1. Overview
Kosei Nakamura (中村 幸聖Nakamura KōseiJapanese, born April 5, 1981) is a former Japanese football player and current coach. He primarily played as a forward during his professional career. Standing at 67 in (171 cm) and weighing 139 lb (63 kg), Nakamura played for several clubs in Japan, including Kashima Antlers, Montedio Yamagata, and Albirex Niigata, as well as a loan spell with Albirex Niigata Singapore. After retiring as a player, he transitioned into coaching, serving in various youth and top-team roles for Kashima Antlers before becoming an assistant coach for the Singapore national team and its youth squads.
2. Early Life and Education
Kosei Nakamura was born on April 5, 1981, in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. For his education, he attended Kumamoto Prefectural Ozu High School from 1997 to 1999, where he played football before embarking on his professional career.
3. Playing Career
Kosei Nakamura's playing career spanned from 2000 to 2006, primarily in the J.League in Japan and the Singapore Premier League (then S.League) in Singapore.
3.1. Professional Debut and Early Career
After graduating from high school, Nakamura joined J1 League club Kashima Antlers in 2000. He made his professional debut on May 3, 2000, coming on as a substitute forward in the 82nd minute against Verdy Kawasaki. Despite his debut, he found it difficult to secure regular playing time during his initial period with Kashima Antlers, playing sparingly until 2002.
3.2. Club Career
Nakamura's club career saw him move between several teams, seeking more playing opportunities.
- Kashima Antlers (2000-2002)**: After his debut, he struggled for consistent appearances in the J1 League.
- Montedio Yamagata (2003-2004)**: In 2003, he moved to J2 League club Montedio Yamagata. This move proved more fruitful, as he played in many matches, scoring 11 goals in 2003. However, his playing time decreased in 2004.
- Albirex Niigata (2005)**: In 2005, Nakamura transferred to J1 League club Albirex Niigata. He did not make any appearances for the club during this period.
- Albirex Niigata Singapore (loan, 2005)**: In June 2005, he was loaned to Albirex Niigata Singapore, a Japanese satellite club playing in the S.League (now Singapore Premier League). During his loan spell, he played in 15 matches and scored 7 goals, finding more success and regular play.
- Albirex Niigata (2006)**: Nakamura returned to Albirex Niigata in 2006 but again did not make any appearances. He retired from professional football at the end of the 2006 season.
3.3. Club Statistics
The following table details Kosei Nakamura's club performance throughout his professional playing career.
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 2000 | Kashima Antlers | J1 League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 2003 | Montedio Yamagata | J2 League | 40 | 11 | 3 | 1 | - | 43 | 12 | |
| 2004 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 9 | 2 | |||
| 2005 | Albirex Niigata | J1 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Singapore | League | Singapore Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 2005 | Albirex Niigata Singapore | S.League | 15 | 7 | - | - | 15 | 7 | ||
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 2006 | Albirex Niigata | J1 League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Japan | 51 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 58 | 15 | |
| Singapore | 15 | 7 | - | - | 15 | 7 | ||||
| Career total | 66 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 73 | 22 | ||
4. Coaching Career
Following his retirement as a player, Kosei Nakamura transitioned into football coaching, primarily focusing on youth development before moving into senior team roles.
4.1. Coaching Roles
Nakamura's coaching career began in 2007, and he has held various positions across different levels of football.
- Kashima Antlers (2007-2023)**: Nakamura spent a significant portion of his coaching career with his former club, Kashima Antlers, working with their youth and top teams.
- U-15 Coach: 2007-2009
- U-15 Coach: 2010-2012
- U-18 Junior Youth Coach: 2013-2014
- U-18 Junior Youth Manager: 2015-2018
- U-18 Youth Manager: 2019-2020
- Top Team Assistant Coach: 2021-2023
- Singapore National Teams (2024-present)**: In 2024, Nakamura moved to Singapore to take on new coaching responsibilities.
- Assistant Coach for the Singapore national team.
- Assistant Coach for the Singapore U23 national team.
- Assistant Coach for Young Lions, a club composed of Singapore's national under-23 players.