1. Overview
Sugao Kambe is a Japanese football manager and former player. He is known for his extensive career as a coach, having managed various clubs in Japan and Thailand, as well as several national teams in Asia. His career spans over three decades, beginning as a player for Honda FC and later transitioning into coaching roles, including caretaker positions and head coach roles for national teams such as the Philippines, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands. Kambe has also had a significant impact on Thai football, leading multiple clubs and achieving a league title.
2. Early Life and Background
Sugao Kambe was born on August 2, 1961, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. His educational background includes attending Shizuoka Prefectural Shizuoka High School from 1977 to 1979, followed by Waseda University from 1980 to 1983, where he was part of the university's football club.
3. Playing Career
Sugao Kambe had a professional career as a football player before transitioning into coaching. His playing career included significant time in club football and a notable appearance in international futsal.
3.1. Club Career
Kambe played for Honda FC from 1984 to 1990. During his tenure with Honda, he made 60 appearances and scored 2 goals in the Japan Soccer League Division 1.
3.2. Futsal Career
In 1989, Kambe was selected to represent the Japan national futsal team. He participated as a midfielder in the 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship held in the Netherlands.
4. Coaching Career
Sugao Kambe's coaching career is extensive, covering various roles in Japanese club football, management of national teams, and a significant period coaching in Thailand.
4.1. Coaching in Japan
Kambe began his coaching career at Honda FC in 1990, initially serving as a soccer school coach until 1991. In 1991, he moved to Furukawa Electric, which later became JEF United Chiba. He coached at JEF United Chiba until 2001, holding various positions including Youth Development Coach (1991-1994), Coach (1994-1996), Head of Strengthening Department and Manager (1997-1998), and Coach (1998-2001). During this period, he also served as caretaker manager for the club in February 2000 and December 2001.
From 2005 to 2008, Kambe worked with Nagoya Grampus. He was the manager of the U-18 team in 2005, the Youth Academy General Manager from 2006 to 2007, and a top team coach in 2008 before his departure at the end of that season. In 2010, he returned to JEF United Chiba as a Technical Director. In October 2011, he took over as manager of JEF United Chiba, succeeding Dwight Lodeweges, and led the team until December 2011.
4.2. National Team Coaching
From 2002, Sugao Kambe took on roles managing national football teams. He served as the head coach for the Philippines national football team from 2002 to 2003. Following this, he managed the Guam national football team from 2003 to 2005. In 2009, he was dispatched by the Japan Football Association to become the manager of the Northern Mariana Islands national football team.
4.3. Coaching in Thailand
In 2013, Kambe moved to Thailand to manage football clubs, becoming the second Japanese manager in the Thai League after Masami Taki. His first role was with Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda FC, where he served as manager from 2013 to 2016. During his time there, he led the club to win the Thai Division 1 League in 2014, securing their promotion to the Thai Premier League.
After leaving Nakhon Ratchasima, he managed Chiangmai FC from 2016 to 2017. In 2018, he coached Ubon UMT United. He then took charge of Nongbua Pitchaya FC in 2019. From 2020 to 2021, Kambe managed Khon Kaen United. Although the team was involved in the promotion race in the 2020-21 Thai League 2 season, he was dismissed towards the end of the season after a winless streak. In 2021, he became the manager of Rayong F.C.. Most recently, he was the head coach of Sukhothai F.C. from November 2023 to May 2024.
5. Managerial Statistics
The following table details Sugao Kambe's managerial record by team and tenure, updated as of May 26, 2024.
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| JEF United Ichihara | August 10, 2000 | October 14, 2000 | 1|0|1|50.00 | ||||
| JEF United Chiba | October 21, 2011 | December 31, 2011 | 3|2|5|30.00 | ||||
| Nakhon Ratchasima | July 29, 2013 | May 11, 2016 | 15|11|19|33.33 | ||||
| Ubon UMT United | April 23, 2018 | November 30, 2018 | 7|7|14|25.00 | ||||
| Nongbua Pitchaya | February 2, 2019 | June 25, 2019 | 10|3|7|50.00 | ||||
| Khon Kaen United | November 10, 2019 | March 8, 2021 | 16|6|5|59.26 | ||||
| Rayong F.C. | April 18, 2021 | December 11, 2021 | 7|3|10|35.00 | ||||
| Sukhothai F.C. | November 25, 2023 | May 31, 2024 | 8|4|13|32.00 | ||||
| Total | 67|36|74|37.85 | ||||||
6. Managerial Honours
Sugao Kambe has achieved the following significant title as a manager:
- Thai Division 1 League Winner: 2014 (with Nakhon Ratchasima)