Degenek hopes Japanese club mates will come to Australia's rescue!

Bengaluru, August 28: Ahead of the cruch World Cup qualifiers against Japan on Thursday, Australian defender Milos Degenek has stirred a hornet's nest by saying many players in the opposition camp are so disgruntled that they would not mind Socceroos winning.

Degenek, who plies his trade with J-League side Yokohama, said his club mates had "mixed emotions" about the match.

"In my team and my club, from what I've heard, it's kind of silly to say, but they kind of want us to win," said Degenek.

The Samurai Blue face Australia at Saitama stadium in a clash that could prove decisive for both nations' hopes of claiming an automatic ticket to the finals in Russia next year.

Japan, who lead Asia's Group B by a point with two matches remaining, can book their spot with a win over third-placed Australia but defeat would put their campaign on a knife-edge as they travel to second-placed Saudi Arabia in the last round.

Local media have reported that the Japan Football Association will sack Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic if the team loses to the Socceroos.

In Japan, and Yokohama-based Roo Milos Degenek says there are many here who want to see Samurai Blue lose on Thurs https://t.co/XFXa9hPPHo

— Matt Windley (@MattyHeraldSun) August 28, 2017

Milos Degenek says club team-mates say there are Japanese fans that are willing the @Socceroos to beat Japan https://t.co/8ACZ38u3eg (📷:AAP) pic.twitter.com/vVL52IFYzX

— ABC Grandstand (@abcgrandstand) August 28, 2017

The 23-year-old dwelled further on the 'loyalty' issue.

"They've got different reasons which I won't mention, but they don't all agree with the Japanese system and the coaching staff.

"They've got a lot of pressure on them and they're putting a lot of pressure on themselves as well.

"They're looking at this as the do-or-die game in many aspects. The pressure on them is to win at home, not to go to Saudi Arabia and have to do the business there.

"They're not the best at dealing with pressure so we'll see what happens," Degenek added.

"I've had a lot of supporters from my club wish that we win. A lot of my players who are also Japanese wish that we win."