Stade de Reims coach Will Still praised on Sunday the state of mind of Japanese international Junya Ito, accused of sexual assault, “mentally strong and true to himself” after the victory against Metz (2 -1).
“He didn't ask himself a thousand questions and didn't sink to the bottom of a hole,” praised Will Still about his player, scorer against Metz (2-1) on Sunday. The striker was not selected by Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu to face North Korea on March 21 and 26 due to accusations of sexual assault against him. The 31-year-old winger filed a complaint against the two women who accused him, demanding 200 million yen (1.2 million euros) in damages.
Moriyasu said he wanted to "protect" the player. “Thinking about the impact on his family, I thought it was best not to call him now,” Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu was quoted as saying in local media this week. His club coach gave him support after the match against Metz. “I consider the human being when he is with us at the club. We were there for him, he was there for us, Still said. He is a key player, undoubtedly one of the best Japanese at the moment. Our important players must help us win certain matches, if we cannot do it collectively.