Fagiano Okayama facts for kids
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| Full name | Fagiano Okayama | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Fagi (ファジ) | ||
| Founded | 2004 | ||
| Stadium | City Light Stadium Okayama, Okayama |
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| Stadium capacity |
20,000 | ||
| Chairman | Shinya Kitagawa | ||
| Manager | Takashi Kiyama | ||
| League | J2 League | ||
| 2022 | J2 League, 3rd of 22 | ||
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Fagiano Okayama (ファジアーノ岡山) is a Japanese football club. They are based in Okayama, which is the main city in Okayama Prefecture. The team plays in the J2 League. This is the second-highest football league in Japan.
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What Does the Name Mean?
The name Fagiano comes from the Italian word for "pheasant". This is a special bird in Japan. The pheasant is linked to a famous local story about a hero named Momotarō. He had a pheasant as a friend.
The club's mascot is called Fagimaru. Fagimaru is based on the green pheasant. This type of pheasant lives naturally in Japan.
The Story of Fagiano Okayama
The club started in 1975. It was formed after an older team, Kawasaki Steel Mizushima F.C., moved away. The players who stayed behind created a new team. They called themselves the "River Free Kickers" (RFK).
For many years, the club played in local leagues. In 2003, they changed their name to "Fagiano Okayama". After that, they started to climb up the ranks in Japanese football.
In 2005, Fagiano Okayama moved up to the Chugoku Regional League. By 2007, they made history. They became the first club to join the J. League Associate Membership. This happened even though they were still in a lower division. On December 2, 2007, they won their regional playoff games. This meant they were promoted to the JFL (Japan Football League).
In 2008, they finished 4th in the JFL. This was good enough to qualify for the J. League. On December 1, their promotion was made official. Fagiano Okayama played in the J2 League for the first time in 2009.
Today, their main sponsor is Okayama Gas. The Sanyo Shinbun, a local newspaper, also sponsors them. The club has been playing in the J2 League for 16 years in a row as of 2024.
Where They Play
Fagiano Okayama's main home stadium is City Light Stadium in Okayama City. Sometimes, they also play home games at Tsuyama Stadium in Tsuyama.
Their training grounds are Masada Soccer Stadium and Prefecture Kanzakiyama Park Athletics Stadium. Both of these are also in Okayama City.
Team Achievements
Fagiano Okayama has won several titles over the years:
| Honour | How Many Times | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| Okayama Football League 1 | 3 | 2001, 2003, 2004 |
| Chugoku Football League | 2 | 2006, 2007 |
| Japanese Regional Leagues | 1 | 2007 |
Current Players
As of 23 July 2024[update].
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Players on Loan
Sometimes players from Fagiano Okayama play for other teams for a while. This is called being "on loan".
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Fagiano Okayama U-18 Team
Fagiano Okayama also has a team for younger players, aged 18 and under. This team plays in the Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League. This is the top league for youth football clubs in Japan.
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Coaching Team
Here are some of the people who help train and manage the Fagiano Okayama team:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Takashi Kiyama |
| Assistant manager | Masanori Kizawa |
| First-team coach | Yuki Kosaka Hiromasa Suguri |
| Goalkeeper coach | Hiroshi Yoshioka |
| Physical coach | Jun Sato |
| Assistant coach | Kenji Yamamoto |
| Chief trainer | Takahiro Chiba |
| Trainer | Tetsuya Furuta Takuya Tsuji |
| Interpreter (Portuguese) | Fernando Aizawa |
| Interpreter (English) & Enhancement coach | Kosuke Maruyama |
| Chief manager | Atsuki Shimada |
| General affairs | Nao Inamoto Fumikazu Sato |
