Albirex Niigata on Tuesday announced the resignation of manager Tatsuma Yoshida and the appointment of his replacement, coach Koichiro Katafuchi.

The staff reshuffle will also see coaches Hideaki Kitajima and Yoshitaka Yasuda step down, while Albirex Niigata Soccer School coach Jun Ichida will join the top team’s staff.

“I fully understand the difficult situation the team is in right now,” Katafuchi said. “But we absolutely have to stay in the J1 League, and that is our biggest task right now.

“We have to make changes while still respecting what the club has built up to this point, and I intend on adding some personal touches to the team.”

“I would like to thank Mr. Yoshida, Mr. Kitajima, and Mr. Yasuda for the passion they have brought to their work this season,” club chairman Mitsugu Tamura wrote in a statement. 

“There were high expectations heading into this season, but after looking at both the results and the state of the team we have determined that this change was needed.”

With four rounds remaining in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League season, Albirex are in 15th place, just one point above the relegation zone.