Sagan Tosu

Sagan Tosu (サガン鳥栖, Sagan Tosu) is a Japanese professional football club based in Tosu, Saga Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country.

Sagan Tosu
サガン鳥栖
Full nameSagan Tosu Football Club
Nickname(s)Sagan
Founded1997 (1997)
StadiumEkimae Real Estate Stadium
Tosu, Saga
Capacity24,130
ChairmanMinoru Takehara
ManagerKenta Kawai
LeagueJ1 League
2023J1 League, 14th of 18
WebsiteClub website

Sagan is a coined word with a couple of meanings behind it. One of its homophones is sandstone (砂岩, sagan) in Japanese. This symbolises many small elements uniting to form one formidable object, for example as a metaphor for a team. Also, Sagan Tosu can be interpreted as "Tosu of Saga (Prefecture)" (佐賀ん鳥栖, Saga-n Tosu) in the area's dialect.

History

In February 1997, Sagan was established as a new club which virtually took over Tosu Futures, which became insolvent in the previous month, and were admitted to participate Japan Football League from 1997 to 1998, as well as J. League Cup in 1997 as a preferential measure, although J. League Associate Membership status was not awarded to Sagan. In 1999 they were admitted to the new J. League Division 2 (J2) as one of the "Original Ten", which were the ten first members of the J2. They remained at the league until their promotion to J1 at the end of the 2011 season. Little by little, Sagan Tosu started to establish itself as one of the top clubs in the country with the new President & Chief Operating Officer Minoru Takehara, who is also part owner of the club.[1]

In their first season at the J1 League in 2012, confounding the prediction of many critics about their immediate relegation to J2, they have been maintaining their position between 5th and 11th places all the way through the season, except on Matchweek 2, in which they were ranked 13th. They were ranked third after the 33rd week, having a chance to qualify for the 2013 AFC Champions League if they hadn't lost to Yokohama F. Marinos in the last match of the season. However, they have lost to Yokohama by 0–1, wrapping up the season in 5th place, while Urawa Red Diamonds defeated Nagoya Grampus and were ranked 3rd. They also became the first club in Asia to sign a partnership with Warrior Sports,[2] who sponsor many overseas clubs, including English side Liverpool.

In 2013, they made it to the semi-finals of the Emperor's Cup for the first time in the club's history, becoming the first club based in Kyushu to make it to the semi-finals of the Emperor's Cup since Nippon Steel Yawata had done in the 1981 edition. In 2013, they invited A-League team Sydney FC along with the former Italian international player Alessandro Del Piero, for a Japan Tour for the first time.[3]

In 2014, the club had been in their most successful season in the J1 League, being ranked on the top of 2014 J1 League on the 1st, 2nd, 13th, and 18th matchweek. However, the club made an announcement on 8 August which announced the termination of contract with the head coach Yoon Jung-Hwan all of a sudden, despite the apparently good season.[4] During the course of the year, they continued on its international expansion and started a partnership with Italian side Juventus, for its Juventus Under-16 Japan Tour 2014.[5] On 10 July 2018, the club reached an agreement with former FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League winner, Fernando Torres. The aging star would play 35 games for the side, netting 5 goals before finally hanging up his boots on his star-studded career.

Kit and colours

Kit evolution

Home kits - 1st
1999 - 2000
2001 - 2002
2003 - 2004
2005
2006 - 2007
2008 - 2010
2011 - 2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 -
Away kits - 2nd
1999 - 2000
2001 - 2002
2003 - 2004
2005
2006 - 2007
2008 - 2010
2011 - 2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 -
Alternative kits - 3rd
2015
Hawk Festival Memorial
2016
Ladies Day
2016
Hawk Festival Memorial
2017
Hawk Festival Memorial
2018
Hawk Festival Memorial
2019
Hawk Festival Memorial
2019
F. Torres
Retirement Game Memorial 1[6]
2019
F. Torres
Retirement Game Memorial 2[7]
2022
25th Anniversary


