Kawasaki Frontale is looking to promote coach Toru Oniki to manager, the J. League first-division club's director of development, Haruo Shoji, revealed Thursday.
Frontale, who lost on the final day of the second stage to miss out on having the best overall record, will need a new manager after Yahiro Kazama steps down at the end of this season. The club is expected to make a formal announcement on the 42-year-old Oniki's promotion next week.
Oniki, a native of Chiba Prefecture, played for Frontale and Kashima Antlers. After he retired, he began coaching with Frontale in 2009. He has been coaching under Kazama since 2012.
"The Kawasaki style of soccer is the one Kazama built," Shoji said. "We would like to continue along that fundamental route."