1. Overview
Yasuhiro Higuchi (樋口 靖洋Higuchi YasuhiroJapanese, born May 5, 1961) is a Japanese professional football manager and former player. His career has spanned various roles, including a forward during his playing days, and extensive experience as a coach and head manager for numerous Japanese clubs. He is notably recognized for leading Yokohama F. Marinos to the 2013 Emperor's Cup title and a runner-up finish in the 2013 J1 League.
2. Life and Playing Career
Yasuhiro Higuchi was born on May 5, 1961, in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan. His early football development included playing for Kawagoe Soccer Youth Team, then Meiji Junior High School (Kawagoe Town Kawagoe Junior High School), and Yokkaichi Chuo Technical High School. During his first year at Yokkaichi Chuo Technical High School, his team, which included his elder brother Shiro Higuchi (a former coach at the same high school), achieved a runner-up finish in the National High School Championship.
After graduating from high school, Higuchi began his professional playing career in 1980, joining Nissan Motors (now Yokohama F. Marinos). He played as a forward for the club until 1984. His playing career was relatively short before he transitioned into coaching.
3. Coaching Career
Yasuhiro Higuchi's coaching career is extensive, having served in various capacities from youth team coaching to executive roles, largely within the Japanese football system.
3.1. Early Coaching Roles
Higuchi began his coaching journey in 1985 immediately after retiring from playing, starting at the Nissan Soccer School. He continued with Nissan Motors (which later became Yokohama F. Marinos) until 2005. During this period, he primarily focused on youth development, serving as a youth coach from 1993 to 1996 and then as a youth team manager from 1997 to 1998. From 1999 to 2005, he transitioned to the top team as an assistant coach. He acquired his JFA S-Class Coaching License in 2003, a prerequisite for managing J.League clubs.
3.2. Managerial Tenures
Higuchi's career as a head coach began in 2006, leading him through several J.League clubs.
3.2.1. Montedio Yamagata
In 2006, Higuchi took on his first head managerial role at Montedio Yamagata, a J2 League club, succeeding Atsushi Suzuki. He aimed to implement an offensive style of play, but the team's defense lacked stability. In his first year (2006), the club finished 8th, and in his second year (2007), despite a strong start, the team faltered in the latter half of the season, finishing 9th. He departed the club at the end of the 2007 season.
3.2.2. Omiya Ardija
Following his time with Montedio Yamagata, Higuchi was appointed manager of Omiya Ardija, a J1 League club, in 2008. The club believed his proactive defensive and offensive philosophy aligned with their desired style. However, the team struggled in the league, finishing 12th. He resigned at the end of the 2008 season, serving only one year in the J1 League.
3.2.3. Yokohama FC
In 2009, Higuchi became the manager of Yokohama FC, another J2 League club. His tenure was brief, as the team's poor performance led to his resignation within a year, with the club finishing 16th in the league.
3.2.4. Yokohama F. Marinos
Higuchi returned to his former club, Yokohama F. Marinos, in 2010 as an assistant coach under manager Kazushi Kimura. On December 30, 2011, following Kimura's dismissal, Higuchi was appointed head coach for the 2012 season.
Under his leadership in the 2013 J1 season, the club, spearheaded by veterans like Shunsuke Nakamura and Yuji Nakazawa, enjoyed a strong campaign and were in contention for the league title until the final matches. However, they lost their last two matches, finishing as runners-up and narrowly missing the championship. Despite this, the team's performance was lauded. Shortly after, Yokohama F. Marinos achieved a significant victory by winning the 2013 Emperor's Cup, defeating league champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the final. Higuchi continued to manage Marinos until the end of the 2014 season.
3.2.5. Ventforet Kofu
In 2015, Higuchi moved to Ventforet Kofu. His tenure was short-lived and challenging. The team experienced a difficult start, suffering six consecutive losses from the third matchday and dropping to the bottom of the league. After the 8th matchday, he offered his resignation. Although the team secured a win in the subsequent match, breaking the losing streak, they continued to struggle. With only 3 points scored and 20 points conceded, marking them as the worst in both offense and defense, Higuchi's contract was mutually terminated in May 2015.
