TOKYO, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Japan coach Ivica Osim has awoken from a coma following a stroke earlier this month, Japan Football Association (JFA) officials said on Wednesday.
The 66-year-old Bosnian has been in intensive care since
collapsing at his home in Chiba, near Tokyo, on Nov. 16 while
climbing the stairs.
'He's slowly regaining consciousness,' the JFA's Hideto
Teshima said. 'He's still not able to speak but he is
gradually improving.'
The JFA are expected to name former Japan coach Takeshi
Okada, who coached the side at the 1998 World Cup, as Osim's
replacement next month.
Osim took over from Brazilian Zico after Japan's meek exit
from the 2006 World Cup but began showing signs of stress at
the Asian Cup this year.
The Bosnian blasted his players as 'amateurs' after one
match, reducing his interpreter to tears, and refused to watch
their penalty shootout with Australia in the quarter-finals.
'I don't like penalties - they're bad for my heart,' Osim
said. 'When I heard we'd won I was jumping up and down and
almost hit my head on the dressing room ceiling.'
Rival coaches at the Asian Cup also expressed concern about
the 'abnormal pressure' Osim was under as coach of Japan.
Meanwhile, Japan are expected to unveil Takeshi Okada as national team boss next month - 10 years after he began his first spell as head coach.
Okada, who led Japan to the 1998 World Cup, was offered the
job after Bosnian Ivica Osim suffered a stroke earlier this
month and fell into a coma.
Japan Football Association (JFA) officials hope to finalise
details of Okada's contract before an executive board meeting
on Dec. 7, a senior official said on Wednesday.
'Okada has been offered the job and it could be all sorted
out by Dec. 3,' said Hideto Teshima. 'The board meets next
Friday to approve it.'
JFA technical director Takeshi Ono insisted Okada was the
right man to steer Japan through their 2010 World Cup
qualifying campaign, which begins in February.
'At difficult times like this you need to have powerful
leadership,' Ono told reporters. 'It feels strange (turning to
Okada again) but he has the charisma and was our top choice.'
Okada first took charge of Japan in 1997, salvaging the
side's qualifying campaign for the finals in France the
following year after previous coach Shu Kamo was fired.
Japan's first World Cup finals appearance ended in three
consecutive defeats and Okada was replaced by Frenchman
Philippe Troussier.
Okada, 51, went on to manage J-League clubs Consadole
Sapporo and Yokohama F-Marinos.
Osim, who has been Japan coach since the team's 2006 World
Cup flop under Brazilian Zico, has begun to regain
consciousness but the 66-year-old remains in intensive care.
