There were several interesting games and players at the Club World Cup, so I though I'd put together an XI for the tournament, excluding of course the Milan and Boca players, because they're high profile and everyone knows about them. This team thus features players from Urawa Reds, Sepahan, Etoile du Sahel, and Pachuca. Players from Waitakere have been omitted because... well... no explanation needed. This is a mixture of players who look like they have a lot of potential, and those who just played well... in a well-organised 4-3-3 of course.

GK: Ryota Tsuzuki (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Excellent shot stopper who thwarted Seedorf several times to keep the score down to 0-1, and then saved two penalties in Urawa's 3rd/4th place win over Etoile. Made a mistake against the Tunisians, but that was more the fault of the defenders, and he was generally very sharp and positive in all Urawa's games.

DR: Sabeur Frej (Etoile Sportive du Sahel)
Frej is a curious case. He's Etoile's right-back, but domestically also their top scorer, and he only really ever looks comfortable when rampaging upfield, so I'd pin his best position down as a wing-back, if not wide midfielder. He was my favourite players in this tournament, and against Boca had the Argentine fans Oooohing and Aaaahing at his skills. Like so many of the Tunisians, Frej is a silky player, with languid control, movement and passing. His movement was first class, as were his combinations and one-twos with teammaters. Not really a dribbler, but he had his repertoire of trickery was excellent. Never looked uncomfortable in a tight space, and he more often than not managed to get past his man, whether with a neat turn, a shimmy, drop of the shoulder, or a feint that would leave the defender clueless. His final ball was excellent, and he was solid defensively too. Unfortunately like many of his teammates, he lacked that bit of fire and passion that prevents good players from being great. He's 28, and his chances to play in Europe are probably gone, which is a pity.

DC: Keisuke Tsuboi (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Rugged 26 year old who has good pace and a fantastic leap. He was immense in the tournament, especially against Milan (although Kaka eventually got the better of him), and although he had a bit of a shocker to start with against Etoile, he was excellent.

DC: Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Brazilian born Japanese international who is an odd character at the back, but a joy to watch. Good on the ball, a great passer, good in the air, and tough as well. He lacks a bit of pace, but his overall game is excellent, and his instinct to rampage forward often adds impetus to the Urawa attack. He talks and organises non stop for the 90, and has fantastic personality on the field. Would like to see him player in a higher league, and at 26 he needs to move soon.

DL: Gerardo Rodriguez (CF Pachuca)
Unfortunately we only got to see him for one game, but he was a joy to watch. More a wingback than a conventional full-back or midfielder, he got up and down the flank with ease, and had terrific movement. Combined well with Alvarez and Gimenez, passed and crossed neatly, and was able to beat his man when he needed to. He's just 22, and surely has a big future ahead of him.

CM: Moussa Nary (Etoile Sportive du Sahel)
Nary started the tournament off poorly against Boca, but then greatly upped the level of his performances. The Niger-born Ghanian is rugged and skillful, but quite raw, and probably lost the ball as much as he won it. He was comfortable running with the ball or passing it, and at 21, it's possible he could still gain the tactical discipline and understanding needed to be a complete central midfielder.

CM: Keita Suzuki (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Very consistent throughout this tournament, and completely rubbish Western perceptions of Japanese footballers not enjoying a fight. A good ball winner and passer, he has a great all-round game, although his shooting was garbage. He's spent his whole career with Urawa, and played all 20 games of previous Japan manager Ivica Osim's reign, by whom he was referred to as the "Japanese Claude Makelele".

AM: Damian Alvarez (Pachuca)
The former River plate man was a class act who dribbled, passed and roamed all over the pitch. Really, Pachuca should have scored 2 or 3 goals against Etoile, and Alvarez was at the heart of most of the chances created. Most of his invention came from a position hovering near the left wing, but he also ran through the middle of the park, worked the space behind the strikers, and dragged the covering midfielders over to the right-wing. Displayed not only great individual ability, but also great team-work and tactical intelligence.

