Masami Ihara
井原 正巳
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-09-18) September 18, 1967
Place of birth Koka, Shiga, Japan
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1983–1985 Moriyama High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1989 University of Tsukuba
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1999 Yokohama F. Marinos 267 (5)
2000 Júbilo Iwata 20 (1)
2001–2002 Urawa Reds 54 (1)
Total 341 (7)
International career
1988–1999 Japan 122 (5)
Managerial career
2006–2008 Japan U-23 (assistant)
2009–2014 Kashiwa Reysol (assistant)
2015–2018 Avispa Fukuoka
2019–2023 Kashiwa Reysol (assistant)
2023– Kashiwa Reysol
Medal record
Nissan Motors / Yokohama Marinos / Yokohama F. Marinos
Runner-upJapan Soccer League1990/91
Runner-upJapan Soccer League1991/92
WinnerJ1 League1995
WinnerJSL Cup1990
WinnerEmperor's Cup1991
WinnerEmperor's Cup1992
Runner-upEmperor's Cup1990
Urawa Reds
Runner-upJ.League Cup2002
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place1992 Japan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Masami Ihara (井原 正巳, Ihara Masami, born September 18, 1967) is a Japanese former footballer and manager. He is the currently head coach of J1 League club of Kashiwa Reysol.

A defender, Ihara was captain of the Japan national team for more than a decade in the 1990s, together with striker Kazuyoshi Miura and Brazilian-born midfielder Ruy Ramos. Ihara's long standing record of 122 national team appearances was surpassed by Yasuhito Endo on October 16, 2012.[1][2]

Club career

Ihara was rarely out of the spotlight in the emerging J1 League throughout the 1990s. He spent most of his career with Yokohama F. Marinos and formed a key defensive partnership with the flamboyant Tsuyoshi Kitazawa at club level. After graduating from University of Tsukuba, he joined Nissan Motors (later Yokohama Marinos) and rapidly rose through the Marinos youth ranks to become a key player. The long-serving Ihara was so important to his club that he was nicknamed Mister Marinos by many Japanese fans.[3] He formed the backbone of the club and also helped to bring on talented youngsters like Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi and Shunsuke Nakamura.

After leaving Marinos, Ihara also spent a season with Júbilo Iwata (2000) and his last two seasons with Urawa Reds (2001–2002). He retired in 2002. He played 341 games and scored 7 goals in the league. He was selected Best Eleven for six years in a row (1991–92 to 1997). He also was selected as part of the 30th Anniversary J.League Best Eleven.

International career

On January 27, 1988, when Ihara was a University of Tsukuba student, he debuted for Japan national team against United Arab Emirates. After his debut, he became a regular player playing the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification and at the 1990 Asian Games. In 1992, Japan won the AFC Asian Cup for the first time. However, at 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification, Japan failed to won for qualify to 1994 FIFA World Cup. After that, Ihara became a captain for Japan and played at 1995 King Fahd Cup and 1996 AFC Asian Cup. In 1997, at 1998 World Cup qualification, Japan achieved qualification for the 1998 FIFA World Cup for the first time. During the 1998 World Cup in France, the veteran sweeper's experience was crucial to Japan's survival in their very first World Cup appearance, forming a flat back three defence with strong centre-back Yutaka Akita as well as speedy fullbacks Eisuke Nakanishi (or strong centre-back Norio Omura). Young Marinos goalkeeper, Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi was Japan's first choice goalkeeper at the time. After 1998 World Cup, he played at 1999 Copa América. This competition was his last game for Japan. He played 122 games and scored 5 goals for Japan until 1999.[4]

Coaching career

In 2006, Ihara became the assistant coach for the Japan U-23 national team and spent two years.

He then became the assistant coach for club Kashiwa Reysol in 2009, being the caretaker on two occasions.

After a horrible three years of being at the bottom half of the table in the J2 League, Avispa Fukuoka then hired Ihara as their coach, replacing the former Marijan Pušnik. Under Ihara, then club went on to win 24 games out of 42 and collected a total of 82 points, ending their regular season in third place. Avispa then went on to the playoffs, where they beat V-Varen Nagasaki 1–0, and then drew 1–1 against Cerezo Osaka. Avispa eventually ended up getting promoted to the J1 League as they were the higher-seeded team.

Ihara's first match in charge of Avispa in the 2016 J1 League was a 2–1 away loss against Sagan Tosu. The first win in the league was on their eighth match in a 1–0 away win in Tokyo against FC Tokyo. He resigned at the end of the 2018 season.[5]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Emperor's Cup J.League Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Yokohama F. Marinos[lower-alpha 1] 1990–91 JSL Division 1 22240262
1991–92 22030250
1992 J1 League —5080130
1993 3201000330
1994 4114020471
1995 47120—491
1996 29110130431
1997 2202000240
1998 2701000280
1999 J1 League 2503060340
Total 26751903603225
Júbilo Iwata 2000 J1 League 2010030231
Urawa Reds 2001 J1 League 2614060361
2002 2800091371
Total 54140151732
Career total 34172305414188

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[4]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 198850
1989110
199060
199120
1992110
1993152
199491
1995161
1996130
1997211
1998100
199930
Total1225
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ihara goal.
List of international goals scored by Masami Ihara
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
15 May 1993Dubai, United Arab Emirates Sri Lanka2–06–01994 FIFA World Cup qualification
23–0
311 October 1994Hiroshima, Japan South Korea2–22–31994 Asian Games
43 June 1995London, England England1–11–2Umbro Cup
58 November 1997Tokyo, Japan Kazakhstan4–05–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification

Managerial statistics

[6]

Team From To Record
GWDLWin %
Kashiwa Reysol 2009 2009 2 0 1 1 000.00
Avispa Fukuoka 2015 2018 160 68 41 51 042.50
Total 162 68 42 52 041.98

Honours

Nissan Motors / Yokohama F - Marinos

Júbilo Iwata

Japan

Individual

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Nissan Motors" until 1992, "Yokohama Marinos" until 1999

References

  1. ↑ "IHARA Masami". Japan National Football Team Database. Archived from the original on 2013-09-22.
  2. ↑ "SOCCER/ Endo's Japan record ruined by Brazil thumping". Asahi Shimbun. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "Masami Ihara". J-League Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2007-03-22. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  4. 1 2 Japan National Football Team Database
  5. ↑ Avispa Fukuoka(in Japanese)
  6. ↑ J.League Data Site(in Japanese)
  7. ↑ "Yasuhito Endo named J-League 30-year MVP, Kazuyoshi Miura, Shunsuke Nakamura in best XI". Mainichi Shimbun. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
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