“The J.League is of course very important but for Gamba we want to make a stand in Asia,” the 53-year-old said shortly after being named only the second Japanese national to win the AFC Coach of the Year following Takashi Kawabara, the then-Jubilo Iwata tactician who won in 1998.

“The AFC Champions League was the biggest victory in our history, we did our best and fortunately we were there to win the trophy,” continued Nishino.

The long-serving Gamba boss, who credited his team for his individual accolade, added that he wanted his side to build on their AFC Champions League success and become a force to be reckoned with in Japan and in Asia.

“We will take a step forward and achieve more in future. We must develop a stronger team before we face all the upcoming challenges.”