Yoshito Okubo's dramatic World Cup recall may have grabbed the headlines when national team manager Alberto Zaccheroni unveiled his squad for Brazil on Monday, but the Italian's final roster was anything but impulsive.
Zaccheroni named Okubo to his 23-man squad despite having called him up only once before during his four years in charge, with the Kawasaki Frontale striker's sole appearance coming more than two years ago in a February 2012 friendly against Iceland.
But if Okubo's selection suggests a manager willing to discard years of careful planning in favor of something more instinctive, the reality is very different.