Ex-Japan coach takes charge of Thailand

BANGKOK, July 02 (AP): Former Japan manager Akira Nishino is the new coach of the Thailand senior and under-23 teams.

Nishino agreed to take the job on Monday after a four-hour meeting with Football Association of Thailand chief Somyot Poompamoung in Bangkok.

He will coach Thailand in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, and take the under-23s to the 2019 South East Asia Games and 2020 Asia under-23 championship, the Thai FA said.

Nishino attended Thai league games on Saturday and Sunday. Despite only two months with Japan before the 2018 World Cup, he led the Blue Samurai.