LW: Takahito Soma (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Slight Japan midfielder who had an oustanding tournament. Not always a regular for Urawa, but he might have cemented his place now. His passing, crossing and dribbling were outstanding, and just like the rest of the team. he displayed outstanding awareness of those around him. Wasn't much use defensively, although he tried hard, but he really gave fullbacks and opposition wingers a tough time up the other end. He's already 26, so a move to Europe would be surprising at this late stage.

CF: Amine Chermiti (Etoile Sportive du Sahel)
I've already had a lot to say about Chermiti, but he was excellent again in Etoile's final game, and got himself a goal. He's got great heart, great ability, and real hunger, and he's got to move on to bigger things before his ambitions start drying up. Really exciting youngsters, who harrowed defenders with his pace, running, and vision.

RF: Emad Mohammed (Sepahan)
The only Sepahan player to make it here, but he was a good attacking presence. Had a hat-trick against poor opposition in Waitakere, but shone against Urawa as well, where he hit the bar. All the Sepahan players seemed to have fantastic skill and touch, but had poor, poor attitudes, and zero appetite for the game. Mohammed, an Iraqi international, was their captain, but had little influence in that regard.


                       Tsuzuki

               Tsuboi        Tulio
                                          Rodriguez
     Frej           
                  Nary      Suzuki

                            Alvarez
                                               Soma
       Mohammed
                          Chermiti

We're here at the Etoile du Sahel vs Urawa Reds 3rd/4th place playoff match, and the Urawa fans, although present in smaller numbers, are in good voice. It's 2-2 in an exciting game right now, but what we're all curious about is what the support will be like for the final.

As it is, there's large sections of empty seats for this game, because the Boca vs Milan final is the real attraction.

In the previous Urawa match, we asked the question about whether the "neutral" Japanese fans would support Urawa or go for the glamour of Milan, and as it turned out they were mostly there for the spectacle of the Italians. About 70% of the stadium were AC Milan "fans"/ neutrals, but not having any vested interests, they lacked the passion of the Urawa fans and made little or no noise (other than when Seedorf scored, and when somebody did a trick).

Tonight's equation is much more complicated, particularly because of two factors:
1. Boca have quite a following here for two reasons. Firstly, popular Japan striker Naohiro Takahara spent sometime there in the early noughties, and Boca have always been well regarded for that. Secondly, Boca are a team with a very successful Copa Libertadores history, and so they've made several visits to Tokyo already for the Club World Cup's predecessor, the Intercontintenal Cup, which they won in 2000 and 2003.

2. There is a combined ticket for both matches. So you have the small pocket of Etoile du Sahel fans, the few thousand well organised Urawa fans, the surprisingly sizeable contingent of travelling Bocense, the few Italians that could be bothered to make the trip/holiday, and of course the sea of unsure, easily impressed "neutral" Japanese fans that must still be furiously pondering whether to support Milan or Boca.

We know that Boca are equally as, if not more popular than Milan, so the neutrals here will be split on that (as opposed to last year, when the relatively unknown, starless Internacional played Barcelona and their midfield marketing maestro Ronaldinho).

We know that there aren't enough Etoile fans to make a difference to the overall support.

The Boca fans are a noisy, dancing bunch, who are concentrated into one section of the ground, right next to a bank of Urawa fans. They will be creating a lot of energy, but the eventual decision on what the atmosphere is like will come down to the Urawa fans, who could easily drown out the rest of the stadium.

They will be in good spirits (Urawa just beat Etoile on penalties), but it's unlikely that they'll keep singing Urawa songs. So the question is, will they just let the passion fade away and join the ranks of casual fans in polite applause and general silence? Or will they pick a side and really make this final feel like a football match of some worth?

It's difficult to predict. They seemed to be irritated during this match by the Boca fans, who just kept singing their Boca songs throughout the game, so they might go against Boca. But then again, football fans also just love to be football fans, and they just join the Bocense in their revelry.

Milan were also the ones who beat Urawa in that tight encounter, so they might just decide that's a good enough reason to ally with Boca. But as MikeTuckerman pointed out to me, they might even prefer to support a Milan victory, because they could then say "We lost to the eventual Champions".

