Kenji Koyama facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kenji Koyama | ||
| Date of birth | September 5, 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Hiroshima, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1988–1990 | Itsukaichi High School | ||
| 1991–1994 | Fukuoka University | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1995–2003 | Oita Trinita | ||
| 2004–2009 | Yokohama FC | 46 | (0) |
|
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Kenji Koyama (小山 健二, Koyama Kenji, born September 5, 1972) is a former Japanese football player. He played as a goalkeeper for several clubs in Japan during his career.
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Kenji Koyama's Football Journey
Kenji Koyama was born in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, on September 5, 1972. After finishing his studies at Fukuoka University, he began his professional football career. He joined a club called Oita Trinity in 1995. At that time, the club was in the Regional Leagues.
Rising Through the Ranks
Koyama quickly became a key player for Oita Trinity. He played many games as the team's main goalkeeper. His strong performance helped the club move up to higher leagues. In 1996, they were promoted to the Japan Football League. Then, in 1999, the club reached the J2 League, which is a professional league in Japan.
Challenges and Championships
Even though Koyama was a good goalkeeper, he faced tough competition. From 2000 onwards, new goalkeepers like Kazuya Maekawa and Hayato Okanaka joined Oita Trinita. This meant Koyama didn't play as often as before. However, he was part of the team when they won the J2 League championship in 2002. This victory led to the club being promoted to the top league, the J1 League, in 2003. Despite the team's success, Koyama did not play in any J1 matches that year.
Moving to Yokohama FC
In 2004, Kenji Koyama decided to move to another J2 League club, Yokohama FC. Here, he again faced strong competition from other goalkeepers, especially Takanori Sugeno. Koyama didn't play much during his first few years at Yokohama FC.
Reaching the Top League Again
Just like with Oita Trinita, Koyama's new team, Yokohama FC, also achieved great success. They won the J2 League championship in 2006. This win meant they were promoted to the J1 League for the 2007 season. Unfortunately, Koyama did not get to play in any J1 matches during this time either. The club was relegated back to J2 the very next year.
Becoming a Regular Goalkeeper
In 2008, Takanori Sugeno left Yokohama FC. This gave Kenji Koyama a chance to play more often. He became the team's regular goalkeeper and played in many games that season. However, in 2009, a younger goalkeeper named Takuo Okubo started playing more. At the end of the 2009 season, Kenji Koyama decided to retire from professional football.