Current squad

As of 26 April 2024.[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Spain ESP Arnau Riera
2 DF Japan JPN Kosuke Yamazaki
3 DF Japan JPN Seiji Kimura (on loan from FC Tokyo)
5 MF Japan JPN So Kawahara
6 MF Japan JPN Akito Fukuta
7 MF Japan JPN Kohei Tezuka
8 MF Japan JPN Hikaru Nakahara
9 FW Japan JPN Atsushi Kawata
10 MF Japan JPN Fuchi Honda
11 FW Brazil BRA Vinícius Araújo
13 FW Japan JPN Ayumu Yokoyama
14 MF Japan JPN Naoyuki Fujita (captain)
16 DF Japan JPN Katsunori Ueebisu
18 MF Japan JPN Shota Hino
19 MF Japan JPN Kentaro Moriya
20 DF South Korea KOR Kim Tae-hyeon
21 MF Japan JPN Yuki Horigome
22 FW Japan JPN Cayman Togashi
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 MF Japan JPN Taichi Kikuchi
25 MF Japan JPN Ryohei Watanabe
27 MF Japan JPN Yoshiki Narahara
28 DF Japan JPN Yusuke Maruhashi
29 DF Japan JPN Taisei Inoue DSP
31 GK Japan JPN Masahiro Okamoto
32 FW Japan JPN Keisuke Sakaiya
34 DF Japan JPN Shiva Tafari Nagasawa
36 DF Japan JPN Fumiya Kitajima
41 FW Japan JPN Ryonosuke Kabayama
42 DF Japan JPN Wataru Harada
47 FW Japan JPN Daichi Suzuki Type 2
48 DF Japan JPN Yuya Kuroki Type 2
51 GK South Korea KOR Lee Yun-sung
71 GK Japan JPN Park Il-gyu (vice-captain)
88 MF Japan JPN Yoichi Naganuma
99 FW Brazil BRA Marcelo Ryan

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
12 GK South Korea KOR Koh Bong-jo (at Ventforet Kofu)
GK Japan JPN Kei Uchiyama (at Fujieda MYFC)
DF Japan JPN Dai Hirase (at Renofa Yamaguchi FC)
DF Japan JPN Ryotaro Takeuchi (at Criacao Shinjuku)
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Japan JPN Koma Osato (at Reilac Shiga FC)
MF Japan JPN Shunya Sakai (at Tegevajaro Miyazaki)
FW Japan JPN Oji Kawanami (at FC Gifu)

Sagan Tosu U-18

As of 16 April 2024.

The main U-18 team of Sagan Tosu currently plays in the Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, the top-flight league for U-18 clubs in the country. Only the registered players for the competition will be displayed.[9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Japan JPN Kota Imoto
2 DF Japan JPN Shuya Furutachi
3 DF Japan JPN Kanta Uchimaru
4 DF Japan JPN Shotaro Oba
5 DF Japan JPN Teppei Ikematsu
6 MF Japan JPN Haruki Yamasaki
7 MF Japan JPN Tentaro Onuki
8 MF Japan JPN Sena Morimoto
9 MF Japan JPN Tomomichi Yoza
10 FW Japan JPN Daichi Suzuki
11 FW Japan JPN Shion Watanabe
12 GK Japan JPN Kosei Tanaka
13 DF Japan JPN Yuto Kakimoto
14 MF Japan JPN Ryu Sakurada
15 FW Japan JPN Shion Shinkawa
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 DF Japan JPN Yuya Kuroki
17 DF Japan JPN Hikaru Yamaguchi
18 MF Japan JPN Tokito Mizumaki
19 MF Japan JPN Ryoma Koga
20 MF Japan JPN Aitaro Higashiguchi
21 MF Japan JPN Konosuke Haraguchi
22 MF Japan JPN Kento Yamamura Chidi
23 MF Japan JPN Yuki Suzuki
24 MF Japan JPN Tokia Ikeda
25 FW Japan JPN Yuto Tanaka
26 FW Japan JPN Yuta Shimoda
27 DF Japan JPN Junnosuke Iwamura
31 MF Japan JPN Ren Ono
32 FW Japan JPN Rentaro Harada
40 GK Japan JPN Teyan Tani

Retired number

  • 17 Japan Sakata Michitaka – A former professor of Saga University and the person which backed up in both the establishment of Tosu Futures and the team's revival as Sagan Tosu. He died due to kidney cancer on 7 January 2000. The number 17 indicates his day of death.

Club officials

Role[10] Name
Manager Japan Kenta Kawai
Assistant manager Japan Naoya Kikuchi
First-team coach Japan Yuzuru Suwabe
Japan Naoyuki Iwata
Japan Yoshizumi Ogawa
South Korea Cho Dong-geon
Goalkeeping coach Japan Takuya Muro
Physical coach Japan Tadashi Noda
Analyst Japan Shota Tamaki
Japan Yutaro Hamada
Chief trainer Japan Toru Kawaguchi
Athletic trainer Japan Atsushi Shiga
Trainer Japan Daisuke Adachi
Japan Masahiro Hirano
Japan Masashi Maeda
Interpreter Italy Alesso Mariani
South Korea Lee Kang-haeng
Japan Naoto Muramatsu
Competent Japan Yoshito Tsuichihara
Side affairs Japan Naoki Egawa
Japan Ayaki Goto
Equipment manager Japan Yoshiki Sugimoto
Chief doctor Japan Kyota Nishifuru

