| Full name | F.C. Ryūkyū | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Lekio | ||
| Founded | 2003 | ||
| Ground | Okinawa General Athletic Stadium Okinawa City, Okinawa (Capacity: 25,000) |
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| Chairman | Nobuyuki Sakakibara | ||
| Manager | Hiroyuki Shinzato (2009- ) | ||
| League | Japan Football League | ||
| 2010 | 10th | ||
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F.C. Ryūkyū (FC琉球 Efu Shī Ryūkyū) are a football (soccer) club from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. They currently play in the Japan Football League.
The word Ryūkyū is Okinawa Prefecture's historical name. The club also has futsal and handball teams.
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The club was founded in 2003. Most of the players who initially joined the club were those who had left Okinawa Kariyushi F.C. after a rift with their management, which were beholden to the Kariyushi hotel chain. Their first 2003 season saw them win the championship in Okinawa Prefectural Division 3 North. They were allowed to skip to Division 1 the next season, where they again succeeded in finishing top of the table.
In the 2005 season, they belonged to the Kyūshū Regional League (Kyu League). After finishing 2nd and winning the Regional League play-off, they were promoted to the JFL and became the first ever Okinawan football side who played in a national league.
In December 2007, the club appointed former Japan national coach Philippe Troussier as their general manager. Jean-Paul Rabier was appointed as their manager in January 2008.
They applied for J. League Associate Membership in January 2008, but their application was declined at the J. League board meeting held on February 19, 2008.
In December 2008, the resignation of Rabier was announced. Former coach Hiroyuki Shinzato was promoted to be the new manager in January 2009.
Their team colour is bengara, a shade of red pigment. It is called red ochre in English and can be generally described as claret. Bengara derives from a Dutch word bengala which in turn derives from Bengal, a region in India and Bangladesh. This name was given because the pigment was traditionally imported from Bengal to Japan. Okinawa has a close association with the bengara colour which is prominently applied to Shuri Castle, one of the most symbolic historical buildings in the area.
In 2008 they adopted a sky blue trim for their home uniform, apparently as their bengara pigment pattern was seen as too similar to Aston Villa from England (the claret and sky-blue pattern was around long before Troussier and the French staff arrived, so a coincidence in colors is feasible).
Their crest features a pair of Shisas, imaginary talismanic creatures in the area.
As of June 28, 2011
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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