Honda wants tough new Japan coach
TOKYO - In-demand Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda wants his country's next coach to be a tough risk-taker, unafraid of upsetting his employers.
"The Japan Football Association (JFA) probably want someone who will do as they say but that won't make Japan stronger," the CSKA Moscow midfielder, currently said to be on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, told Japan's Sports Nippon on Friday.
"Unless the JFA brings in a coach who makes them feel they want to sack him because he won't listen to them we'll never see Japan's real potential."
Japan surpassed expectations by reaching the last 16 of this year's World Cup under Takeshi Okada, but the JFA have yet to name a replacement coach.
"We need a coach who will come in and revolutionise the mentality of the Japanese team," said Honda, who's form in South Africa and in last season's Champions League led both Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and Gunners chief Arsene Wenger to praise the CSKA Moscow star.
"A coach who will give us ideas that previous Japanese coaches have failed to," added the straight-talking 24-year-old.
"There must be a coach out there who will show us that the world is bigger than we think," said Honda, who scored twice in four games for Japan in South Africa, adding "we need someone to take us to the next level."
The JFA are set to appoint Okada's successor in August with former Argentina coaches Marcelo Bielsa and Jose Pekerman reportedly heading the country's wish-list.
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Honda's future, meanwhile, is yet to be decided, with the former VVV Venlo midfielder stating he would be open to a move to the Premier League at the start of the month, possibly alerting those at White Hart Lane and Emirates Stadium, before a spokesman for one of his sponsors suggested there was a possibility he may move to AC Milan.
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