Relegation-threatened FC Tokyo sacked manager Hiroshi Jofuku and named Japan's World Cup assistant coach Kiyoshi Okuma as his replacement, the J. League first division side announced Sunday.
The 46-year-old Okuma, who worked under Takeshi Okada at this summer's World Cup where Japan marched to the second round, coached Tokyo from 1995 to 2001, winning promotion to the top flight in 2000.
Tokyo, currently in 16th on a meager 21 points from 23 matches, is at home on Saturday to Omiya Ardija. Tokyo, behind 15th-place Vissel Kobe by a point, and Omiya are three points apart.
"We are going back to the drawing board," Okuma said through a club statement. "No stone will be left unturned as we review the football this club has been playing. We will play with a sense of responsibility so we can justify the tremendous support we receive from our fans."