The Spanish La Liga match-fixing allegations surrounding Japan coach Javier Aguirre may have left a black cloud hanging over the Samurai Blue ahead of their upcoming defense of the Asian Cup, but his players said Monday they have put their trust in him.
The Mexican spoke to the team for the first time about the scandal, assuring them of his innocence before the first practice session of a pre-tournament training camp in Chiba Prefecture.
"The coach spoke directly to us and because of that his words will stick in our minds. We had only heard and seen what has been going on indirectly, but for the coach to speak directly to us means he is testing our belief," said long-time captain Makoto Hasebe.