February 4 – Despite repeated protestations of his innocence and a plea to be allowed to get on with his job, Japan’s Mexican coach Javier Aguirre has been sacked over much-publicised match-fixing allegations covering the period he worked in Spain.
The Japanese Football Association said it couldn’t keep him on because the allegations would get in the way of preparations for the 2018 World Cup.
“What we had to consider the most was the impact on the Japanese team,” federation president Kuniya Daini told a news conference. “With a criminal complaint accepted, he would have to respond to an investigation, he would be possibly indicted, and then may have to go to court.”
The JFA stood by Aguirre after Japan were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup but have now reconsidered.
“We needed to avoid any risk of this affecting (the team) in the Asian preliminary (World Cup qualifiers),” Daini said. “So we have reached a decision to cancel our contract with coach Aguirre.”
Aguirre, who took charge last year following Japan’s group stage exit from the World Cup in Brazil, has been under huge pressure ever since Spain’s anti-corruption prosecutor named him as part of a probe into Real Zaragoza’s 2-1 win at Levante on the final day of the 2010-11 La Liga campaign.
He was coach of Zaragoza at the time and his side won the game in question to avoid relegation. Prosecutors claim Levante players were paid to deliberately throw the match.
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