3.2.6. YSCC Yokohama
Higuchi took over as manager of YSCC Yokohama, a J3 League club, in 2016. YSCC Yokohama had finished at the bottom of J3 for two consecutive years prior to his arrival. Although the club remained at the bottom in 2016, they managed to avoid the last place for the first time in 2017 under his leadership. He managed the club until the end of the 2018 season, also leading them to the main round of the Emperor's Cup after winning the Kanagawa Prefecture qualifier in 2018.
3.2.7. FC Ryukyu
On December 14, 2018, Higuchi was appointed manager of FC Ryukyu for the 2019 season. He managed the club for three seasons. In 2019, they finished 14th in J2. In 2020, they finished 16th, and in 2021, they improved to 8th place. However, on October 20, 2021, Higuchi was dismissed from his position following a poor run of results, with the team managing only one draw and six losses in their last seven matches.
3.2.8. Veertien Mie
On November 26, 2021, Higuchi's appointment as manager for Veertien Mie was announced, starting from the 2022 season. He managed his hometown club until the end of the 2023 season.
3.2.9. FC Imabari (Executive Role)
On December 26, 2023, Higuchi transitioned from a direct coaching role to an executive position at FC Imabari, becoming an Executive Officer responsible for the academy and ladies' group. However, on October 31, 2024, FC Imabari announced that they would not be renewing his contract for the upcoming season, a decision made by mutual agreement.
4. Managerial Statistics
The following table summarizes Yasuhiro Higuchi's managerial record across various clubs, including league performance and cup competitions.
| Team | From | To | League | Cup | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Rank | Points | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | J.League Cup | Emperor's Cup | |||
| Montedio Yamagata | 2006 | 2007 | J2 | 8th | 65 | 48 | 17 | 14 | 17 | ||
| 4th Round | |||||||||||
| J2 | 9th | 58 | 48 | 15 | 13 | 20 | |||||
| 4th Round | |||||||||||
| Omiya Ardija | 2008 | 2008 | J1 | 12th | 43 | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | Group Stage | 5th Round |
| Yokohama FC | 2009 | 2009 | J2 | 16th | 44 | 51 | 11 | 11 | 29 | ||
| 3rd Round | |||||||||||
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 2012 | 2014 | J1 | 4th | 53 | 34 | 13 | 14 | 7 | Group Stage | Semi-finals |
| J1 | 2nd | 62 | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 | Semi-finals | Winner | |||
| J1 | 7th | 51 | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | Quarter-finals | 3rd Round | |||
| Ventforet Kofu | 2015 | 2015 | J1 | 18th | 6 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 9 | ||
| YSCC Yokohama | 2016 | 2018 | J3 | 16th | 20 | 30 | 5 | 5 | 20 | ||
| Qualifying Round | |||||||||||
| J3 | 14th | 32 | 32 | 8 | 8 | 16 | |||||
| 1st Round | |||||||||||
| J3 | 15th | 34 | 32 | 8 | 10 | 14 | |||||
| 2nd Round | |||||||||||
| FC Ryukyu | 2019 | 2021 | J2 | 14th | 49 | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | ||
| 2nd Round | |||||||||||
| J2 | 16th | 50 | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | |||||
| J2 | 8th | 52 | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | |||||
| 2nd Round | |||||||||||
| Veertien Mie | 2022 | 2023 | JFL | ||||||||
| Career Totals | J1 | 147 | 59 | 38 | 50 | - | - | ||||
| J2 | 265 | 85 | 63 | 117 | - | - | |||||
| J3 | 94 | 21 | 23 | 50 | - | - | |||||
| Overall Totals | 506 | 165 | 124 | 217 | - | - | |||||
- Note: For 2015 (Ventforet Kofu) and 2021 (FC Ryukyu), the statistics reflect the record at the time of Higuchi's dismissal.
5. Honours
;Yokohama F. Marinos
- Emperor's Cup: 2013