Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima is confident he can retain his place in the national team for the upcoming games against Iraq and Singapore, despite having hardly featured for Standard Liege in the second half of this past season.
Japan boss Vahid Halilhodzic has clearly stated he wants players to be starting regularly at their respective clubs, but Kawashima has only played once since October — in a 3-0 defeat to Feyenoord in the Europa League in December — and he recently has left the Belgian first-division team for a "new challenge."
"Without confidence you cannot stay in the national team, that's for sure," Kawashima told Kyodo News at Japan's training camp in Chiba Prefecture on Saturday. "I know that I was not playing at my club and without playing games it is difficult to stay in the national team. The coach has told me that.