FC Imabari dismisses manager Abel Moreno amid J2 League struggles

FC Imabari has officially dismissed manager Abel Moreno, effective September 20, following the team's struggle at the bottom of the J2 League standings. Moreno, a Spanish manager who joined the club in June, was relieved of his duties after only three months in the position.

General Manager Kosuke Ota stated that the decision was made to attempt a turnaround, noting that the team's current position is “very far from the goal” of promotion to J1. Moreno expressed gratitude to the players and supporters, stating, “My challenge as the manager of FC Imabari has ended.”

Head Coach Yoshiyuki Kuboyama has been appointed as the successor. Kuboyama emphasized the need for the team to express its strengths through aggressive, hard-working football to improve their standing. The club's dismissal follows preseason optimism from Chairman Takeshi Okada, who had predicted the team might achieve promotion to J1.