Japan national coach Vahid Halilhodzic spoke to reporters ahead of the Samurai Blue’s Kirin Cup 2016 campaign.
Fourteen J.League players have been summoned to the squad, including first time call-ups Ryota Oshima (Kawasaki Frontale) and Yuki Kobayashi (Jubilo Iwata).
“Oshima and Kobayashi aren’t ready yet, and for now I want them to watch and learn,” Halilhodzic said on Wednesday. “I think that Takuma Asano has a much bigger chance of being involved in the upcoming matches.
“However we only started tactical training on Tuesday (May 31) and [Oshima and Kobayashi] already proven my reasons for calling them up.
“They’re talented, and now I want them to show the effort needed to establish themselves as regular national team members.”
Japan will face Bulgaria on Friday at Toyota Stadium before playing either Denmark or Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday at Suita Stadium.
