
I'm happy to be able to play football here, because playing for the A-team was a dream that I've had since when I was a child and I get different feelings mentally. I was able to show some of what I'd wanted to do, but I feel like I could have shown even more boldness to go against the goal or gotten myself involved in getting the ball earlier. So I would like to be more conscious about those things from now on. My biggest trait is that I can get behind the defensive line, and today I got the ball where I wanted to and it was fun. The central attacking midfielder position is somewhere I can get in and play anytime, but it would give me some more advantage as a player to be able to play the left winger as well. We only have one more day in the camp tomorrow, so hopefully I can play harder, keeping our team strategies in my head while playing in my style. I don't think my techniques will drastically improve overnight, so I would just like to put up my best, and keep doing it every game I play in.

SHIBASAKI Gaku (Kashima Antlers)
We confirmed about our concepts yesterday and then tried them out in the games today. Personally, after I started trying to face my body forward, I felt like I got to be able to play better. In the game-style practices of today, I tried to get the ball between spaces and have more momentum, and I was able to do them, but I still want to showcase myself even more in tomorrow's exhibition. I didn't have a chance to play in the East Asia Cup, although I was called up, so I was simply pleased that I got to be able to take some actions this time. We only have quite a short time here, so hopefully I can play mixing up with the performance I ususallly do. The World Cup is the tournament that I've always wanted to make since when I was a child, and I want to make the team for the tournament. The defensive midfielder positions are competitive, but I can only do what I can do and want to focus on what I am supposed to do. Hopefully, I can always be aware of relaying the ball to the front players and showcase myself with my offensive game rather than my defense.

IMAI Tomoki (Omiya Ardija)
I was so nervous yesterday, but it became better today. We were told about our team concepts yesterday, so I am playing being aware of what you have to do on this team. Coach Zaccheroni gives us very detailed instructions and teaches what each member has to do, so that's beneficial to me. I was personally told by him that I should play with more momentum.

AOYAMA Toshihiro (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
We got to play some games and each member had a chance to showcase themselves, so we were all playing with high motivation. As far as me concerned, I've been on the national team a little longer than others, so I tried to have better communication with them, and they came to me asking for some advises, too. Those high motivation levels indicate how much they want to make the national team. I thought I was able to exihibit myself fine enough to be ahead of them. I triedto follow the team concepts first, then tried show my game. It's not been too long since I came to this team, so I try to follow our team concepts 100 percent now, but hopefully I will get to boldly put up my good points. I know that the time until the announcement on the World Cup members and the opportunities for us to show ourselves are limited. So these three days are our last chances and we all are in tense mood. But I would like to clearly show what I can do on the pith in tomorrow's exhibition.