1. Overview
Kunihiko Takizawa (滝澤 邦彦Takizawa KunihikoJapanese) is a former Japanese professional football player. Throughout his career, he primarily played as a midfielder, known for his skills on the left flank. He spent the majority of his professional career in the J.League with clubs such as Nagoya Grampus, Vissel Kobe, JEF United Chiba, Yokohama FC, and Tokyo Verdy, before concluding his playing days in Thailand. After retiring, he transitioned into a coaching role.
2. Personal Information
Kunihiko Takizawa's personal details include his birth date, birthplace, and physical attributes.
2.1. Early Life and Background
Kunihiko Takizawa was born on April 20, 1978, in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. He began his youth football career playing for Fuchu Dainan Junior High School from 1991 to 1993. Following this, he attended Bunkyo High School from 1994 to 1996, where he continued his development as a footballer. He stands at 69 in (176 cm) tall and weighs 141 lb (64 kg). His nickname among fans and teammates was "Takky" (タッキーJapanese).
3. Playing Career
Takizawa's playing career spanned over a decade and a half, encompassing various clubs in Japan's J.League and later in Thailand.
3.1. Youth Career
Takizawa's foundational football training began during his time at Fuchu Dainan Junior High School from 1991 to 1993. He then further honed his skills at Bunkyo High School from 1994 to 1996, preparing him for a professional career.
3.2. Professional Career by Club
Kunihiko Takizawa's professional journey saw him play for several clubs, each tenure contributing to his experience and development as a player.
3.2.1. Nagoya Grampus Eight
After graduating from high school in 1997, Takizawa joined J1 League club Nagoya Grampus Eight. In his initial years, he found it challenging to secure playing time, making minimal appearances until 1999. However, he gradually established himself, playing many matches as a left midfielder starting from 2000, and eventually became a regular player for the club in 2003. His opportunities to play began to decrease in 2004, leading to his departure in August of that year.
3.2.2. Vissel Kobe
In August 2004, Takizawa moved to Vissel Kobe on a loan spell. His time at the club was brief, and he made only a limited number of appearances.
3.2.3. JEF United Chiba
For the 2005 season, Takizawa transferred to JEF United Chiba. Similar to his previous club, he found playing opportunities scarce and ultimately left the club at the end of the 2005 season.
3.2.4. Yokohama FC
A significant period in Takizawa's career began in June 2006 when he joined J2 League club Yokohama FC. He quickly became an important player, often utilized as a "super sub" to change the rhythm of matches. His contributions were crucial in Yokohama FC winning the J2 League championship in 2006, securing their promotion to J1. In 2007, despite playing as a regular in the J1 League, the club finished at the bottom of the table and was relegated back to J2 after just one year. During this J1 season, Takizawa was noted as the team's assist leader. He continued to play for Yokohama FC in J2 until the end of the 2008 season, when he was released by the club.
3.2.5. Tokyo Verdy
In 2009, Takizawa moved to Tokyo Verdy. He started the season as a key player, but his playing opportunities gradually decreased towards the latter part of the season. Following the season, he was again released from his contract.
3.2.6. Thai Clubs
In 2010, Kunihiko Takizawa embarked on a new chapter of his career by moving to Thailand. He joined Bangkok Glass (now BG Pathum United FC) in the Thai Premier League, where he played from 2010 to 2012. In 2012, he was loaned to JW Rangsit in the Regional League Division 2. For the 2013 season, he moved to Ayutthaya FC in the Thai Division 1 League. He then re-signed with Rangsit University FC for the 2014 and 2015 seasons, before retiring from professional football at the end of 2016.
3.3. Playing Style and Characteristics
Kunihiko Takizawa was primarily a midfielder, known for his versatility on the left side of the field, often playing as a left wing-back or left midfielder. He was particularly recognized for his exceptional dribbling skills. During his time at Nagoya Grampus in 2003, then-manager Zdenko Verdenik famously praised his dribbling ability, stating it was good enough to be effective even at a club like Real Madrid. His capacity to change the flow of a game made him a valuable "super sub" during his tenure at Yokohama FC, where he also became the team's assist leader in the 2007 J1 season.
3.4. Club Statistics
The following table details Kunihiko Takizawa's club performance throughout his professional career in Japan and Thailand.
| 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 | ||||||
| 1997 | Nagoya Grampus | J1 League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2000 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 3 | ||
| 2001 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2002 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 38 | 2 | ||
| 2003 | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 36 | 1 | ||
| 2004 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2005 | JEF United Chiba | J1 League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 2006 | Yokohama FC | J2 League | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 22 | 2 | |
| 2007 | J1 League | 31 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 39 | 2 | |
| 2008 | J2 League | 39 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 41 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | Tokyo Verdy | J2 League | 35 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 35 | 2 | |
| Thailand | League | Thai FA Cup | Thai League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 2010 | Bangkok Glass | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| 2011 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2012 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2012 | JW Rangsit | Div2 Bangkok | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | Ayutthaya | Div1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | Rangsit University | (No detailed statistics available) | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Career total | 285 | 7 | 42 | 5 | 17 | 2 | 346 | 14 | ||
3.5. International Career
While Kunihiko Takizawa did not make any appearances for the Japan national football team, he did participate in international club competitions. Notably, he played in the 2000-01 Asian Cup Winners' Cup, making 4 appearances for Nagoya Grampus.
4. Post-Career
After retiring from professional football at the end of the 2016 season, Kunihiko Takizawa transitioned into a coaching role. He returned to his former club, Nagoya Grampus, where he took up a position as a school coach, contributing to the development of young players.