Iraq coach wants to reach Japan’s level

Japan coach Javier Aguirre.Agencies/SydneyIraq coach Radhi Shenaishil said his side were aspiring to become as good as reigning champions Japan, as the teams prepare to meet in the Asian Cup today. “Our goal is to get to the same level,” Shenaishil told a news conference yesterday. “The good thing is that we have a good selection of players that play in different ways and styles. “I can, therefore, look at a position and decide, on the day, which player will suit the starting eleven.” Iraq won their first game in Group D, against Jordan, but are likely to face a tougher challenge against Japan in Brisbane. “We take every match step-by-step,” Shenaishil said. “The first match against Jordan was a good result and gives us an advantage in this competition. “Japan have their advantages and disadvantages, they’re a very good team. Japan have good players that play in Europe and we’re looking forward to this game.” Iraq, who were champions in 2007, will all but guarantee progress to the quarter-finals with victory. “We have outlined certain points with certain players for the game and if the players put these points into practice, we should come up with a positive result,” said Shenaishil. “We have no injury concerns and we have a lot of competition between the players to get into the starting 11.” AGUIRRE’S FATE LATERJapan will take a call on the future of coach Javier Aguirre, currently embroiled in a match-fixing scandal, after the team’s Asian Cup campaign, the country’s football association said yesterday. Spain’s anti-corruption prosecutor has named the Mexican in a probe into Real Zaragoza’s 2-1 win at Levante on the final day of the 2010-11 La Liga campaign where Aguirre’s Zaragoza side won to avoid relegation. The prosecutor alleged the Levante players were paid a total of 965,000 euros to deliberately lose the game. Former Mexico and Atletico Madrid manager Aguirre has long denied any involvement in match-fixing and has refused to elaborate on his role as the scandal overshadows Japan’s title defence in Australia. “We would like to prioritise the Japan national team during the Asian Cup, so while the Asian Cup goes on, we’d like to keep this issue under wraps and would like your cooperation on this,” Japan Football Association (JFA) chairman Kuniya Daini told a news conference. “Once the Asian Cup is over, we will explain our thoughts and what measures we will be taking now that the court has accepted the claim.” JFA lawyer Yutaka Miyoshi was not sure how the Spanish match-fixing trial would pan out. “This is Spain’s first match-fixing case, so it is hard to tell at this point how likely they are to be found innocent or guilty, or what percentage they are likely to be found innocent or guilty once they are formally prosecuted,” Miyoshi said. Ahead of Japan’s Group D match against Iraq today, Aguirre was once again asked about the scandal and the 56-year-old refused to oblige again, saying: “I am only going to talk about soccer.” Japan beat Palestine 4-0 earlier this week.