Mito fires manager Kimori after 6 consecutive losses; Mori re-enters the game ``Aiming to remain in J1''

J1 Mito HolyHock soccer team announced on the 26th that they will dismiss manager Daisuke Kimori due to poor performance and replace him with former manager Naoki Mori, who led the team to promotion to J1 for the first time. Mori said at the press conference, ``We want to earn points, move up the rankings, and aim to remain in J1.''

Mito, playing in J1 for the first time, has lost six straight, including a 6-0 loss against FC Tokyo on the 25th. After the 12th round, they are in 17th place. President Kojima Kojima pointed out that the players and coaches were losing confidence. ``We judged that dismissing him was appropriate considering his ability to rebuild when the team was on the decline,'' the statement said. After the game on the 25th, he had a discussion with GM Koji Honma and decided to replace him.

Mr. Mori currently serves as football director (FD), who is responsible for strengthening the team. At a press conference on the 26th, he felt responsible for the team's slump as a FD, and said, ``I also felt that it was prudent for me to come back as a manager.'' However, he said, ``I am confident that I can rebuild the team, and I feel that this team has potential, so I accepted the role of coach.''

GM Homma praised Coach Kimori for leaving the team with a style of proactively moving the ball, but looked back and said, ``He didn't go for the goal very often.'' He said he hopes Mori will bring back the ``Mito style of soccer,'' which is aggressive, slow-moving, and never giving up until the end, aiming for the goal in a more direct manner.

Comment from Coach Daisuke Kimori: I am most disappointed and sorry that we were unable to stop the losing streak and accumulate points. It is because of everyone who has shaped the history of the club that I was able to compete on the J1 stage as the manager of Mito Hollyhock. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.