Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi

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Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi

Kawaguchi with Júbilo Iwata in 2010
Personal information
Date of birth (1975-08-15) August 15, 1975
Place of birthFuji, Japan
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Club information
Current clubFC Gifu
NumberTBD
Youth career
1991–1994Shimizu High School
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1994–2001Yokohama Marinos139(0)
2001–2003Portsmouth12(0)
2003–2005Nordsjælland8(0)
2005–2013Júbilo Iwata228(0)
2014-FC Gifu0(0)
National team‡
1995–1996Japan U-2310(0)
1997–2010[1]Japan116(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 October 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10:48, 14 December 2013 (UTC)

Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (川口 能活 Kawaguchi Yoshikatsu, born August 15, 1975), sometimes referred to as Yoshi Kawaguchi, is a Japanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He is a former captain of the Japan national team. Current, he plays in FC Gifu in J. League Division 2.

Biography

Born in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, Kawaguchi studied at Shimizu Commercial High School and was a member of the football team there. After finishing high school, he joined the professional football team Yokohama Marinos (now known as Yokohama F. Marinos). He was called up to the Japanese national team and played in the Atlanta Olympic games. He kept a clean sheet against Brazil in the first game. He played in Japan's first ever World Cup game in 1998 in a 1-0 defeat to Argentina.

Following impressive performances for both club and country, he moved to English club Portsmouth,[2] signing for a club record £1.8m.[3] However, he struggled to adapt to life in the English Football League, and struggled with the physical side of the First Division, notably in a 3-1 away defeat to Grimsby Town. Kawaguchi lost his place to veteran Dave Beasant after being held responsible for Portsmouth's 4-1 home defeat to underdogs Leyton Orient in the FA Cup. Despite his poor performances for Pompey he remained something of a cult hero with the fans, on account of his cheerful demeanour, and his insistence that he would work hard to regain his place. After a season of playing reserve team football, he made his final appearance for Portsmouth in the final game of the 2002/3 Football League First Division championship winning season, coming on at half time to a standing ovation in the 5-0 win against Bradford City. Despite this brief reappearance, he realised that his future lay elsewhere, and moved on to Nordsjælland of the Danish league. Prior to the 2005 Japanese football season, Kawaguchi returned to his home country when he signed with then-perennial title-contenders Júbilo Iwata.[4]

Kawaguchi is a renowned penalty stopper, making two saves in the shootout against Jordan in the 2004 Asian Cup quarter final and also saving from Croatia's Darijo Srna in the 2006 World Cup. During the 2007 Asian Cup he was instrumental in Japan's quarter-final win against Australia making two saves from Harry Kewell and Lucas Neill in the penalty shootout, thus making him the Man of the Match.

In August 2006, it was revealed that he would wear the captain's armband, as new Japan manager Ivica Osim believed that former captain Tsuneyasu Miyamoto was not getting enough playing time at his domestic club, Gamba Osaka. Kawaguchi is his country's most-capped goalkeeper and overall third most-capped player with 116 caps for Japan, 6 behind second-placed Masami Ihara with 122 caps, but an injury had since sidelined him from action.[5] Long-time rival Seigo Narazaki had since been playing as first-choice keeper for Japan.

A broken leg sustained in a J-League clash against Kyoto Sanga appeared to have sidelined him for the rest of the season thus ruling him out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, after making a full and quick recovery Japanese head coach Takeshi Okada decided to include him in the final squad announced on May 10, 2010. Kawaguchi was one of two Japanese players (the other being Seigo Narazaki) to be named for their national team's 4th consecutive FIFA World Cup. Despite his period of inactivity and having fallen to third in the pecking order, Okada selected him in the hope that his leadership and experience would aid the team's progress. Kawaguchi was appointed captain of the national team during team training on 21 May 2010.[6]

Kawaguchi has not yet been picked to play for the national team under coach Alberto Zaccheroni, and with youngster Eiji Kawashima impressing in Japan's 2011 Asian Cup success, it looks as though the Yokohama-born custodian's international career may be over.

Honors

Personal:

  • J.League
  • AFC
    • AFC the Best Player of the month: June 2001
    • Asian Cup the Best 11: 2004
  • FIFA Condederation Cup
    • The Best 11: 2001

With the Japanese national football team:

  • FIFA World Cup
    • Match Appearance: 1998, 2006
    • Finals Roster: 2002
  • AFC Asian Cup
    • Appearance: 2000, 2004, 2007
    • Winner: 2000, 2004
    • 4th Place: 2007

With the Yokohama Marinos and Yokohama F. Marinos :

  • J. League:: 1995, 2000-1st

With the Portsmouth :

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Japan League Emperor's Cup League Cup Asia Total
1994Yokohama MarinosJ. League000000-00
199541020--430
199615000130
19972202000-240
19983401000-350
1999Yokohama F. MarinosJ. League Division 12802060-360
20002803050-360
2001250-70-320
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
2001-02PortsmouthFirst Division11010
2002-0310
2003-04Premier League00---00
Denmark League Danish Cup League Cup Europe Total
2003-04FC NordsjællandSuperliga801010
2004-0500
Japan League Emperor's Cup League Cup Asia Total
2005Júbilo IwataJ. League Division 1290301010340
20063401030-380
20073201030-360
20083300010-340
20092600040-300
Total Japan 3470150430
England 120
Denmark 80
Career total 3670

[7]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
1997210
199890
199930
200080
200190
200220
200320
2004110
2005140
2006190
2007120
200860
Total1160

National team

  • 1998 FIFA World Cup
  • 2000 Asian Cup (Champions)
  • 2001 Confederations Cup (Runners-Up)
  • 2002 FIFA World Cup
  • 2003 Confederations Cup
  • 2004 Asian Cup (Champions)
  • 2005 Confederations Cup
  • 2006 FIFA World Cup
  • 2007 Asian Cup (4th Place)
  • 2010 FIFA World Cup

See also

  • List of football (soccer) players with 100 or more caps

References

  1. ↑ "KAWAGUCHI Yoshikatsu". Japan National Football Team Database. 
  2. ↑ "Football focus: Tall order for Kawaguchi as Portsmouth seek eastern promise". The Daily Telegraph. 29 September 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2012. 
  3. ↑ "Kawaguchi receiving home interest". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 October 2013. 
  4. ↑ "Stats Centre: Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
  5. ↑ Mamrud, Roberto. "Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi - Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
  6. ↑ Captain Kawaguchi
  7. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/kawaguchi-intl.html

External links

F.C. Gifu – current squad
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