Yusaku Ueno

1.1. Birth and Childhood

Yusaku Ueno was born on November 1, 1973, in Mooka, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. His family shares a strong connection to football, as his son, Yusuke Ueno, has also pursued a professional career as a footballer. During his childhood, Ueno attended Mooka Junior High School, where he was part of the school's football team that achieved notable success, winning the National Junior High School Football Tournament in 1986. Tetsuharu Nakami, who would later become a football manager himself, was two years senior to Ueno at Mooka Junior High.

1.2. University Career

Ueno continued his football and academic pursuits at University of Tsukuba, where he became a key player for the University of Tsukuba Soccer Club. His talent as a striker earned him a spot on the Universiade Japan national football team. He was a prominent figure in the national team that secured a gold medal in football at the 1995 Summer Universiade, hosted in Fukuoka, Japan, a significant achievement that highlighted his capabilities as a top-tier collegiate athlete.

2.1. Club Career

Ueno began his professional career in 1996, joining Avispa Fukuoka, a club that had just been promoted to the J1 League. He quickly secured a regular starting position in his debut season, making a significant impact. Although his playing time saw a gradual reduction from 1998, leading to more substitute appearances in 1999, he still accumulated 110 league appearances and scored 17 goals during his four seasons with the club.

In 2000, Ueno moved to Sanfrecce Hiroshima. While he was initially brought in to provide depth, particularly as a backup to prolific striker Tatsuhiko Kubo, he found limited opportunities on the field. Other players, such as Yutaka Takahashi and later Keisuke Kurihara, were often favored, resulting in Ueno making only 5 league appearances and scoring 1 goal for Hiroshima during this spell.

A pivotal moment in Ueno's career came in 2001 when he transferred to Kyoto Sanga FC, then competing in the J2 League. This move proved highly successful, as he thrived alongside teammates like Mitsunari Kurobe, contributing significantly to Kyoto's performance. In his first season, he played in 42 league matches and scored 10 goals. His efforts were instrumental in Kyoto Sanga winning the J2 League championship in 2001 and earning promotion to the J1 League for the 2002 season. In 2002, he made 23 appearances and scored 2 goals in J1. Notably, he also played a key role in Kyoto Sanga's historic first-ever Emperor's Cup victory in 2002.

In 2003, Ueno signed with Albirex Niigata, another J2 League club. He quickly became a regular fixture in the team, and alongside fellow forward Kazuki Ganaha, he scored 13 goals, which was the highest for a Japanese player in the league that season. His most memorable contribution came on the final matchday of the 2003 J2 League season, where he scored the decisive goal that clinched the championship for Niigata and secured their promotion to the J1 League after five years in the second division. He continued to be a regular player for Niigata in J1, making 30 appearances and scoring 5 goals in 2004, and 34 appearances with 2 goals in 2005. His significant contributions to the club's success made him a highly popular figure among Albirex Niigata supporters, who often cheered for him even when he later played against them.

Ueno returned to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 2006, initially on a loan deal, which was made permanent in 2007 after he was released by Niigata. While he made 21 appearances in 2006, he did not feature in any official matches during the 2007 season.

In June 2007, Ueno moved to his hometown club, Tochigi SC, which was then competing in the Japan Football League (JFL). He quickly became a vital player for the club over his two seasons there, making 19 appearances and scoring 2 goals in 2007, and 28 appearances and 8 goals in 2008. His contributions were crucial in helping Tochigi SC secure a second-place finish in the 2008 JFL season, thereby earning them promotion to the J2 League for the 2009 season.

2.2. National Team Career

Yusaku Ueno also had a career representing Japan at the youth international level. He was part of the Japan U-20 national football team that competed in the 1992 AFC Youth Championship. Furthermore, he was selected to play for the Universiade Japan national football team in both 1993 and 1995. During the 1995 Summer Universiade held in Fukuoka, Ueno played a significant role as an ace striker, contributing to Japan's gold medal victory in the football competition.

2.3. Retirement as a Player

Yusaku Ueno concluded his professional playing career at the end of the 2008 season. His retirement followed a successful period with Tochigi SC, where he played a key role in the club's promotion to the J2 League. Over his 12-year professional career, he amassed a total of 419 appearances and scored 69 goals across all official competitions.

3.1. Early Coaching Roles

After ending his playing career, Ueno initially joined the front office of Tochigi SC in 2009, serving as a Technical Director for the Regional Revitalization Group. In 2010, he transitioned to a coaching role, becoming an assistant coach for Tochigi SC's top team. That same year, he successfully acquired the prestigious JFA S-Class Coaching License, which is a mandatory qualification for managing clubs in the J.League. He was promoted to head coach in 2012. From 2013 to 2014, he took on the responsibilities of Academy Director and Youth Team Manager. He returned to the role of head coach for the first team in 2015. However, in September 2015, Ueno resigned from his position, with the Shimotsuke Shimbun reporting his statement that the "current system made it difficult" for him to continue.

In October 2015, Ueno moved to Urawa Red Diamonds, where he joined the coaching staff within their youth development division, a role he held until April 2018. In April 2018, following changes in the top team's coaching staff, Ueno was temporarily appointed as a first-team coach. Subsequently, after the appointment of Oswald de Oliveira as the new manager, Ueno returned to the youth development department, succeeding Tsuyoshi Otsuki as the Youth Director. In May 2019, he was once again appointed as the first-team head coach for Urawa Red Diamonds, a position he maintained until the end of 2020.

On January 21, 2021, Yusaku Ueno joined the coaching staff of the Japan national football team, specifically for the senior Samurai Blue squad. He was an integral part of the technical team that guided Japan's campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, serving in this capacity until 2022.

3.2. FC Gifu Managerial Period

On December 15, 2022, Yusaku Ueno was appointed as the manager of FC Gifu, a club competing in the J3 League, for the upcoming 2023 season. Under his leadership in the 2023 season, FC Gifu showed significant improvement in their league performance, finishing in 6th place, a notable climb from their 14th place finish in the previous season. His effective management was recognized with the J3 League Monthly Excellent Manager Award, which he received twice during his tenure: in June 2023 and for February/March 2024. However, on June 27, 2024, Ueno announced his resignation from the managerial role at FC Gifu.

3.3. Subsequent Coaching Roles

Following his resignation as manager, Yusaku Ueno remained with FC Gifu, taking on the role of Football Coordinator for the club from June to December 2024. On December 23, 2024, it was announced that Ueno would join Shimizu S-Pulse as a coach, starting from the 2025 season.

6.1. Player Statistics

• Other official matches:
• 1998 J.League Promotion/Relegation Series: 5 appearances, 2 goals.
• J.League debut: March 16, 1996, J.League Matchday 1, against Júbilo Iwata at Yamaha Stadium.
• First J.League goal: April 17, 1996, J.League Matchday 8, against Yokohama Flügels at Higashi Hirao Park Hakata no Mori Stadium.

6.2. Managerial Statistics

• Note: The 2024 record is as of his resignation, including all competitive matches (league, J.League Cup, and Emperor's Cup).

7.1. Player Honors

• Club:**
  • Kyoto Sanga FC
    • Emperor's Cup: Champion (2002)
    • J2 League: Champion (2001)
  • Albirex Niigata
    • J2 League: Champion (2003)
  • Tochigi SC
    • Japan Football League: Runner-up (2008)
• National Team:**
  • Universiade: Gold Medal (1995)

7.2. Managerial Honors

• J3 League Monthly Excellent Manager Award: June 2023, February/March 2024