Fired coach Halilhodzic suing Japan FA

Tokyo: Vahid Halilhodzic is suing the Japanese Football Association and its president Kozo Tashima after he was fired as national coach just two months before the World Cup.

Lionel Vincent, the lawyer representing Halilhodzic, said on Monday that the suit asks for an apology from Tashima and indemnification of 1 Japanese yen.

Vincent says Halilhodzic feels betrayed and hurt by the dismissal. The lawyer says “we’re doing this for honour, and there’s no price for honour.”

Halilhodzic was fired April 7 and replaced by Akira Nishino. The JFA said Halilhodzic was fired for a “lack of communication.”

Halilhodzic was hired in 2015 and guided Japan through World Cup qualifying, but was fired following a pair of disappointing friendlies -a lacklustre 1-1 draw with Mali and a 2-1 loss to Ukraine.