JEF United Chiba midfielders Yuki Abe and Yuto Sato are determined to reward manager Ivica Osim with a title they feel he richly deserves when they take on J. League leader Gamba Osaka in the Nabisco Cup final.
Former Yugoslavia national team coach Osim has worked wonders at the club since taking over in 2003, and Chiba stands on the brink of capturing its first title since the J. League was launched in 1993 in Saturday's clash at National Stadium.
Under the overachieving Osim, unfashionable Chiba (then JEF United Ichihara) finished third in the J. League first division in 2003, equaling its highest ever position, and was fourth overall last year.