Due to how awful we have been in recent years I feel as if we do.

They really seem to have stalled considerably. Looked set to become a leading footballing nation a few years back and they just haven't. They were pretty awful at the last WC and a QF exit is pretty abysmal. Not to mention Honda's stint in Russia looks like it has held him back a bit and Kagawa has gone backwards.

Over the last few years it seems as if they benefited from a lot of Asian teams just laying down to them because there are Japan. They sort of get given this aura as a top quality world beating side, when it reality they aren't.

If it wasn't for the low quality of a lot of sides in the Asian confederation (Australia included) I really don't think we would hold them in such a high regard.

Edited by damonzzzz: 24/1/2015 07:12:57 PM