Former Yugoslav coach Ivica Osim will succeed Zico as leader of the Japanese national team following the World Cup in Germany, Japanese media reported yesterday.
Osim is under contract until the end of January to Japanese domestic team JEF United Chiba, which reportedly has voiced its frustration to the Japan Football Association (FA) for moving to snatch him up before that time.
But after two hours of negotiations late on Saturday, the FA and the JEF team manager agreed to respect Osim's wishes, suggesting he would accept the FA's offer, the Sports Nippon daily reported.
"We wanted him to stay until the contract finishes, but it would drive him in a corner if we try to insist on it," JEF president Takahiro Yodogawa was quoted as saying by the daily.
Osim did not comment after the Saturday night meeting held in the city of Hida, where JEF has a training camp, the Tokyo Chunichi Sports said.
Osim and the FA are expected to formally sign a contract early this month at the conclusion of the World Cup in Germany, the sports daily said.
The FA was not immediately available for comment.
Osim led the former Yugoslavia to the quarter-finals in the 1990 World Cup.
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