National team manager Takeshi Okada has run out of games to assess contenders for his World Cup squad, but the real question now is not so much who he takes to South Africa as how he uses them.
Last week's friendly against Serbia was Okada's final chance to run the rule over candidates for his 23-man roster, having fielded 48 players over 14 games since the qualifying program ended last June. But if that suggests a manager mining a rich seam of talent, the reality is somewhat different.
Okada picked a development side for January's Asian Cup qualifier against Yemen, with an eye more on giving his regulars a rest than opening up competition for places. Normal practice has instead concentrated on a nucleus of trusted lieutenants, with outsiders granted only cameo opportunities to impress.