Yahiro Kazama

Yahiro Kazama (風間 八宏, Kazama Yahiro, born October 16, 1961) is a Japanese manager and former footballer. He played for the Japan national team. He is the first Japanese player to score in the J1 League.[1] His two sons Koki Kazama and Koya Kazama are also footballers.

Yahiro Kazama
風間 八宏
Personal information
Full nameYahiro Kazama
Date of birth (1961-10-16) October 16, 1961 (age 62)
Place of birthShizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)Midfielder
Youth career
1977–1979Shimizu Commercial High School
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1980–1983University of Tsukuba
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1984–1985Bayer Leverkusen II
1985–1988Remscheid
1988–1989Eintracht Braunschweig15(0)
1989–1995Sanfrecce Hiroshima166(13)
1996–1997Remscheid
International career
1979Japan U-203(0)
1980–1983Japan19(0)
Managerial career
1998–2003Toin University of Yokohama
2008–2012University of Tsukuba
2012–2016Kawasaki Frontale
2017–2019Nagoya Grampus
Medal record
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Runner-upJ1 League1994
Runner-upEmperor's Cup1995
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career edit

Kazama was born in Shizuoka on October 16, 1961. After graduating from University of Tsukuba, he moved to Germany in 1984. He played for several clubs, including Remscheid and Eintracht Braunschweig.[2] In 1989, he returned to Japan and joined Japan Soccer League Division 2 club Mazda (later Sanfrecce Hiroshima). The club was promoted to Division 1 in 1991. In 1992, the Japan Soccer League was folded and a new league, the J1 League, was founded. In the league's first season, he played in the opening match and scored a goal, which is the first goal by a Japanese player in the J1 League. He left Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the end of the 1995 season and returned to Remscheid again. He retired in 1998.

National team career edit

In August 1979, when Kazama was a Shimizu Commercial High School student, he was selected by the Japan U-20 national team for 1979 World Youth Championship and he played 3 games. In December 1980, when he was a University of Tsukuba student, he was selected by the Japan national team for 1982 World Cup qualification. At this qualification, on December 22, he debuted against Singapore. He also played in the 1982 Asian Games and the 1984 Summer Olympics qualification. He played 19 games for Japan until 1983.[3] After he moved to Germany in 1984, he was not selected to play for Japan.

Coaching career edit

After retirement, Kazama became a manager for the Toin University of Yokohama in 1998.[4] He resigned in 2003. In 2008, he became a manager for his alma mater University of Tsukuba and managed until April 2012.

On April 23, 2012, Kawasaki Frontale announced Kazama as their new manager. He succeeded Naoki Soma who was fired for poor results.[1] Kazama led the club to 3rd place twice (2013 and 2016) and were runners-up of the 2016 Emperor's Cup. He resigned at the end of the 2016 season.

In 2017, Kazama moved to J2 League club Nagoya Grampus. He led the club to a 3rd place finish at the end of the season and hence gained promotion to 2018 J1 League. In the 2018 season, although Grampus results were bad, Grampus finished at the 15th place and remained in J1. On 23 September 2019, it was announced Kazama would be leaving Grampus after an underwhelming season.[5][6]

Club statistics edit

Club performanceLeagueCupLeague CupTotal
SeasonClubLeagueAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
JapanLeagueEmperor's CupJ.League CupTotal
1989/90MazdaJSL Division 227310283
1990/9121430244
1991/92JSL Division 115040190
1992Sanfrecce HiroshimaJ1 League106070
19933564000396
19944303010470
199525010-260
Total166139015019013

National team statistics edit

[3]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
198040
198180
198240
198330
Total190

Managerial statistics edit

[7]

TeamFromToRecord
GWDLWin %
Kawasaki Frontale20122016163843247051.53
Nagoya Grampus20172019102431841042.16
Total2651275088047.92

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Kawasaki Frontale announce appointment of new manager Yahiro Kazama". Goal.com. April 23, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  2. ^ "Yahiro Kazama" (in German). fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  3. ^ a b Japan National Football Team Database
  4. ^ Toin University of Yokohama(in Japanese)
  5. ^ Nagoya Grampus(in Japanese)
  6. ^ "名古屋が風間監督の退任発表!後任は大幅方針転換でフィッカデンティ監督(GOAL)" 名古屋が風間監督の退任発表!後任は大幅方針転換でフィッカデンティ監督(GOAL) [Nagoya's manager, Kazama to step down. Successor Ficcadenti to bring big change]. GOAL (in Japanese). 2019-09-23. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  7. ^ J.League Data Site(in Japanese)

External links edit