Japan will be looking to gather momentum in the New Year according to the manager Alberto Zaccheroni. He has said that the year 2013 will be extremely decisive for the team in the hopes of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

A lot has also been expected of Japan in recent times, while many suggesting that they could become the next major force in the world. However, the team first needs to qualify for the World Cup according to the manager. He has said that due to the fact that there is not a lot of time in 2014, the team should make use of this year to reach its peak.

Zaccheroni has admitted to the fact that the confederations cup will be extremely tough. He has said that the team needs to make use of this tournament as a stepping stone to the 2014 World Cup. The last two years has been extremely good for the national team under the regime of Zaccheroni. He has managed to get the team to the Asian cup victory in 2011, while the form of the team has also been extremely good in 2012. Japan are extremely close to qualifying for the World Cup due to a near-perfect record.

“The Confederations Cup will be tough, and that’s exactly the way I want it. After that, I’ve asked the JFA for another European tour when I hope we can keep playing the best teams. The Confederations Cup will be incredibly competitive, with only quality teams in the tournament. We must use the competition as a building block for 2014. At the Confederations Cup, I can’t emphasize how important it will be to find out what we need to work on over the year leading up to the World Cup,” said the Japanese national team manager.