Lots of different theories there, but that's football fan psychology for you.

Either way, we can't wait to find out what it's like for the second match, and any fan with a bit of sense will try and be as lively as possible outside, because it's f**king freezing here.

It's an odd thing. On the one hand FIFA are desperately trying to legitimise both the idea and appearance of the Club World Cup, a tournament that no one really seems to take seriously outside of South America; and on the other hand, they continue to act like silly, pedantic bureaucrats when they don't have to.

The reference in this case, is to the situation of Juan Roman Riquelme, Argentine midfield maestro, and arguably one of the world's best players. Riquelme was instrumental in Boca winning the Copa Libertadores, on loan from Villareal.

Now it was never Riquelme's intention to return to Villareal, and it was never Villareal's intention to keep him, and statements from Boca and the player made it clear that his future was at La Bombonera.

The eventual transfer, when it took place, was a long, drawn-out wrangle which was unfortunately just a few days after FIFA's "deadline" for squad registration for this tournament.

Now you can understand something like that happening for the Champions League, where it's an important competitive tournament, and there are scores of clubs. But the Club World Cup is essentially supposed to be an exhibition of world football, so why not allow Boca to exhibit the world's best?

Considering that some teams only qualify for this tournament a few weeks before FIFA's registration deadline passes, and that some teams sign players just to play in this tournament (Sydney FC with Kazu Miura, Auckland FC with Teru Iwamoto), it really is bizarre that FIFA didn't make some sort of exception to allow Boca to play Riquelme. After all, he was so instrumental in leading them to the Libertadores title.

It's a lose-lose situation for everyone, except, I suppose, Milan... although that's just a maybe - great players love to play against other greats.

The Japanese public would have been much more inovlved. The marketing opportunities would have increased. There would have been more worldwide TV and news coverage. More Argentines would care (Boca might be playing, but Riquelme is an idol all over his country, not just for his club), and more football fans in general. Merchandise, revenue, blah blah blah. Considering that FIFA are usually such greedy, money-hungry, profit-oriented fusspots, it really doesn't make any sense.

And speaking of sense, specifically common sense, FIFA could do with some soon. They allowed Milan to replace the inured Ronaldo with Giuseppe Favalli a few days ago, even though Ronaldo has been unfit for ages, and only had a very slim chance of playing in the first place. Perhaps a Boca player could have got injured?

Ahead of their Club World Cup quarterfinal against Boca Juniors, Etoile Sportive du Sahel will be relying heavily on the talents of their young forward Armine Chermiti. As one Tunisian journalist said before Etoile's opening encounter against CF Pachuca - "without Chermiti, Etoile are poor", and I tend to very much agree.

Chermiti is a very gifted young striker, who in these days of 17 year old Wayne Rooneys, and 16 year old Cesc Fabregases, is something of a late bloomer at 19.

Nonetheless, in his first full season with Etoile du Sahel, he has scored 12 goals, and broken into the Tunisian national team, scoring on his international debut. Currently at the FIFA Club World Cup in Tokyo, he impressed against CF Pachuca of Mexico when his team beat them over the weekend, and there are a whole army of European scouts rumoured to be here watching him.

He is still very, very raw, but his talents are clearly visible. He's pacy and electric, and has great touch, although he isn't an out-and-out striker in mould of an Eto'o or Ronaldo. He's got great awareness, and his movement was interesting, often drifting out to either wing when Etoile were playing possession football, but going straight through the middle on counter-attacks and long balls.

He's not the biggest or strongest player (he's about 5'9") and it would handicap him in some European leagues, because he's not quick enough to compensate for a lack of strength.

His main strength, apart from technique, is intelligence. Every ball he chested, flicked, headed or touched on was preceded by a quick heads-up look around, and it's a pity his team-mates didn't create more options for him. All Etoile's best chances were created by him, and his liveliness and innovation will be essential against a tough Boca defence that boasts the veteran Hugo Ibarra, and Liverpool reject Gabriel Palletta.

