SAITAMA -- Former Japan and Jubilo Iwata manager Hans Ooft and former Celtic and Sanfrecce Hiroshima manager Wim Jansen have formed a coaching tag team at the Urawa Reds in an attempt to rebuild the struggling J. League Division One club into a successful outfit.
"I think our aim is clear, simple but difficult. We need to establish stability in the selection of our first group and second group and build our own style. In the meantime, we need to start the process of (developing) our youth soccer, which will be the backbone of the club," Urawa new manager Ooft said in a press conference on Friday at a Saitama hotel.
"That's always a challenge but we've done it in the past with other clubs. So, we think we can do it again," Ooft noted. The 54-year-old Dutchman said he called his countryman Jansen, his old friend and teammate from Feyenoord, to work with him right after he had an offer from the Reds.