URAWA RED DIAMONDS

Heart-full Club Coach Sugiyama to Retire  

Heart-full Club Coach Koichi Sugiyama has retired from his current position and will take on the position of Team Manager for Albirex Niigata Singapore.

His successor is Naoto Sakurai, who is from Urawa City and has played for Urawa Reds and Tokyo Verdy etc.

Koichi Sugiyama has arrived in Singapore and started his activity with his new team. The new Heart-full Club Coach Naoto Sakurai is scheduled to participate in the Urawa Reds OB match, which will be held at Komaba tomorrow. His first assignment with the Heart-full Club will start from 1st February.

Name: Koichi Sugiyama
Date of birth: 27th October 1971
Place of birth: Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture
＜Career as player＞
Osaka University of Commerce→Urawa Reds (1994 – 1998)→Tokyo Verdy (1998 – 2002)→Albirex Niigata (2003)
Appearances in J1: 169 games with 2 goals
＜Career as coach＞
From 2004: Urawa Reds Heart-full Club coach

Comments from Sugiyama
“I was able to meet a lot of people at Urawa Reds and gain very valuable and happy experiences.
I want to do my best everyday at my new job.
I hope we can meet again somewhere.
Thank you very much.”

Name: Naoto Sakurai
Date of birth: 2nd September 1975
Place of birth: Urawa City, Saitama Prefecture
＜Career as player＞
Mimuro Elementary School→Mimuro Junior High School→Ohmiya Higashi High School→Urawa Reds (1995 – 1999)→Verdy Kawasaki (1999 – 2004)→Omiya Ardija (2005 – 2008)
Appearances in J1: 186 games with 32 goals
＜Career as coach＞
2009: Omiya Ardija U-12 coach