Naoki Naruo

1.1. Early Life and Education

Naruo was born on October 5, 1974, in Iwaizumi, Iwate, Japan. He attended Iwate University, where he later pursued a Master's degree while concurrently playing professional football. This unique dual commitment highlights his dedication beyond the athletic field from an early stage.

1.2. Professional Debut and Early Clubs

After graduating from Iwate University, Naruo began his professional career in 1997, joining Montedio Yamagata, a club in the Japan Football League (JFL). During his time there, he played in 12 matches, scoring 5 goals as a forward. In 1998, he transferred to another JFL club, Sony Sendai. He quickly became a regular player for the club, making 28 appearances and netting 13 goals. His strong performance at Sony Sendai FC drew attention, paving his way to the higher divisions of Japanese football.

1.3. Major Clubs

Naruo moved to Albirex Niigata in 1999, following their promotion to the J2 League. He became a central player for the club over two seasons, featuring in 72 matches and scoring 25 goals. His most prolific season was in 2000, where he scored 17 goals, including two hat-tricks against Urawa Red Diamonds at Niigata City Athletic Stadium. In 2001, he made a significant move to J1 League club Júbilo Iwata. However, he found it challenging to secure a regular position due to fierce competition from established players such as Masashi Nakayama, Daisuke Oku, and Ryoichi Maeda, and did not make any appearances for the club.

In June 2002, Naruo transferred to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, another J1 League club, but his playing opportunities remained limited, appearing in only 3 matches without scoring. The club was subsequently relegated to J2. In 2003, he joined Sagan Tosu in the J2 League, where he once again became a regular player, playing in 38 matches and scoring 5 goals. His opportunities decreased in 2004, and he retired from professional football at the end of the 2004 season.

1.4. Playing Statistics

Naruo's playing career spanned various leagues, including the JFL, J2 League, and J1 League.

In addition to league and domestic cup competitions, Naruo also participated in the AFC Champions League during the 2001 season, making 1 appearance and scoring 1 goal.

2.1. Coaching Entry and Early Roles

Naruo embarked on his coaching journey immediately after retiring as a player. From 2005 to 2010, he held various positions within the Albirex Niigata organization, including an outreach coach (2005) and youth development coach (2010). His first head coaching role came in 2006, when he took charge of Albirex Niigata Ladies, leading them for two seasons. In 2008, he served as a coach for Albirex Niigata Singapore before taking on the head manager role for the club in the S.League in 2009, where he guided the team to a seventh-place finish.

He then returned to his home region in Japan, joining Iwate Grulla Morioka (then Grulla Morioka) in 2011 as a top team coach. In 2012, he was promoted to manager, initiating a successful four-year tenure with the club. After his impactful time at Grulla Morioka, he briefly returned to Albirex Niigata Singapore in 2016. In 2017, he became the manager of Albirex Niigata U-18. Subsequently, he served as a National Training Center Coach for the Hokushin'etsu region in 2018 and as the full-time Youth Director for the Iwate Prefecture Football Association from 2019 to 2021. Since 2022, he has been the Vice Manager and Coach of the Fuji University soccer team.

2.2. Major Coaching Achievements

Naruo's managerial career is marked by several notable achievements, particularly in promoting teams and securing domestic titles.

At Grulla Morioka, he led the club to significant success in the Japanese Regional Leagues. In 2012, they finished second in the Tohoku Soccer League Division 1. He subsequently guided them to win the Tohoku League Division 1 title in 2013 with 16 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, accumulating 49 points. That same year, he steered Grulla Morioka to victory in the 37th National Regional Football League Finals, which secured their promotion to the newly formed J3 League for the 2014 season. Under his leadership, Grulla Morioka also achieved a runner-up position in the 67th National Sports Festival soccer competition in 2012 and finished third in the 68th edition in 2013. They were also runners-up in the 49th National Social Football Championship in 2013.

In 2016, Naruo returned to Albirex Niigata Singapore and led them to an unprecedented sweep of all four major trophies in the Singaporean football league: the S.League title, the Singapore League Cup, the Singapore Cup, and the Singapore Charity Shield. This historic quadrouple earned him the prestigious 2016 S.League Coach of the Year award. Following this highly successful season, he announced his departure from the club.

2.3. Coaching Qualifications

Naruo has consistently pursued professional development in football management, obtaining all three classes of coaching licenses from the Japan Football Association (JFA):

• JFA B-Class Coaching License: Obtained in 2006
• JFA A-Class Coaching License: Obtained in 2008
• JFA S-Class Coaching License: Obtained in 2011

2.4. Managerial Statistics

Naruo's managerial record reflects his impact across different leagues and competitions.