EUROSCENE: Japan was very much in the air yesterday at the Italian Football Federation's training centre at Coverciano, outside Florence. Paddy Agnew reports

For a start, there was a TV crew from Sendai, the town north of Tokyo where Italy will be based for the first round of this summer's World Cup finals. For a second, there is the small matter of an Italian friendly against the US in Catania, Sicily, tomorrow night.

When a woman from the Sendai TV crew asked coach Giovanni Trapattoni to read a greeting in Japanese, the canny "Trap" looked at her sideways, and asked: "But I don't speak any Japanese, and what do these words mean anyway?"

"They mean, we are Italy, very good and please support us," she replied.

"Very good? I'm not sure if I should go around saying things like that in Japanese, or any other language for that matter," retorted the Italian coach.

Superstition often plays a big part in football and coach Trapattoni is no exception. Even if Italy are one of the favourites to win the World Cup, he has no intention of shouting that all the way to Sendai.

Tomorrow's friendly has given Trapattoni the chance to call up Torino midfielder-cum-winger Antonio Asta (31), and Chievo striker Massimo Marazzina (27).

Neither is likely to make it to Japan, but Trapattoni reminded everyone yesterday that, especially allowing for injuries, the "doors are always open".

When it comes to the finals, Trapattoni believes the climate will be important. "The side that knows how to spend less energy, to run less and rely more on skill and technique will have an advantage. I believe that the Africans, who after all are used to hot and heavy climates, could certainly have an advantage, and I say that even if everyone is now saying that the African Nations Cup was a disappointment.

"Given that so many of the African players play their football in Europe and that the competition comes at a difficult moment in the European season when tiredness sets in, and given also that not all the top players were available (for the African Nations Cup) and that preparation time was short, then the poor standard was understandable. I think, come the World Cup, one of the African finalists will rise far above the form shown in Mali."

Italy have enjoyed a favourable draw in a first round group along with Ecuador, Croatia and Mexico. Trapattoni said: "I'm still cautiously satisfied with our draw. Remember, we might have got sides like England, Portugal or Denmark. Still, Mexico have a good World Cup tradition and we've often struggled against them, then Ecuador are bound to be fired up with the enthusiasm of the World Cup debutant."

As usual, Trap is taking nothing for granted. Starting with the US.