Japan coach Philippe Troussier was blasted by local press Tuesday after announcing he will miss the unveiling of the 23-strong World Cup squad on Friday.
The Frenchman's move was roundly condemned, with headlines such as "Irresponsible Troussier" appearing in the Yomiuri Shimbun.
"It cannot be helped if people thought his planned absence from the press announcement was because he wanted to dodge criticism for his choice of players and avoid explaining his reasons," the Yomiuri said.