Takeshi Okada facts for kids
25 May 2010
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 25 August 1956 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Osaka, Osaka, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1974 | Tennoji High School | ||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1979 | Waseda University | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1990 | Furukawa Electric | 189 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 189 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1985 | Japan | 24 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Japan | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Consadole Sapporo | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2006 | Yokohama F. Marinos | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Japan | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Hangzhou Greentown | ||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||
Takeshi Okada (岡田 武史, Okada Takeshi, born August 25, 1956) is a famous Japanese football manager and a former player. He played as a defender. He is known for leading the Japan national team to the FIFA World Cup twice.
Contents
Playing Career: A Strong Defender
Starting Out in Club Football
Takeshi Okada was born in Osaka, Japan, on August 25, 1956. After finishing his studies at Waseda University, he joined a football club called Furukawa Electric in 1980. This club played in the Japan Soccer League (JSL).
In 1982, his team won the 1982 JSL Cup. This was an important early win for Okada. A few years later, in 1986, Furukawa Electric had a fantastic year. They won the JSL championship and the 1986 JSL Cup again. Okada was recognized as one of the best players that year. He was chosen for the "Best Eleven" team.
His club also made history by winning the 1986 Asian Club Championship. This was the first time a Japanese club had ever won this big Asian tournament. Okada played for Furukawa Electric until he stopped playing professionally in 1990. He played 189 games in the league and scored 9 goals.
Playing for Japan
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Takeshi Okada also played for the Japan national team. His first game for Japan was on June 9, 1980, against Hong Kong.
In 1982, he was part of the Japan team for the 1982 Asian Games. During this tournament, he played two games and scored a goal against South Korea. He also played in qualifying matches for the 1980 Summer Olympics and the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He played a total of 24 games for Japan and scored 1 goal before 1985.
Coaching Career: Leading Teams to Victory
Early Coaching and First World Cup
After he stopped playing, Okada started coaching. He began at his old club, Furukawa Electric, in 1990. In 1995, he became a coach for the Japan national team.
In October 1997, something big happened. The Japan national team's manager was replaced during the 1998 World Cup qualification. Takeshi Okada was chosen to take over. Just one month later, in November, Okada led Japan to qualify for the 1998 World Cup. This was the very first time Japan had ever made it to the World Cup! Even though Japan lost all three of their matches at the 1998 World Cup, it was still a huge achievement to get there. Okada resigned after the tournament.
Club Success and Return to National Team
In 1999, Okada became the manager for J2 League club Consadole Sapporo. In 2000, he helped the club win the J2 League. This meant they moved up to the top league, the J1 League. He left the club at the end of the 2001 season.
In 2003, he joined Yokohama F. Marinos. Under his leadership, the club won the league title in 2003 and again in 2004. He was even named "Best Manager" for two years in a row! After 2005, the team's performance slowed down, and he resigned in August 2006.
Second World Cup and International Recognition
In November 2007, the manager of the Japan national team became ill. In December, Takeshi Okada was named the new manager for Japan again.
He brought many talented young players into the team. These included future stars like Atsuto Uchida, Shinji Kagawa, Yuto Nagatomo, Keisuke Honda, and Shinji Okazaki. In 2009, Japan qualified for the 2010 World Cup.
At the 2010 World Cup, Okada gained a lot of attention. He led Japan to a ninth-place finish, which was a great result. People praised him for turning a team of young players into a skilled group that played well together. He resigned after the 2010 World Cup. In November of that year, he was given the "AFC Coach of the Year" award.
Later Coaching and Leadership Roles
After leaving the Japan national team, Okada signed with a Chinese club called Hangzhou Greentown in December 2011. He extended his contract for two more years but then resigned in November 2013.
In November 2014, he bought a large part of a club called FC Imabari and became its chairman. From March 2016 to March 2018, he also served as a vice-president of the Japan Football Association.
Honours and Achievements
As a Player
- Furukawa Electric
- Japan Soccer League: 1985–86 (Winner)
- Asian Club Championship: 1986 (Winner)
- Individual Awards
- Japan Soccer League Best Eleven: 1985–86
As a Manager
- Yokohama F. Marinos
- J.League Division 1: 2003, 2004 (Winner)
- Individual Awards
- AFC Coach of the Month: November 1997
- J.League Manager of the Year: 2003, 2004
- AFC Coach of the Year: 2010
- Japan Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2019
Images for kids
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Takeshi Okada in 2010.
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Japan players celebrate qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with head coach Takeshi Okada.
See also
In Spanish: Takeshi Okada para niños
