Former Japan coach Ivica Osim has been recovering steadily from a stroke he suffered last November and could be released from a hospital in late February, Japan Football Association President Saburo Kawabuchi said Wednesday. Kawabuchi, who visited Osim at a rehabilitation hospital in Tokyo earlier in the day, said the 66-year-old has recovered to an extent where he can walk without a stick while his left arm remains partially paralyzed. "The speed of his recovery is incredibly fast and I was surprised to see him walk very quickly. The way he speaks is now the same as before," Kawabuchi said, adding that they talked about soccer during their meeting.
