soccer

Japan names Nishino as new soccer coach two months before World Cup

12 Comments
By Hiroshi Hiyama and Richard Carter

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2018 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

12 Comments
Login to comment

Japanese, French, Brazilian, Bosnian, what Japan needs is to decide on a style, and stick to it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

poor choice...Nishino has done flap all in his last couple of coaching jobs....Halilhodzic took Algeria further than anyone expected in 2014...gave Germany a real run for their money.....all to be forgotten as we hear endlessly about Nishino's achievements from the 90s and his success at Gamba...blah blah blah.....JFA is a joke

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Typical. Replace the foreigner that got you to the World Cup with a Japanese national, who can then bask in the glory should Japan do well (not that this is going to happen), but still....

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Nishino's team finished tenth in his last two seasons managing in the J League. He has no honours in the past ten years.

Given the current level of Japanese players, I don't think it'll make much difference which manager does what. They are not good enough to go very far. However, I think people will want the ship to go down with the biggest names on the big stage, so the manager's remit will be to pick them, even though it is on reputation alone.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

When Japan loses -- at least does no better than now -- I hope the people who keep blaming and firing the coaches, with many saying they need a Japanese coach, remember this. The team is not going to change in two months; it's not possible. Yet they made these decisions as if a new coach is suddenly going to change the fact that for decades Japan has been unable to capitalize on the chances they've had to put the ball in the goal, and to make the team gel better. Okada, whom some claim is Japan's best coach in recent history, said one of the best things I've heard coaches say in general: Had he not been there, nothing would be any different.

Hiring and then firing new coaches does not change how a team plays, nor does it make them play better or win games any more than prayer, which I'm sure they are no doubt engaging in here, too.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Japan has taken a risk and rolled the dice. Not much time for the players and the new coach to gel.

Australia has done the same but has gone from the domestic coash who got the team qualified for the world cup to a foreign coach. The new coach has had a couple more months to work with the team but Australia is not expecting big things from this world cup campaign.

I was hoping Japan would do well and fly the flag for Asia in this world cup, but it may be up to South Korea to do that now. Fingers crossed for both teams (Australia and Japan) though.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Unless Akira Nishino could take his squad through the World Cup round of 16, the decision to change Halilhodzic in the last minute will be seen as a political blunder and is subject to greater scrutiny. It would consequently raise the issues of nationalism and cronyism which contemporary Japan is now facing. These issues are evidenced in the way in which Zaha Hadid's New National Stadium was replaced by Kengo Kuma's new design. Personally, I do not think both of these designs could aesthetically represent Japanese architecture. None of them could be compared with Kenzō Tange's Yoyogi National Gymnasium.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Moskello, so only a native coach can bring strong commitment out of his players?

Ridiculous.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Unless Akira Nishino could take his squad through the World Cup round of 16, the decision to change Halilhodzic in the last minute will be seen as a political blunder and is subject to greater scrutiny.

Anyone that has followed them at all would've expected them to lose all 3 matches, so anything better than that should be seen as a successful change. As someone mentioned though it has been a while since Nishino's Gamba glory days. He hasn't even coached in the past few years.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

We need to give Halilhodzic the benefit of the doubt that he might have learnt 'the art of avoiding defeat' during his coaching time in Japan. Sacking the coach who has managed to qualify Japan for the 2018 World Cup two months before the event begins is ethically unprecedented in Japan's history. Is there anything that Halilhodzic should have done to be retained as Japan's coach (such as leaning how to smile and bow)?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites