Tsuyoshi Yoshitake facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tsuyoshi Yoshitake | ||
| Date of birth | September 8, 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Mie, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1997–1999 | Tsu Technical High School | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2006 | Yokohama FC | 133 | (9) |
| 2007–2008 | Tokyo Verdy | 5 | (1) |
| 2009 | Charleston Battery | 26 | (6) |
| 2010 | Crystal Palace Baltimore | 24 | (3) |
| 2010 | Austin Aztex | 7 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 41 | (7) |
| 2012–2014 | Yokohama FC Hong Kong | 24 | (11) |
| 2014–2015 | Yuen Long | 14 | (5) |
| Total | 274 | (42) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Tsuyoshi Yoshitake (吉武 剛, Yoshitake Tsuyoshi, born September 8, 1981) is a Japanese former football player. He played as a Midfielder during his career. Yoshitake was known for his speed and skill on the field. He played for several teams in Japan, the United States, and Hong Kong before he retired in 2015.
Contents
Tsuyoshi Yoshitake's Football Journey
Playing in Japan
Tsuyoshi Yoshitake started his football journey in Japan. He went to Tsu Technical High School. While there, he was chosen for a special team from his area. This team traveled to Brazil for a tournament.
After high school, Yoshitake became a professional player. In 2000, he joined Yokohama FC. He played for this team for six years. During his time there, he scored nine goals in 133 games. Fans really liked him, and he became a favorite player.
Later, he moved to Tokyo Verdy. He played in Japan's capital city for one year. An injury meant he could only play five games, but he still scored one goal.
Playing in the United States
On March 24, 2009, Yoshitake moved to the United States. He joined the Charleston Battery team. This team was part of the USL First Division. He was given the number 10 jersey.
In his first home game on April 24, 2009, he scored his first goal for the Battery. It was a penalty kick that tied the game against Minnesota Thunder 1-1. In his first year, he was in charge of all the team's special kicks. He scored 6 goals and made 5 assists. He also won "Weekly Honors" five times. The team even gave him the "Newcomer of the Year" award.
In February 2010, Yoshitake moved to Crystal Palace Baltimore. He was again given the number 10 jersey as a key attacker. In a game in 2012, he scored an important goal against the MN Stars. This goal helped his team, the Rowdies, win 2-1.
In September 2010, the Austin Aztex team borrowed Yoshitake from Baltimore. This was to help them prepare for the playoffs. He wore jersey number 9 for them.
On February 16, 2011, Yoshitake signed a two-year contract with FC Tampa Bay. This team was in the North American Soccer League. He played 40 games for Tampa Bay. He scored seven goals and made five assists. In June 2012, he was named the NASL Player of the Month.
Playing in Hong Kong
On August 4, 2012, Yoshitake moved to Yokohama FC Hong Kong. He became the team captain. He had a great first season, scoring 9 goals. His team finished fifth in the league. He was also chosen for the Hong Kong All-Star team for the 2013 Lunar New Year Cup. He was also named to the league's Best XI team.
On June 4, 2014, Yoshitake announced he was joining Yuen Long FC in the same league. He played there for one season. On June 12, 2015, Tsuyoshi Yoshitake announced his retirement from football on his official blog.
Tsuyoshi Yoshitake's Playing Style
Tsuyoshi Yoshitake might have been small in size, but he was very fast. He was quick with the ball and without it. He could run at defenders and get past them using his excellent dribbling skills. He was good with both his left and right feet.
Yoshitake was a creative player in attack. He often sent dangerous crosses into the penalty box. He could also take powerful long shots at the goal. His coach, Mike Anhaeuser, once said that Yoshitake was "so creative and almost impossible to stop one-on-one." He added that Yoshitake gave the team "another weapon up top."
Awards and Achievements
Tsuyoshi Yoshitake received several awards and honors during his football career.
Personal Awards
- 2012-13: Chosen for the Hong Kong All-Star XI team for the Lunar New Year Cup.
- 2012-13: Named to the Hong Kong First Division Best XI team.
- 2012: Named NASL Player of the Month for June.
- 2009: Won the Charleston Battery Newcomer of the Year award.
- 2009: Received USL1 Weekly Honor five times.
- 2002: Named Yokohama FC MVP (Most Valuable Player).
Team Achievements
- 2007: Helped Tokyo Verdy get promoted to J1 League (they finished second in J2).
- 2006: Helped Yokohama FC get promoted to J1 League (they won the J2 League).
- 2001: Helped Yokohama FC get promoted to J2 League (they won the JFL).
See also
In Spanish: Tsuyoshi Yoshitake para niños