Managerial history

ManagerNationalityTenure
StartFinish
Takashi Kuwahara Japan1 February 199331 January 1995
Hiroshi Sowa Japan1 February 199731 January 2000
Kazuhiro Kōso Japan1 February 200031 January 2002
Hiroshi Soejima Japan1 February 200231 January 2003
Yoshinori Sembiki Japan1 February 200331 January 2004
Ikuo Matsumoto Japan1 February 200431 January 2007
Yasuyuki Kishino Japan1 February 200731 January 2010
Ikuo Matsumoto Japan1 February 201031 January 2011
Yun Jeong-hwan South Korea1 February 20117 August 2014
Megumu Yoshida Japan8 August 201431 January 2015
Hitoshi Morishita Japan1 February 201531 January 2016
Massimo Ficcadenti Italy1 February 201618 October 2018
Kim Myung-hwi South Korea19 October 201831 January 2019
Luis Carreras Spain1 February 20194 May 2019
Kim Myung-hwi South Korea4 May 201920 December 2021
Kenta Kawai Japan1 February 2022present

League & cup record

Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
LeagueJ. League CupEmperor's Cup
SeasonDiv.TeamsPos.PW (OTW/PKW)DL (OTL/PKL)FAGDPtsAttendance/G
1997 JFL1611th3012 (1/0)-173854-1638-Not eligible3rd round
1998 168th3011 (3)-164055-1539-3rd round
1999 J2108th3611 (1)220 (2)5264-12373,3851st round3rd round
2000 116th4013 (2)515 (5)4152-11483,7141st round3rd round
2001 1210th448 (2)428 (2)4582-37323,4791st roundRound of 16
2002 129th44914214164-23413,890Not eligible3rd round
2003 1212th44311304089-49203,1721st round
2004 1211th44811253266-34353,6104th round
2005 128th4414102058580527,8554th round
2006 134th48221313644915797,4654th round
2007 138th48219186366-3726,114Round of 16
2008 156th42197165051-1647,261Quarter-finals
2009 185th51251313715120885,939Round of 16
2010 199th3613121142411516,6333rd round
2011 202nd3819127683434697,7312nd round
2012 J1185th3415811483995311,991Group stage2nd round
2013 1812th34137145463-94611,515Group stageSemi-finals
2014 185th3419312413386014,137Group stageRound of 16
2015 1811th34913123754-174013,450Group stageQuarter-finals
2016 1811th341210123637-14612,636Group stageRound of 16
2017 188th34138134144-34714,194Group stage3rd round
2018 1814th341011132934-54115,000Group stageQuarter-finals
2019 1815th34106183253-213615,050Group stageQuarter-finals
2020 1813th34715123743-6364,675Group stageDid not qualify
2021 207th3816111153358597,276Group stageRound of 16
2022 1811th349151045441429,358Group stageRound of 16
2023 1814th34911144347-43810,230Group stage3rd round
2024 20TBD38TBDTBD
Key
  • Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
  • Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
  • OTW / PKW = Overtime wins / Penalty kicks wins 1997 & 1998 seasons - 1999, 2000, 2001 & 2002 Overtime wins only
  • OTL / PKL = Overtime losses / Penalty kicks losses 1997 and 1998 seasons - 1999, 2000 & 2001 Overtime losses only
  • 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances were reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
  • Source: J.League Data Site

References

  1. [サガン、竹原氏が社長就任 「J1昇格と健全な経営」 http://www1.saga-s.co.jp/news/saga.0.1913106.article.html]
  2. [Warrior Football – Sagan Tosu http://www.warriorfootball.com/teams/sagan-tosu]
  3. [Sagan Tosu outlast Sydney FC in J-League friendly https://www.sbnation.com/2013/7/24/4551614/sydney-sagan-tosu-j-league]
  4. "尹晶煥監督 契約解除のお知らせ" [Annulment of the contract with Head Coach Yoon Jung-Hwan]. Sagan Tosu. 2014-08-08. Archived from the original on 2014-08-07. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  5. [The Bianconeri Allievi fly to Japan ]
  6. Worn at the entrance to the pitch against Vissel Kobe in J1 Section 24.
  7. Worn during the match against Vissel Kobe in J1 Section 24.
  8. "TOP TEAM PLAYERS". Sagan Tosu. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  9. "サガン鳥栖 U-18" (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  10. "TOP TEAM STAFF". sagan-tosu.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
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