Japan women's football coach Nils Nielsen delivered a comic turn at a press conference ahead of the Women's Asian Cup final against Australia, evading a question about favouritism with an unusual analogy. 'It's like asking a bee to explain to a fly, why honey is better than shit?' the Dane said, drawing laughter from reporters.
Nielsen, who became the first foreign-born coach of Nadeshiko Japan in late 2024, insisted the final was a 50-50 contest despite Japan's world No 6 ranking and a 4-0 win over the Matildas just over a year ago. 'Both teams can win. They have 50% chance of winning,' he said, adding that the team that best manages the game will prevail.
Matildas coach Joe Montemurro also dodged the favourites question, calling on his side to 'manage the moments well' in Saturday's decider. 'There's no favourites in the final, it's the best team and the one who wants it more,' he said.
Nielsen praised his own team's speed and ability to perform 'in the zone', and revealed that Manchester City, where he previously worked as technical director, pursued more Japanese players after the success of midfielder Yui Hasegawa. He also noted his familiarity with Australian players Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy from their time at City.
