Yokohama F. Marinos boss Ange Postecoglou has declared the J-League "the best league in Asia" as Japan's top flight awaits the green light to resume after the coronavirus pandemic.
While South Korea's K-League and Germany's Bundesliga have already swung back into action, there is no such certainty around the J-League. With one round played, the competition was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak in February and, while various dates have been proposed for the league to resume, some coaches believe it could be July before they are back in action.
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"Even before I arrived here [I said] that the J-League was the best league in Asia," Postecoglou told ESPN.
"The evenness of the league, the resources and how they put it all together, it's reflected in the fact they have had a fair bit of success in the Asian Champions League, the success of their national team.
"The J-League is no doubt the strongest league in Asia.
"[However,] they are being very careful. I think we may be one of the last leagues to get back underway."
Prior to taking the helm in Yokohama, Postecoglou won A-League and NSL titles at club level in Australia before guiding the Socceroos to their first-ever Asian Cup triumph in 2015. When asked about Football Federations Australia's recent creation of the "Starting XI" advisory group, Postecoglou said the conversations that are being had around Australian football are positive.
"The fact that Dukes [Mark Viduka] and other people care about the state of Australian football is a great thing," Postecoglou said.
Yet having seen the peaks and troughs in the game over the decades, he added a word of caution.
"Ultimately though I think it's about the things that are done and actions that are taken, rather than opinions and that's whether it's someone like Dukes or anyone else that loves the game."