Japan players ignored Nakata, says JFA chief

TOKYO, Sep 5 (Reuters) A breakdown in communication with team mates prompted Japan playmaker Hidetoshi Nakata to quit the game after the World Cup, according to Japan's soccer chief.

Nakata dramatically retired from professional football following Japan's first-round flop but his relations with other members of the national side had already become strained.

''Nakata just wasn't able to get through to the other players in the team anymore,'' JFA President Saburo Kawabuchi told Reuters in a recent interview.

''He gave everything he had at the World Cup but he was being ignored to some extent. He said himself he didn't know how to get through to the players.'' Nakata collapsed to the turf and sobbed uncontrollably for almost 10 minutes after Japan's 4-1 defeat by Brazil in Dortmund sealed the Asian champions' exit from the World Cup.

Kawabuchi believes Nakata's outspoken nature was partly to blame for a personality clash with several senior Japan players.

''He just didn't quite have the right attitude or the right way of persuading his team mates,'' said Kawabuchi. ''It was really a shame it ended that way.'' RESERVED NATURE Kawabuchi blamed the reserved nature of the Japanese players for the breakdown of relations with the outspoken Nakata.

''You don't know what these players are thinking,'' said Kawabuchi. ''Even the captain (Tsuneyasu) Miyamoto keeps his thoughts to himself.

''They are devoted to the team but character-wise they're very quiet. Nakata was a pioneer.'' Nakata's retirement at just 29 and after 80 international appearances was a blow to new Japan coach Ivica Osim, who took over from Brazilian Zico after the World Cup.

Kawabuchi remains philosophical, however, about Osim's ability to build a successful team without the two-time Asian player of the year.

''I'm not worried about that at all,'' said Kawabuchi. ''Osim wants to take the team in a completely new direction and we will give him all the support he needs.'' Regrets still linger, however, after Japan's World Cup campaign ended with a whimper.

''When Nakata spoke his mind people got upset,'' said Kawabuchi.

''The other players were too quiet. That was the main problem.

That's why it all broke down.'' REUTERS PM BS1314