Toshiaki Imai Explained

Toshiaki Imai
今井 敏明
Birth Date:29 December 1954
Birth Place:Saitama, Japan
Youthyears1:1970–1972
Youthclubs1:Urawa Nishi High School
Youthyears2:1973–1976
Youthclubs2:Waseda University
Years1:1977–1981
Clubs1:Fujitsu
Manageryears1:1993–1994
Managerclubs1:Tokyo Gas
Manageryears2:1996
Managerclubs2:Shiroki FC Serena
Manageryears3:2000
Managerclubs3:Kawasaki Frontale
Manageryears4:2005–2007
Managerclubs4:Chinese Taipei
Manageryears5:2007
Managerclubs5:Chinese Taipei Women
Manageryears6:2011–2012
Managerclubs6:FC Ganju Iwate
Manageryears7:2016
Managerclubs7:Chinese Taipei
Manageryears8:2016
Managerclubs8:Mongolia
Manageryears9:2017
Managerclubs9:Global Cebu
Manageryears10:2020
Managerclubs10:Taichung Futuro

is a Japanese football manager and former player.

Early life

Imai was born in Saitama Prefecture on December 29th, 1954. He is a graduate of Waseda University.

Playing career

Imai played for Fujitsu (later Kawasaki Frontale) from 1977 to 1981.

Coaching career

After retirement, Imai became a manager for Tokyo Gas in 1993. He managed Shiroki FC Serena (1996), Kawasaki Frontale (2000).

In November 2005, Imai was appointed by Japan Football Association to coach Chinese Taipei national team and to help the football development in Taiwan. It was his first international assignment. He accepted the challenge and signed a one-year contract with Chinese Taipei Football Association in December. Under his guidance, although the team did not have any amazing performance in international competitions, it was believed that Imai did bring good influence on the team, as well as football activities in Taiwan.

On 15 December 2006, Imai extended his contract with CTFA.[1] In addition to men's national team, he also led Chinese Taipei women's national team in the 2008 Olympic Games qualification in February 2007. In 2008, he returned to Japan and became the manager of Waseda University.

In 2016, Imai became manager of Chinese Taipei again, but was fired in October of that year after complaints of team disunity.[2] By January 2017, he was already mentoring Global Cebu which is set to participate at the Philippines Football League as its head coach.[3]

In 2020, Imai briefly coached Taiwan Football Premier League team Taichung Futuro.[4]

Managerial statistics

[5]

Notes and References

  1. News: zh:今井敏明續約 明年初先帶女足衝奧運 . http://www.ctfa.com.tw/news.asp?category=A&news_id=618 . Chinese Taipei Football Association . 15 December 2006 . Chinese . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070107004032/http://www.ctfa.com.tw/news.asp?category=A&news_id=618 . 7 January 2007.
  2. Web site: 台灣男足剛晉級 足協炒掉日教頭 - 自由體育. 13 October 2016.
  3. News: Guerrero. Bob. Global FC aims for the big leagues of Asia. 20 January 2017. Rappler. 20 January 2017.
  4. Web site: Ko . Brandon . 那些年,我們一起看的臺灣男足外籍教練[近5年] ]. SPORTS VISION . 14 September 2020 . Chinese . 28 July 2020.
  5. https://data.j-league.or.jp/SFIX07/?staff_id=1556 J.League Data Site