28 Aug 2006(Mon)

Tokyo, August 26, 2006: One way or another, Takeshi Okada had to go, didn't he?

His Yokohama F Marinos team was getting worse and worse, and there was nothing to suggest things would improve either in the near future or next season.

In the end, Okada fell on his sword, and resigned shortly after Marinos' 2-1 defeat at home to Omiya on Wednesday.

I wasn't at that game at Mitsuzawa -- a resurgent FC Tokyo and Naohiro Ishikawa beckoned at Kokuritsu -- but saw the highlights on TV later in the evening; Matsuda equalising from the penalty spot late on, only for Yoshihara to snatch the winner in a scramble at the other end.

The TV camera showed Okada leaving the dug-out, his body language indicating that there was no way forward from here. It was no surprise at all, therefore, to learn the next day that he had resigned his position.

Okada will feel he did not complete the job for Marinos. Despite winning the championship in his first two seasons in charge, 2003 and 2004, success at the continental level deserted him, and Marinos failed to challenge for the AFC Champions League title.

Frequently this season I have wondered what the future held for Okada. After all, he's coached the national team at a World Cup and won the championship twice with Marinos -- and there's only way to go after that: down.

I could see him taking a break from the game and doing some media work before looking for his next job. I am sure he will be in big demand from clubs of all standing, from small teams in J2 trying to move up, to bigger clubs in J1 trying to fulfil their potential.

Okada is very much his own man, though, and will wait to see what attracts him. He may fancy another period in the "wilderness", to get away from the mass media spotlight, like he did in Sapporo, and take a lowly J2 team.

That would be my bet, for the start of the 2007 season.

The offers will come in, but he will not be in a hurry to take a new challenge.

ends