Soccer World Cup

Moriyasu ‘one of candidates’ for coach after World Cup

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu gives instructions to the team during the match against Spain at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on Thursday.

By Masato Yahagi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

13:06 JST, December 4, 2022

DOHA — Samurai Blue coach Hajime Moriyasu is definitely under consideration to stay on at the helm of Japan’s national team, Japan Football Association Chairman Kozo Tashima has said.

Tashima is considering the possibility of retaining Moriyasu, whose contract expires after the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he said in an interview in Doha on Saturday.

Tashima praised Moriyasu’s skill in defeating Germany and Spain in Group E.

“It’s natural that many possibilities would come to mind, but I think he [Moriyasu] is definitely one of the candidates,” Tashima said, regarding who will coach Japan’s national team after the World Cup.

Moriyasu served as coach of the J.League team Sanfrecce Hiroshima, leading his club to the league championship three times.

After the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Moriyasu was appointed coach of the national team, and concurrently lead the team for the Tokyo Olympics.