If the JFA was stung by criticism over its appointment of national team manager Alberto Zaccheroni in August, vindication was not long in coming.

Having won the Asian Cup at the first time of asking, negotiating a series of injury and suspension problems and showcasing his depth of tactical knowhow in the process, the Italian emphatically demonstrated why his employers were prepared to wait so long for the right man to succeed Takeshi Okada after last year's World Cup.

That search, which lasted two months, tested the patience of many who felt the team was in danger of losing momentum after a second-round finish in South Africa, but the JFA was determined to hire an experienced overseas candidate and did not rest until Zaccheroni put pen to paper.