Akira Ito (footballer)

2.1. Early Life and Youth Career

Akira Ito was born on September 19, 1972, in Niiza, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. He developed his football skills at Bunam High School (武南高校) from 1988 to 1990, where he played as an attacking midfielder. During his high school career, he participated in the 1989 National High School Football Championship, where his team achieved a runner-up finish. Following high school, he enrolled in Kokushikan University (国士舘大学) from 1991 to 1994, continuing his football development within the university's club. At Kokushikan University, he was a teammate of Yuuki Fukagawa.

q=Niiza, Saitama|position=right

2.2. Early Professional Career (Amateur Player)

After graduating from university, Ito joined Fujitsu SC (富士通サッカー部) in 1995. At the time, Fujitsu SC was part of the Japan Football League (JFL). He initially played for the club as a "company player" (社員選手_{Shain Senshu}^Japanese), a common practice in Japanese football before the full professionalization of the J.League. Even after Fujitsu SC was rebranded as Kawasaki Frontale in 1997 and secured J.League associate membership, Ito remained with the club under an amateur contract.

In 1998, Ito became a regular player for Kawasaki Frontale, contributing significantly to their success. Notably, he scored the crucial opening goal against Avispa Fukuoka in the J1 promotion play-off first round. The following year, in 1999, as Kawasaki Frontale joined the newly established J2 League, Ito continued to be a vital part of the squad, playing a key role in the club's successful promotion to the J1 League. Tetsuo Nakanishi, then captain of Kawasaki Frontale, praised Ito for his professionalism and serious approach to football, despite his amateur status. Ito was known for his versatility, serving as a key player and often coming off the bench as a "super sub" (スーパーサブ_{sūpā sabu}^Japanese) to make an impact. Although Kawasaki Frontale was relegated back to J1 after only one year in J1, Ito remained with the team until the end of the 2001 season. In November 2001, he was released by the club. However, immediately after his release, he played a crucial role in the Emperor's Cup, helping the team reach the semi-finals. His performance, along with that of other released players, was highlighted in the media as a testament to the "restructured players' activity" (リストラ選手の活躍_{risutora senshu no katsuyaku}^Japanese).

q=Kawasaki, Kanagawa|position=left

2.3. Professional Playing Career

In 2002, Akira Ito officially became a professional contract player after leaving Fujitsu and joining Omiya Ardija, a J2 club based in his home prefecture of Saitama. He played as a regular for two seasons with Omiya Ardija, making 87 appearances and scoring 14 goals. In 2004, he transferred to Sagan Tosu, another J2 club, where he played 41 matches as a side midfielder and scoring 4 goals. From 2005 to 2006, he joined Tokushima Vortis, a club newly promoted to the J2 League. During his two seasons with Tokushima Vortis, he continued to play as a side midfielder, appearing in 83 matches and scoring 10 goals.

Ito's career saw him play for four different clubs in the J2 League over seven years. His departures from various teams were often influenced by clubs seeking to rejuvenate their squads and implement system changes in response to struggling team performances. He officially retired from playing at the end of the 2006 season. Over his 11-year professional career, Akira Ito played in a total of 403 official matches, scoring 77 goals. He stands at 69 in ^{(176 cm)} tall and weighs 146 lb ^{(66 kg)}.

q=Omiya-ku, Saitama|position=right
q=Tosu, Saga|position=left
q=Tokushima, Tokushima|position=right

3.1. Omiya Ardija

Akira Ito began his coaching career at his former club, Omiya Ardija, in January 2007, initially as the U-12 team coach. From 2008 to 2010, he served as a coach for the junior youth team, subsequently being promoted to manager of the junior youth team from 2011 to 2013. He then managed the youth team from 2014 to 2015. During his time as Omiya youth manager, he acquired his JFA S-class coach license in 2015. As part of his practical training for the license, he participated in the top team training of his former club, Kawasaki Frontale, demonstrating keen interest in manager Yahiro Kazama's coaching methodologies.

