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Akira Nishino (footballer)

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Akira Nishino
西野 朗
Nishino as Japan manager at the 2018 World Cup
Personal information
Full name Akira Nishino
Date of birth (1955-04-07) 7 April 1955 (age 69)
Place of birth Saitama, Saitama, Japan
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1971–1973 Urawa Nishi High School
1974–1977 Waseda University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1990 Hitachi 143 (29)
International career
1977–1978 Japan 12 (1)
Managerial career
1991–1992 Japan U20
1994–1996 Japan U23
1998–2001 Kashiwa Reysol
2002–2011 Gamba Osaka
2012 Vissel Kobe
2014–2015 Nagoya Grampus
2018 Japan
2019–2021 Thailand U23
2019–2021 Thailand
Medal record
Hitachi
Runner-up Japan Soccer League 1982
Runner-up JSL Cup 1980
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Akira Nishino (西野 朗, Nishino Akira, born 7 April 1955) is a Japanese football manager and former player.

Club career

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Nishino was born in Saitama on 7 April 1955. After graduating from Waseda University,[1] he joined Hitachi in 1978. The club won the 2nd place at 1980 JSL Cup and 1982 Japan Soccer League. He retired in 1990. He was elected Best Eleven in 1985–86.

International career

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In March 1977, when Nishino was a Waseda University student, he was selected in Japan national team for 1978 World Cup qualification. At this qualification, on 6 March, he debuted against Israel. He played 12 games and scored 1 goal for Japan until 1978.[2]

Managerial career

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Early years

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After retirement, in 1990, Nishino became a coach for Hitachi (later Kashiwa Reysol). From 1991, he managed the Japan U-20 national team and Japan U-23 national team. At U-23 Japan in 1996 Summer Olympics Qualifiers, Japan qualified to 1996 Summer Olympics for the first time in 28 years since 1968 Summer Olympics, where Japan won the bronze medal. At 1996 Olympics, although Japan won 2 matches, Japan lost in the First round. At this time, Japan beat Brazil in first game. It was known as the "Miracle of Miami" (マイアミの奇跡) in Japan.[3][1]

Kashiwa Reysol

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In 1997, Nishino returned to Kashiwa Reysol and became a coach. In 1998, he became a manager. In 1999, he led the club to win the 1999 J.League Cup.[4] In 2000, the club won the 3rd place in J.League Division 1 for 2 years in a row and he received Best Managers award. However, he was sacked in July 2001.

Gamba Osaka

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In 2002, Nishino signed with Gamba Osaka. In 2005, the club won J.League Division 1 for the first time in club history and he was elected for the Best Manager award. In 2008, the club won AFC Champions League and the 3rd place at 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. He was also elected AFC 'Coach of the Year' awards. The club also won the 2007 J.League Cup, the 2008 and the 2009 Emperor's Cup.[5] He resigned in 2011. In May 2012, he signed with Vissel Kobe as Masahiro Wada's successor. However, he was sacked in November.[6]

Nagoya Grampus

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In 2014, Nishino signed with Nagoya Grampus and managed the club until 2015.[7]

Japan national team

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In March 2016, Nishino returned to the Japan Football Association as a technical director.[8] In April 2018, Japan national team manager Vahid Halilhodžić was sacked and Nishino was named as the new manager.[9] A big challenge for Nishino was lack of time for preparation, while also being doubted because of his lack of coaching experience. Nonetheless, in the 2018 World Cup, he registered history by helping Japan to beat Colombia 2–1, the first ever defeat of a CONMEBOL team to an Asian side. His brilliant tactics continued to be demonstrated when Japan held Senegal in a 2–2 draw. His Japan lost 0–1 to Poland in the final group match, but as Japan received lesser yellow cards than Senegal, Japan controversially qualified to the knockout stage, becoming the only Asian team to do so in the 2018 World Cup. However, his Japan lost 2–3 to Belgium despite having led 2–0, thus were eliminated from the tournament.[10][1] Nishino stepped down once his current term expired following the World Cup.[11]

Thailand national team

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Nishino consented to take charge of the Thailand's senior and under-23 national sides on 17 July 2019, became the first Japanese to coach Thailand,[12][13] and on 24 January 2020, this contract has been extended until 2022.[14] On 29 July 2021, Football Association of Thailand announced that it had parted ways with Nishino,[15] which was later explained due to poor performance in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.[16]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League
Division Apps Goals
Hitachi 1978 JSL Division 1 13 1
1979 12 0
1980 15 6
1981 8 1
1982 15 4
1983 18 2
1984 17 2
1985–86 22 12
1986–87 17 1
1987–88 JSL Division 2
1988–89
1989–90 JSL Division 1 6 0
Career total 143 29

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan[2] 1977 4 0
1978 8 1
Total 12 1

Managerial statistics

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As of 15 June 2021[17][18]
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Kashiwa Reysol 1998 2001 109 67 2 40 061.47
Gamba Osaka 2002 2011 328 172 67 89 052.44
Vissel Kobe 2012 2012 19 5 6 8 026.32
Nagoya Grampus 2014 2015 68 26 16 26 038.24
Japan 2018 2018 7 2 1 4 028.57
Thailand U23 2019 2021 9 4 2 3 044.44
Thailand 2019 2021 11 2 5 4 018.18
Total 551 278 99 174 050.45

Honours

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Manager

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Kashiwa Reysol
Gamba Osaka

Individual

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Player
Manager

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Waseda's significant role in history of Japanese football". Waseda University. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  2. ^ a b Japan National Football Team Database
  3. ^ "Can Akira Nishino get Japan on course in time to make World Cup impact?". ESPN. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Meet the Club World Cup Teams: Kashiwa Reysol". Goal. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  5. ^ "GAMBA OSAKA". J.league. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  6. ^ "VISSEL KOBE club information: History: 2012". Vissel Kobe. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Grampus manager Nishino to step down". J.league. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Coaches - Akira Nishino". FIFA. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  9. ^ "Japan fire Vahid Halilhodzic, hire Akira Nishino before World Cup". ESPN. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  10. ^ "World Cup 2018: Akira Nishino will not continue as Japan coach, despite an excellent World Cup". FOX Sports. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Nishino to Step Down as Coach of Japan National Soccer Team". JIJI PRESS. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  12. ^ "สมาคมฯ ประกาศแต่งตั้ง อากิระ นิชิโนะ คุมช้างศึกชุดใหญ่และ U23" [The association announced the appointment of Akira Nishino to oversee the War Elephant and U23]. Football Association of Thailand. 17 July 2019. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  13. ^ "Football: Akira Nishino officially named Thailand head coach". Kyodo News. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  14. ^ "เป็นทางการ "ส.บอลไทย" แถลงต่อสัญญา "นิชิโนะ" เพิ่มอีก 2 ปี" (in Thai). Thairath. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  15. ^ "Thailand sack Nishino following WCQ failure". ESPN.com. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  16. ^ "เปิดสถิติ "นิชิโนะ" คุมทีมชาติไทยในเกมทางการก่อนถูก "ส.ฟุตบอล" ยุติสัญญา". 29 July 2021.
  17. ^ J.League Data Site(in Japanese)
  18. ^ "Football: Akira Nishino". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  19. ^ "NISHINO Akira". Japan Football Association. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
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