1. Overview
Norihiro Satsukawa (薩川 了洋Satsukawa NorihiroJapanese, born April 18, 1972) is a Japanese football manager and former professional football player. As a player, he primarily served as a defender for Yokohama Flügels and Kashiwa Reysol. His playing career was marked by significant club achievements, including two Emperor's Cup titles (1993, 1998), an Asian Cup Winners' Cup (1994-95), and an Asian Super Cup (1995) with Yokohama Flügels, as well as a J.League Cup (1999) with Kashiwa Reysol.
Following his retirement as a player, Satsukawa transitioned into management, leading several Japanese clubs. His coaching career includes stints as manager for AC Nagano Parceiro, where he achieved promotion to the Japan Football League and two consecutive second-place finishes, and FC Ryukyu, which he guided to promotion to the J3 League. He also managed SC Sagamihara, Nara Club, and Banditonce Kakogawa, and held various coaching roles, including head coach and U-18 manager for SC Sagamihara. As of 2024, he serves as the head coach for Kantō Soccer League Division 2 club Sakai Trinitas.
2. Early Life and Education
Norihiro Satsukawa was born on April 18, 1972, in Shimizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, which is now part of Shizuoka City. His early football development took place at Shimizu Okitsu Elementary School and Shimizu Okitsu Junior High School. He continued his education and football career at Shimizu Commercial High School before turning professional.
3. Playing Career
Satsukawa built a notable professional football career spanning 14 seasons, primarily as a versatile defender who excelled as both a center back and a right back. He was known for his consistent performance and reliability on the field.
3.1. Yokohama Flügels
After graduating from high school, Satsukawa joined All Nippon Airways football club in 1991, which later became Yokohama Flügels as the J.League was established. From his first season, he played a significant number of matches, primarily as a center back, establishing himself as a key defensive player.
During his tenure with Yokohama Flügels, the club achieved several significant successes. They won their first major title, the 1993 Emperor's Cup. The club also found success on the international stage, winning the 1994-95 Asian Cup Winners' Cup, which marked their first Asian title, followed by the 1995 Asian Super Cup. In the league, Yokohama Flügels secured a 3rd place finish in the J1 League in 1996 and reached the semifinals of the J.League Cup in both 1993 and 1997. They were also runners-up in the Emperor's Cup in 1997.
At the end of the 1998 season, Yokohama Flügels was disbanded due to financial difficulties. Satsukawa participated in the 1998 Emperor's Cup, which was the club's final tournament. He played in all four matches leading up to the semifinal. However, in the semifinal match against Kashima Antlers, he received a red card, which resulted in his suspension for the final against Shimizu S-Pulse. Despite his absence in the decisive match, the club went on to win the Emperor's Cup, allowing Satsukawa to conclude his time with Yokohama Flügels on a triumphant note.
3.2. Kashiwa Reysol
In 1999, Satsukawa moved to Kashiwa Reysol. He initially played as a left back in a three-back defensive formation, alongside prominent defenders such as Hong Myung-bo and Takeshi Watanabe, a role he maintained until 2001.
With Kashiwa Reysol, Satsukawa continued to achieve success. The club won the 1999 J.League Cup and secured 3rd place in the J1 League in both 1999 and 2000. They also reached the semifinals of the Emperor's Cup in 1999. Despite a period of sluggish results for the club thereafter, Satsukawa maintained his position as a regular player, primarily as a center back, for an extended period, demonstrating his enduring importance to the team.
His career at Kashiwa Reysol was interrupted by a significant injury on October 26, 2003, during a J1 second stage match against Urawa Red Diamonds. He suffered a broken right lower leg after a collision with opposing forward Emerson, and was diagnosed with an 8-month recovery period. After a period of rehabilitation, he sustained another minor injury, cutting his eyebrow during a practice match shortly after returning to practical training. He made his return to competitive play on August 29, 2004, in a match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C, playing the entire match. The club finished in last place in the 2004 season. On August 28, 2005, Satsukawa reached a personal milestone, making his 300th appearance in the J1 League. At the end of the 2005 season, Kashiwa Reysol was relegated to the J2 League, and Satsukawa subsequently announced his retirement from professional football.
Despite his consistent performance and playing in over half of the league matches in 12 out of his 14 professional seasons (including his time in the Japan Soccer League), Satsukawa was notably never called up to the Japan national football team.
3.3. Player Career Statistics
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 1991/92 | All Nippon Airways | JSL Division 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 1992 | Yokohama Flügels | J1 League | - | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1993 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 0 | ||
| 1994 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 0 | ||
| 1995 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 14 | 0 | |||
| 1996 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 38 | 3 | ||
| 1997 | 27 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 42 | 0 | ||
| 1998 | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 0 | ||
| 1999 | Kashiwa Reysol | J1 League | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| 2000 | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2001 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2002 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| 2003 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 323 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 59 | 2 | 409 | 4 | ||
4. Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Norihiro Satsukawa transitioned into a coaching career. He initially joined the front office staff of Kashiwa Reysol before moving into a coaching role within the club's development department in 2007.
4.1. AC Nagano Parceiro
In 2008, Satsukawa moved to AC Nagano Parceiro, a club then competing in the Japanese Regional Leagues, taking on the role of coach. This move was part of a loan arrangement from Kashiwa Reysol, which continued until at least the 2011 season. In 2010, he was appointed manager of AC Nagano Parceiro. Under his leadership, the club achieved promotion to the Japan Football League (JFL) at the end of the 2010 season.