However, his attitude should stand him in good stead against Boca. Having watched him train and play, his enthusiasm is fantastic, and he's just a happy go-lucky kid with a big appetite for the game. Boca will have to have an absolute 'mare to lose this one, but if Chermiti can put in a good showing, it will go a long way towards securing a move to Europe and putting him on the bigger stage he needs to progress.

I just can’t express the joy I’m feeling to be here in Japan as part of Ole Ole  Media Team. It’s always been my dream to finally be recognized as the passionate yet sensible sports journalist that I try to be in every word I write. Ole Ole saw that and I cannot express how greateful I am for that. And SM and Mike are great guys! I'm certainly on a good team!

Enough of me for now. Let’s talk about football.

The Fifa Club World Cup is a new competition. It came to replace the previous formula South American team versus European team (which was the way to determine the best club in the world from the 60’s until the late 90’s)

In 2000 Fifa sponsored the tournament hosted by Brazil and won by local team Corinthians. That was the beginning of a new page in the history of world football but also a burden that Corinthians’s supporters had to carry for years. That’s because at that moment it was not all clear that Fifa’s sponsored tournament would replace the one game formula that had been around for more than 30 years. Also, every Brazilian football fan anxiously awaits the moment to say that his team is going to Japan to be the World Champion and in that case, plus the fact that Corinthians was invited to participate in the tournament as the host team for winning the National League in 1999 but still fails when International Competitions are played outside Brazil, Corinthians’s fans had to hear the mockery of all other club’s fans until Fifa officially recognized their tittle.

This year 8 teams from 7 different continents are fighting for the tittle. The formula of the competition still favors the South America Copa Libertadores Champions and the UEFA Champions by giving them a free pass straight to the semi-finals.

For the other 6 teams a place in the finals will have to come with a lot more sweat and suffering.

For most of them playing Boca Juniors or Milan in the semi-finals would already represent a tittle. A vindication that they are among the best of the world.

For some players like the young Benjamin Totori. A fast, talented 21-year old striker from The Solomon Islands who plays for the New Zealander team of Waitikere, this is his chance to show himself to the world. “For me it’s so important I wish we had won the game and that was very sad but I think I was able to play well specially in the second half and hopefully catch the eyes of somebody from a bigger team. I’m still learning, I’m only 21 and people don’t know me but I tried my best to enjoy this opportunity. I’m happy for that.” Told me the hopeful Totori.

His team couldn’t the past the Iranian team of Sepahan who won the opening match 3 x 1 and now will have the chance to get their revenge against Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds. The two teams faced each other in the AFC Champions League not even a month ago and in that opportunity Urawa won.

That might be a very interesting game and maybe the beginning of another great football rivalry.

I’m Mano Gil writing straight from Shinjuku – in the greater Tokyo area – exlclusive for Ole Ole.

Sayonara!

Well we're here tonight in the National Stadium in Tokyo ahead of the play-off game that will determine the final entrant to the FIFA Club World Cup. It's Sepahan F.C. of Iran taking on OFC Champions Waitakere United of New Zealand.

Sepahan finished as runners-up in the Asian Champions League, losing to Japanese giants Urawa Reds. Urawa subsequently took the AFC spot in the tournament, but Sepahan will still have a chance to rub shoulders with the likes of AC Milan and Boca Juniors if they can win their playoff against OFC team Waitakere.

Their lineup tonight includes a few interesting players whose names I've bolded:

GK: Mohammad Savari
LB: Jaba Mujiri
RB: Hadi Jafari
CB: Hadi Aghily
CB: Mohsen Bengar

MF: Ehsan Hajy Safi
MF: Farshad Bahadorani
MF: Abdul Wahab Abu Al Hail

FW: Mohamed Seyed Salehi
FW: Mahmoud Karimi
FW: Emad Mohammed

Mujiri is a bit of an oddity in this side - he's Georgian. The lanky left-footer is a tough defender and shows a lot of European awareness in his play.

Jafari might be set out at right-back, but really he plays as a winger most of the time.

Safi is just 17 years old, but plays with great maturity, and has a fantastic work-rate, one to look for in the future.

Mohammed is an Iraqi international striker, and Sepahan's leading forwards.