Eiji Hanayama facts for kids

Eiji Hanayama (花山 英二, born August 21, 1977) is a former Japanese football player. He played as a defender or a Midfielder.

Playing Career: Eiji Hanayama's Journey in Football

Eiji Hanayama was born in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, on August 21, 1977. After finishing high school, he started his professional football journey.

Starting Out: Urawa Reds and Gamba Osaka

In 1996, Eiji joined Urawa Reds, a team in the top Japanese league, J1 League. He played as a defensive midfielder, but he didn't get to play in any official matches during 1996 and 1997.

In 1998, he moved to another J1 League club, Gamba Osaka. He made his first professional appearance on April 25 against Kyoto Purple Sanga. However, this was the only match he played for Gamba Osaka.

New Role: Vegalta Sendai

In 1999, Eiji joined Vegalta Sendai, a team that had just been promoted to the J2 League. Here, his coach, Takekazu Suzuki, changed his position. Eiji started playing as a center back, which is a defensive role. He became a regular player, often playing on the right or left side of a three-player defense.

However, the team had a tough time, losing 10 games in a row. Coach Suzuki left in July, and Hidehiko Shimizu became the new coach in August. The new coach changed the team's defense system to four players. This meant Eiji didn't get to play as much. He left the club at the end of the 1999 season.

Back Home: Tochigi SC

After a break, Eiji joined his local team, Tochigi SC, in 2003. This team played in the Japan Football League. He played in some matches in 2003. However, from 2004 onwards, he didn't play in any more games. Eiji Hanayama retired from football at the end of the 2005 season.

Club Statistics

Eiji Hanayama played a total of 23 league matches and scored 1 goal during his career. Here's a look at his club statistics:

See also

Learn more about Eiji Hanayama in Spanish

In Spanish: Eiji Hanayama para niños