BEIJING, July 4 -- Former Yugoslavia coach Ivica Osim confirmed Sunday that he had been asked to replace Brazilian legend Zico as coach of Japan's national team following its exit from the World Cup.

    The 65-year-old Bosnian, currently coach of Japanese club JEF United Chiba, indicated he was ready to accept a deal and said he hoped to build a team with a style suited to the Japanese players.

    Osim and the JFA are expected to formally sign a contract early this month at the conclusion of the World Cup, Japanese media reports said.

    Osim is under contract with Chiba until the end of January and the club has reportedly voiced its frustration to the JFA for trying to snatch him up before that date. But after two hours of negotiations late Saturday, Osim and the JFA agreed that he would take over the helm of the national side well before then, the Sports Nippon reported.

    ¡°We wanted him to stay until the contract finishes, but it would drive him into a corner if we try to insist on it,¡± Chiba president Takahiro Yodogawa was quoted as saying by the paper. The JFA was not immediately available for comment.

    Osim, who took the former Yugoslavia to the quarterfinals of the 1990 finals in Italy, has won plaudits in Japan since taking the helm at Chiba in 2003 and steering the team to its first J-League title last year.

    If he becomes the national coach, he will have to pick up the pieces after Japan crashed out in the group stages in Germany.

    Zico, the 53-year-old Brazilian veteran of three World Cups as a player, vowed to quit his job with Japan after Germany 2006 and look for a coaching position in Europe.     

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)