In their first year in the JFL in 2011, Satsukawa built a team that prioritized running ability and defensive strength, largely retaining the core players from their regional league days. This strategy proved highly successful, as the club secured an impressive 2nd place finish in the JFL. They repeated this achievement in the 2012 season, again finishing 2nd. However, Satsukawa resigned as manager at the end of the 2012 season. The club stated that his departure was part of a "major turning point for the future development of the club and region."
4.2. FC Ryukyu
In 2013, Satsukawa took over as manager of FC Ryukyu, which was then a JFL club. He managed the club for three seasons. During his tenure, FC Ryukyu was promoted to the newly established J3 League, beginning with the 2014 season. He resigned as manager of FC Ryukyu at the conclusion of the 2015 season.
4.3. SC Sagamihara
In 2016, Satsukawa was appointed manager of SC Sagamihara, a J3 League club. However, his managerial stint was brief. He resigned from the position in August of the same year, specifically on August 18, following the club's defeat in the Kanagawa Prefectural Football Championship, which served as a qualifier for the Emperor's Cup. After his resignation, he was reassigned to the club's strengthening department.
Satsukawa later returned to SC Sagamihara in 2020 as a head coach. In September 2021, he was appointed manager of the SC Sagamihara U-18 team. In May 2022, he again took the helm as manager of the SC Sagamihara top team, a role he held until November of that year. In 2023, he once more served as manager for the SC Sagamihara U-18 team.
4.4. Nara Club
In 2017, Satsukawa signed with Nara Club, a JFL club, to take on the managerial role. He managed the club for two seasons, overseeing their performance in the JFL. His contract with Nara Club concluded, and he resigned at the end of the 2018 season.
4.5. Banditonce Kakogawa and Current Role
In 2019, Satsukawa became the manager of Banditonce Kakogawa, a club in the Japanese Regional Leagues. However, his tenure was short, and he resigned from this position on October 22, 2019. Since 2024, Norihiro Satsukawa has been serving as the head coach of Sakai Trinitas, a club competing in the Kantō Soccer League Division 2.
4.6. Managerial Career Statistics
| Year | Club | League | League Record | Cup Competitions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Points | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | League Cup | Emperor's Cup | |||
| 2010 | Nagano | Hokushinetsu 1st Div | 1st | 38 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | - | Prefectural Qualifier Loss |
| 2011 | JFL | 2nd | 63 | 33 | 19 | 6 | 8 | - | Prefectural Qualifier Loss | |
| 2012 | 2nd | 58 | 32 | 17 | 7 | 8 | - | 3rd Round | ||
| 2013 | Ryukyu | 11th | 46 | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | - | 2nd Round | |
| 2014 | J3 | 9th | 34 | 33 | 8 | 10 | 15 | - | 2nd Round | |
| 2015 | 9th | 45 | 36 | 12 | 9 | 15 | - | 2nd Round | ||
| 2016 | Sagamihara | 7th | 30 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | - | Prefectural Qualifier Loss | |
| 2017 | Nara Club | JFL | 7th | 51 | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | - | 1st Round |
| 2018 | 8th | 42 | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | - | 2nd Round | ||
| 2019 | Kakogawa | Kansai 1st Div | 5th | 20 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | - | Prefectural Qualifier Loss |
| 2022 | Sagamihara | J3 | 18th | 18 | 26 | 4 | 6 | 16 | - | Prefectural Qualifier Loss |
- Note: The 2016 record reflects the team's performance at the time of Satsukawa's resignation. The 2022 record reflects his tenure from May of that year.
5. Anecdotes and Personal Life
Norihiro Satsukawa is known for several distinctive traits and memorable moments throughout his career.
He earned the nickname "Half-sleeve Professional" (半袖仕事人Hansode ShigotoninJapanese) or alternatively "Half-sleeve Captain" (半袖隊長Hansode TaichōJapanese). This moniker stemmed from his consistent habit of playing in short-sleeved uniforms, even during matches held in cold weather. His dedication to this attire was so pronounced that it inspired a fan group, known as the "Half-sleeve Squad," among supporters of both Yokohama Flügels and Kashiwa Reysol. Despite the image of resilience, Satsukawa once admitted in a talk show that he did, in fact, feel cold while playing in short sleeves. However, he continued the practice, humorously stating that if he were to switch to long sleeves, his loyal fans would then be forced to become the "Long-sleeve Squad."
Satsukawa was also renowned for his exceptionally quick changing ability. His former Yokohama Flügels teammate, the Brazilian midfielder Zinho, reportedly made a humorous comment upon his return to Brazil, expressing regret that his only unfulfilled wish was not being able to exit the shower faster than Satsukawa.
A notable moment in his playing career occurred during the 1998 Emperor's Cup, which was the final tournament for Yokohama Flügels before its merger with Yokohama Marinos to form Yokohama F. Marinos. Satsukawa played in all four matches leading up to the semifinal. However, he received a red card in the semifinal match against Kashima Antlers, which resulted in his suspension for the final against Shimizu S-Pulse. Despite his absence from the decisive match, his team ultimately won the championship, allowing Satsukawa to conclude his time with the club on a triumphant note.
Throughout his 14 seasons as a professional player, including his time in the Japan Soccer League, Satsukawa consistently played in over half of his team's league matches in 12 of those seasons, demonstrating his reliability and the trust placed in him by his clubs. Despite his consistent performance and dedication, he was notably never called up to the Japan national football team.