Japan midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata sought Thursday to silence the murmurs of discontent in the Japan camp ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifier against Iran and insists all is calm as he prepares to play his first international in almost a year.
Coach Zico has named the Serie A playmaker as captain of the national side for the Group B clash in Tehran and decided to deploy an unfamiliar 4-4-2 system that has caused concern for certain players in the squad.
But Nakata, who last played for Japan in the first round of qualifiers March 31 last year against Singapore, says he feels as if he has never been away and insists the players are happy with whatever formation they play.