Masanori Suzuki

1.1. Birth and background

q=Tokyo, Japan|position=right
Masanori Suzuki was born in Tokyo, Japan, on September 15, 1968. His birth name was 鈴木 政紀_{Suzuki Masanori}^Japanese, which he later changed to 鈴木 将方_{Suzuki Masanori}^Japanese upon joining the J.League. From a young age, he was involved in football, participating in the Furoku Soccer Junior Team, which is now known as Furoku Soccer Club.

1.2. Education

Suzuki attended Horikoshi High School from 1984 to 1986, where he further developed his football skills. He then continued his academic and athletic pursuits at Kokushikan University from 1987 to 1990, playing for the university's football team. His time at Kokushikan University was pivotal, as it directly led to his professional football career when he joined Toshiba Soccer Club after graduation.

2.1. Club career

Suzuki's club career saw him play for Toshiba Soccer Club in the Japan Soccer League (JSL) and Japan Football League (JFL), followed by a significant move to Júbilo Iwata in the newly formed J1 League.

2.2. Playing style and characteristics

Masanori Suzuki was characterized as a small but highly athletic striker, standing at 63 in ^{(161 cm)} and weighing 128 lb ^{(58 kg)}. He was predominantly left-footed and excelled at making breakthroughs from the left side of the field. His nickname, "Chibimasa" (チビマサ^Japanese), highlighted his compact stature. Alongside players like Hideki Katura (then with Yokohama Flügels) and Ken Mushima (who was his teammate at Toshiba and later played for Shimizu S-Pulse), he was part of a group popularly known as "Chibikko J-Leaguers" (small J-Leaguers), who gained significant popularity. Despite his size, Suzuki possessed remarkable physical ability, making him surprisingly strong in aerial duels. He was noted for his impressive heading goals, including back-headers, often achieving them by effectively using opponents' shoulders for leverage, demonstrating his unique and effective playing style. He primarily played as an offensive midfielder or forward.

3.1. Futsal coaching

q=Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan|position=right
Following his retirement from professional football, Masanori Suzuki embarked on a new chapter as a futsal coach. He became the head of the Cerejezon Hamamatsu Futsal Club in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, taking on a leadership role in the development of futsal. His coaching career advanced when he took on the position of coach for Deução Kobe, a club participating in the top-tier F.League. However, he resigned from this role in January 2009. After his tenure with Deução Kobe, Suzuki returned to Cerejezon Hamamatsu as a staff member and also continued to play as a player in the Shizuoka Prefectural Futsal League, demonstrating his enduring passion for the sport.

4.1. JSL and JFL statistics

Masanori Suzuki's league statistics from his time in the Japan Soccer League (JSL) and Japan Football League (JFL) are as follows:

4.2. J.League statistics

Masanori Suzuki's league statistics from his tenure in the J.League are presented below:

4.3. Other official competitions

In addition to league play, Masanori Suzuki also participated in various cup competitions:

Overall, throughout his professional career, Masanori Suzuki made a total of 123 league appearances, scoring 23 goals. Including cup competitions, his complete career statistics amount to 139 appearances and 26 goals.

4.4. Career milestones

Masanori Suzuki achieved several significant milestones during his professional football career:

• JSL Division 1 debut: March 17, 1991, in a match against Furukawa Electric SC at Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium.
• JSL Division 1 first goal: February 9, 1992, in a match against Yamaha Motors (the predecessor of Júbilo Iwata) at Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium.
• J.League debut: March 12, 1994, in a match against Kashima Antlers at Kashima Soccer Stadium.
• J.League first goal: March 19, 1994, in a match against Verdy Kawasaki (now Tokyo Verdy) at National Stadium.