Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi has urged coach Zico to keep faith with striker Keiji Tamada and midfielder Mitsuo Ogasawara for the Asian champions' crucial 2006 World Cup qualifier against North Korea on Wednesday.
Zico has picked a squad made up mainly of local players, while drafting in overseas-based stars Shunsuke Nakamura of Reggina and German-based striker Naohiro Takahara for the first of Japan's final-phase qualifiers in Group B.
Kashiwa striker Tamada, one of Japan's heroes at the Asian Cup in China last summer, and Kashima Antlers playmaker Ogasawara both impressed in the recent friendlies against Kazakstan and Syria but it is Nakamura and Takahara who are set to go straight into the starting lineup at Saitama Stadium 2002.
Kawaguchi, however, thinks Zico should make full use of the talents of Tamada and Ogasawara for Japan's qualifiers on home soil rather than call up players like Nakamura and Takahara, who he suggests would be better kept for Japan's tough away trips.