The Futsal Committee of the Japan Football Association (JFA) had a press briefing about the development plan of the Japan Futsal National Teams and announced that SUZUKI Ryuji was appointed to take over as the Coach of the U-19 Japan Futsal National Team. The team will try to qualify for the first AFC U-20 Futsal Championship, which will kick off in May 2017. 

Futsal Japan National Team did not finish as one of the top 5 teams in the AFC Futsal Championship Uzbekistan 2016 held in February and lost their chance to play in the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia this September. The former Coach of the Japan Futsal National Team, Miguel RODRIGO, resigned after leading the team for seven years. JFA has worked on changing the organisational framework of the Futsal Committee since April to develop Japan’s future of futsal and qualify for the next FIFA Futsal World Cup in four years. As a first step of their mission, JFA aims to strengthen young futsal players.

Suzuki has the necessary experience and qualifications for leading the future. As a member of the Japan Futsal National Team from 2005-2007, he has participated in the AFC Futsal Championship. Then, he played for NAGOYA OCEANS from 2007 to 2009. Thereafter, he moved to a Spanish team where he played professionally as well as gained experience coaching a feeder team of the club until 2014. “I will commit myself fully to the future of Japan’s futsal with ‘Japanese spirit, ' utilising my professional experience in Spain”, said Suzuki at presser.

JFA also announced that Suzuki was appointed to be the interim Coach of the Futsal National Team and lead the team in the international friendly in mid-August in Thailand. U-19 players as well as senior experienced players will be called up for this competition, giving a great opportunity to strengthen younger players for the up-coming qualifier of the U-20 AFC Championship in November and the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2020. Suzuki expressed his vision: “Spanish coaches said that Japanese players have a lot of potential. I will work on developing their individual talent, encouraging them to perform to the best of their ability in the team.”

Organisational system of the Futsal Committee has changed, and Research Committee was newly established in April to discuss the development of the future of Japan's futsal, such as strengthening the national teams, selecting coaches, and developing both players and coaches. KONISHI Teppei was appointed to be the Technical Director, and KOMORI Takahiro, who was the Coach of the U-18 Japan Futsal National Team until last year, was selected as the Assistant Director.

Director Konishi will also take part in Strengthening Committee, Players’ Development Committee, Coaches’ Training Committee of Japan’s national football. His know-how and experience in football will allow him to improve futsal and collaborate between these two different categories of football.

As Komori Assistant Director states: “it is ideal to create more opportunities for football players to play futsal (at the National Training Centre or for the national futsal team),” especially among younger generations, which will directly benefit the development of futsal.

Chairman of the Futsal Committee KITAZAWA Tsuyoshi said: “(regarding and understanding the current situation) we will take necessary steps to strengthen Japan Futsal National Team for the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2020.” We will focus on younger players who can contribute to the future of Japan’s futsal, looking ahead four to eight years. 

Comments

KITAZAWA Tsuyoshi, Chairman of JFA Futsal Committee
The organisational structure of the Futsal Committee has changed in April this year. We are in the process of strengthening our National Futsal Team. We are also working on hosting the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2020, and we will make ourselves ready for the task.

Furthermore, we are planning to announce the new Coach of the Futsal Japan National Team after the coming FIFA Futsal World Cup in September. Ahead of this announcement, Suzuki has been appointed as the Coach of the U-19 Japan Futsal National Team and the interim Coach of the Japan Futsal National Team. This is an important development considering who will lead the Japan’s national futsal team after 2020.

SUZUKI Ryuji, Coach of the U-19 Japan Futsal National Team / Interim Coach of Japan Futsal National Team
While working in Spain, I was able to see the strength of Japan’s futsal and observe the improvement in the level of futsal in Japan. Spanish coaches told me that Japanese players have 'a lot of potential.' I will work on developing their individual talent, encouraging them to perform to the best of their ability in the team. Furthermore, I will commit myself fully to the future of Japan’s futsal with ‘Japanese spirit, ' utilising my professional experience in Spain.