Hayato Okanaka facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hayato Okanaka | ||
| Date of birth | September 26, 1968 | ||
| Place of birth | Hyogo, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1984–1986 | Tokai University Daigo High School | ||
| 1987–1990 | Tokai University | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1991–2001 | Gamba Osaka | 156 | (0) |
| 2002–2005 | Oita Trinita | 84 | (0) |
| Total | 240 | (0) | |
|
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Hayato Okanaka (岡中 勇人, born September 26, 1968) is a former Japanese football player. He played as a goalkeeper, which is the player who protects the team's goal.
Contents
Hayato Okanaka's Football Journey
Hayato Okanaka was born in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, on September 26, 1968. He loved football from a young age. After finishing his studies at Tokai University, he started his professional football career.
Starting His Career at Gamba Osaka
In 1991, Okanaka joined a team called Matsushita Electric. This team later became known as Gamba Osaka. He played for Gamba Osaka for many years, from 1991 to 2001.
Being a goalkeeper means you have to be very good. Hayato Okanaka often competed with another great goalkeeper, Kenji Honnami, for the starting spot. In the early 1990s, he did not play in many matches. However, he worked hard and became the main goalkeeper for Gamba Osaka by late 1996.
He played many games for the team. But in 2000, he faced new competition. Another talented goalkeeper, Ryota Tsuzuki, joined the team. Okanaka then lost his regular playing position.
Moving to Oita Trinita
In 2002, Hayato Okanaka decided to move to a different team. He joined Oita Trinita, which was in the J2 League at the time. This was a great move for him.
At Oita Trinita, he became the regular goalkeeper again. He helped his new team a lot. In 2002, Oita Trinita won the J2 League championship. This win meant the team was promoted to the J1 League, which is the top football league in Japan.
Final Years and Retirement
Hayato Okanaka continued to play as the main goalkeeper for Oita Trinita in 2003. However, from 2004 onwards, his chances to play decreased. Other goalkeepers like Riki Takasaki and Shusaku Nishikawa started playing more.
He played his last professional match in 2005. At the end of the 2005 season, Hayato Okanaka retired from playing football. He had a long and successful career as a goalkeeper in Japanese football.
See also
In Spanish: Hayato Okanaka para niños
