INCOMING SKIPPER TO STEADY THE SHIP

Itakura vows to instil calm and spur unity after taking armband from injured Endo

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New Japan captain Ko Itakura vowed to bring the team together after their preparations for their June 14 World Cup opener against the Netherlands were rattled by the departure of his influential predecessor Wataru Endo.

The Liverpool star had been expected to feature in the Group F clash but a foot injury that has plagued him this year forced his withdrawal from the squad on June 11, and prompted the 33-year-old midfielder to announce his international retirement.

Endo had formed a midfield partnership with Ao Tanaka in Japan’s most recent friendly against Iceland but coach Hajime Moriyasu’s confidence in his options was reflected in his decision to replace Endo with forward Shuto Machino instead.

Tanaka could be paired with Germany-based Kaishu Sano or Daichi Kamada.

Following a training session near their base camp in Nashville, Tennessee on June 12, Ajax defender Itakura revealed that a meeting involving all the members of the squad will be held to discuss the way forward.

“We're having good, high-intensity training and the mood is on the up, but we can go up a notch and further generate that sense of being one team,” the 29-year-old said.