Yahiro Kazama

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

Yahiro Kazama
風間 八宏
Personal information
Full name Yahiro Kazama
Date of birth (1961-10-16) October 16, 1961
Place of birth Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1977–1979 Shimizu Commercial High School
1980–1983 University of Tsukuba
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1985 Bayer Leverkusen II
1985–1988 Remscheid
1988–1989 Eintracht Braunschweig 15 (0)
1989–1995 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 166 (13)
1996–1997 Remscheid
National team
1979 Japan U-20 3 (0)
1980–1983 Japan 19 (0)
Teams managed
1998–2003 Toin University of Yokohama
2008–2012 University of Tsukuba
2012–2016 Kawasaki Frontale
2017–2019 Nagoya Grampus
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

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, Japan Soccer League was folded and founded new league J1 League. J1 League first season in 1993, he played opening match and scored a goal. This is the first goal by Japanese player in J1 League. He left Sanfrecce Hiroshima end of 1995 season and moved to Germany club Remscheid again. He retired in 1998.

National team career

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

Coaching career

After retirement, Kazama became a manager for 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 announce appointment of their new manager Kazama. The former Sanfrecce Hiroshima and national team player begins his first professional managerial stint two weeks after the firing of former boss Naoki Soma for poor results.[1] Kazama led the club to won the 3rd place 2 times (2013 and 2016) and 2nd place 2016 Emperor's Cup. He resigned in end of 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 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
Club performance League Cup League Cup Total
Season Club League AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Japan League Emperor's Cup J.League Cup Total
1989/90MazdaJSL Division 227310283
1990/9121430244
1991/92JSL Division 115040190
1992Sanfrecce HiroshimaJ1 League-106070
19933564000396
19944303010470
199525010-260
Total 166139015019013

National team statistics

[3]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
198040
198180
198240
198330
Total190

Managerial statistics

[7]

Team From To Record
GWDLWin %
Kawasaki Frontale 2012 2016 163 84 32 47 051.53
Nagoya Grampus 2017 2019 102 43 18 41 042.16
Total 265 127 50 88 047.92

References
  1. "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. 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)
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