Osim's 11 could struggle to save Japan

HANOI, July 12 (Reuters) Japan coach Ivica Osim was offering no guarantees today that the holders would avoid a a painful early exit from the Asian Cup.

The Bosnian's side face Gulf Cup champions United Arab Emirates in Hanoi tomorrow needing three points after suffering a sucker punch in their Group B opener against Qatar.

Osim labelled his players ''amateurs'' after they conceded a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw and acknowledged Japan's hopes of a third straight Asian Cup title were very much in the balance.

''There are no guarantees,'' shrugged the 66-year-old. ''Those with knowledge of football realise that it's impossible to make promises. We are in a dangerous position.'' Osim is wary of a UAE backlash following their shock 2-0 defeat by Vietnam, who are co-hosting the tournament along with Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

''In France they say if you're going to lose, it's how you lose that's important,'' he told a press conference, offering a cryptic warning to Japanese reporters.

''UAE are obviously a dangerous team for us. We need to be better than we were in the first game. But I'm not going to sit here and make promises.'' Hunched over his microphone and clearly ill at ease after a trying week, Osim repeated his mantra that Japan's main priority was to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

''If I'd been told before I took this job that one of the conditions was to win the Asian Cup I wouldn't have signed the contract,'' he snapped.

''My job is to improve the level of Japan side and build a team for the 2010 World Cup. The Asian Cup is an important step to achieving that but it is a step towards a bigger goal.'' REUTERS TB SSC1404