In the 2016 season, Ito joined Omiya Ardija's top team as a coach under manager Hiroki Shibuya. On May 28, 2017, due to the club's struggling performance, Shibuya and head coach Hisashi Kurosaki were dismissed, and Ito was appointed as the new manager. However, the team's results did not significantly improve under his leadership. Although he led the team to the quarterfinals of the Emperor's Cup, the club ultimately finished in last place (18th out of 18 teams) in the 2017 J1 League season, leading to their relegation back to the J2 League. Consequently, Ito was dismissed on November 5, 2017, just six months after taking charge.

3.2. Ventforet Kofu

In 2018, Akira Ito joined Ventforet Kofu as a head coach. By December of the same year, he was appointed as the manager, succeeding Nobuhiro Ueno. His tenure at Ventforet Kofu was marked by significant improvements in the team's performance. In 2019, he guided the team to a 5th-place finish in the J2 League, which qualified them for the J1 promotion play-offs. The team continued its strong performance under his leadership, finishing 4th in J2 in 2020 and 3rd in 2021.

Over his three seasons as manager of Ventforet Kofu (2019-2021), Ito oversaw 132 matches, achieving a record of 61 wins, 41 draws, and 30 losses. He also led the club to the quarterfinals of the Emperor's Cup twice. On December 2, 2021, it was announced that he would be stepping down as manager of Ventforet Kofu.

q=Kofu, Yamanashi|position=right

3.3. Júbilo Iwata

On December 25, 2021, Akira Ito was appointed as the new manager of Júbilo Iwata for the 2022 season, with Hiroki Shibuya joining him as head coach. However, Ito's time at Júbilo Iwata was short-lived and characterized by challenging results. His contract was terminated on August 14, 2022, following a significant 0-6 defeat against Urawa Red Diamonds on August 13, which left the team at the bottom of the league after the 25th match of the season. During his tenure, he managed 28 matches, recording a performance of 7 wins, 7 draws, and 14 losses.

q=Iwata, Shizuoka|position=left

3.4. Vegalta Sendai

On September 6, 2022, Akira Ito was announced as the new manager of Vegalta Sendai. He took charge of the team from the 35th match of the 2022 J2 League season until the end of the year, leading them to a 7th-place finish. He continued his role for the 2023 season. However, on July 13, 2023, his contract with Vegalta Sendai was terminated, marking his departure after the 25th match of the season. Throughout his time at Sendai, no specific significant achievements were noted. He managed a total of 33 matches for the club, with a record of 10 wins, 10 draws, and 13 losses.

q=Sendai, Miyagi|position=right

3.5. Zweigen Kanazawa

On December 11, 2023, Akira Ito's appointment as the manager of Zweigen Kanazawa for the 2024 season was officially announced. This move followed the club's relegation to the J3 League. In his first season with Zweigen Kanazawa, he led the team to a 12th-place finish out of 20 teams in the J3 League, concluding the 2024 season with a record of 13 wins, 11 draws, and 14 losses.

q=Kanazawa, Ishikawa|position=left

4.1. Player Statistics

4.2. Managerial Statistics

Statistics include J1, J2, J3 Leagues, J.League Cup and Emperor's Cup results.

• Notes:
  • For Júbilo Iwata in 2022, Ito managed until the 25th match.
  • For Vegalta Sendai in 2022, Ito managed from the 35th match until the final match. The rank is the final league position.
  • For Vegalta Sendai in 2023, Ito managed until the 25th match.

5.1. As a Player

• Japan Football League
  • Runner-up: 1998 (with Kawasaki Frontale)
  • 3rd place: 1997 (with Kawasaki Frontale)
• J2 League
  • Champion: 1999 (with Kawasaki Frontale)
• J.League Cup
  • Runner-up: 2000 (with Kawasaki Frontale)
• Emperor's Cup
  • Semi-finalist: 2001 (with Kawasaki Frontale)

5.2. As a Manager

• J2 League
  • 3rd place: 2021 (with Ventforet Kofu)
  • 4th place: 2020 (with Ventforet Kofu)