Japan Football Association vice president Kozo Tashima made it clear on Wednesday that the controversial sacking of national team coach Javier Aguirre will not stop him from winning a seat from Asia on FIFA's executive committee.
Tashima lost in the election four years ago, admitting he went into battle completely unprepared. But having run a proper campaign this time around, the former JFA technical director feels far more confident of his chances when the votes are be turned in April 30 at the Asian Football Confederation Congress.
And Tashima is not going to use Aguirre's dismissal for his alleged involvement in match fixing as an excuse to set him back or smear the campaign he has worked hard to legitimize.