October 18, 2004

After progressing to the next round of qualifying with a 1-0 victory over Oman last week, JFA president Saburo Kawaguchi have come out & told the Japanese media that Japan coach Zico would include veterans Kazuyoshi Miura, Masashi Nakayama & Yutaka Akita in his squad to face the Lions - Vissel Kobe's Miura, 37, was an iconic striker for Japan in the 1990s, while Jubilo Iwata's Nakayama, 37, & Nagoya Grampus Eight defender Akita, 34, were national team stalwarts.

The move to include them for the qualifier in Saitama has met with criticism, with newspapers in Japan & Singapore debating whether it was an insult to Singapore, who lost 2-1 to Japan at the Jalan Besar Stadium in March.

The proposal to include the veteran trio also met with a lukewarm response from Japan defender Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, who said I am sure Zico has his ideas & I am sure the Football Association has their ideas but we the players have our own feelings, so I just hope they take those on board too.

For Singapore national coach Radojko Avramovic, it does not bother him one bit as he feel it was the decision of the JFA & Zico & his job is to put out the best possible side to represent Singapore.