Japan boss accepts ‘reality’ amid rescheduling

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu yesterday said that he would “accept reality” after next year’s Asian Cup was postponed to December from January, likely costing him his last shot at silverware before stepping down.

The Asian Football Confederation said the tournament in Saudi Arabia would be pushed back almost a year due to “exceptional circumstances” in the region, following Houthi attacks on the host country.

Moriyasu was due to lead Japan at the tournament early next year before being replaced by Japan under-23 coach Go Oiwa, but he could now leave at the end of this year.

Japan coch Hajime Moriyasu attends the Kirin Cup final between Japan and New Zealand at MUFG Stadium in Tokyo on Oct. 5.

Photo: AFP

Japan Football Association technical director Masakuni Yamamoto declined to clarify the situation as Moriyasu named his squad to face Brazil and Paraguay in friendlies in Singapore this month.

Moriyasu, Japan’s longest-serving coach, said the development of the sport in the country was more important than his personal situation.

“If the Asian Cup had gone ahead then I would have given my all to win the title in those seven games, but at the same time I thought those seven games wouldn’t be lost if the tournament didn’t happen,” he said. “If those seven games were to be rescheduled then the new management team could make good use of them looking ahead to the next [FIFA] World Cup.”

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu attends a news conference in Tokyo on July 24.

Photo: AP

“I just accept reality and do my best in the job right in front of me,” he added.

Yamamoto said the timing of the coaching handover would be decided within the Japan Football Association.

As well as this month’s games, Japan were set to play an Asian Cup warm-up friendly against a yet-to-be-named opponent in Osaka on Dec. 30. Yamamoto could not immediately confirm whether the game would go ahead.

Moriyasu said the Asian Cup postponement had not affected his squad selection to play Brazil and Paraguay.

“We have always tried to give our best in the matches right in front of us and also connect that to the future,” he said. “The postponement of the Asian Cup hasn’t changed anything in that regard.”