Japan fans should feel lucky to be here - Japan soccer chief

Football - FIFA women's World Cup China 2007 Draw - Tokyo, Japan - 15/12/06 Saburo Kawabuchi (Japan), President of the Japanese Football Association Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew Couldridge Livepic

SAMARA, Russia (Reuters) - Saburo Kawabuchi, president of Japan Top League and one of the most influential figures in Japanese soccer, caused a stir shortly before his country’s World Cup opener by saying the team's fans were just lucky to be at the World Cup.

Hours before Japan kick off their Russia campaign against Colombia on Tuesday, Kawabuchi said the national team were going nowhere under former boss Vahid Halilhodzic.