Newly appointed national team coach Alberto Zaccheroni wants his new charges to turn the page and create a new chapter in Japanese soccer history after their World Cup heroics in South Africa.
The Italian, casually dressed in a black polo shirt, jeans and white trainers, ran the rule over the Blue Samurai for the first time from the sidelines Thursday as they limbered up for Saturday's highly anticipated rematch with Paraguay in Yokohama.
"I had a meeting with the players and they are all very motivated. The first thing I said to them was how well they had played at the World Cup," Zaccheroni told reporters.