Finke poised to be named new Urawa manager - reports

The 60-year-old, who managed Freiburg from 1991 to 2007, is in Japan meeting Urawa officials and has been formally offered the job, Japanese media reported on Monday.

Urawa, Japan's best-supported club, won the J-League title under Guido Buchwald in 2006 and claimed a first Asian Champions League crown in 2007 under Holger Osieck.

Gert Engels, who became Urawa's third consecutive German manager earlier this year after Osieck was fired, was sacked himself last week after the team failed to qualify for next season's Asian Champions League.

Urawa have struggled this season and are sixth in the J-League first division with one game left to play.

J-League rivals Gamba Osaka also knocked them out of this season's Asian Champions League in the semi-finals.

Urawa's first trophy-less season in six years has been further blighted by public rows involving players and the club's notoriously volatile supporters.

"We need to start from zero again," Brazilian-born Japan defender Tulio said after Urawa were beaten 1-0 by Gamba in the league at the weekend. "It's a tough pill to swallow."

(Reporting by Alastair Himmer; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)