New men's national team manager Akira Nishino, appointed following the shock dismissal of predecessor Vahid Halilhodzic, received the backing Tuesday of the only other Japanese manager to lead the national team at the World Cup.
With just two months until the 2018 tournament kicks off in Russia, the Japan Football Association on Monday dropped the bombshell that it had fired Halilhodzic after the national team's poor performances in its most recent warmup matches, a 1-1 draw with Mali and a 2-1 loss to Ukraine late last month.
Takeshi Okada, Japan head coach at the 1998 World Cup in France and in 2010 in South Africa, said JFA technical director Nishino, who coached J. League side Gamba Osaka to multiple titles, including the 2008 Asian Champions League, was the "best choice" to take the reins.