AIX-LES-BAINS, France Japanese national coach Takeshi Okada's axing of 31-year-old veteran striker Kazu Miura last week has shown up a generation gap within his World Cup squad, according to midfielder Motohiro Yamaguchi. Miura's comrades from Japan's unsuccessful qualifying campaign for USA 94 captain and sweeper Masami Ihara and striker Masashi Nakayama, both veterans at 30 survived the axe but are now looking over their shoulders, Yamaguchi said.

Miura's 54 goals in 86 games over eight years were not enough to save him and although the impact of leaving him out was not so much as I had expected it did have something of an effect on Ihara and Nakayama, said Yamaguchi, a regular starter. But on the contrary, it was a great relief for the players who have seen themselves on the borderline, Yamaguchi revealed.

They now have the chance to prove themselves in the knowledge that established reputations count for little in coach Okada's book as the squad prepares in the spa town of Aix-Les-Bains for their country's World Cup debut against Argentina next Sunday. Okada also left out defender Daisuke Ichikawa, one of the two teengers in his provisional 25-strong squad, and 29-year-old midfielder Tsuyoshi Kitazawa, a teammate of Miura's at Verdy Kawasaki. (AFP)