Kazuo Saito

Kazuo Saito
斉藤和夫
Personal information
Full name	Kazuo Saito
Date of birth	July 27, 1951
Place of birth	Saitama, Saitama, Japan
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1967–1969	Saitama Urawa Minami High School
1970–1973	Hosei University
Senior career*
National team
Teams managed
1989–1992	Mitsubishi Motors
1997	Kawasaki Frontale
2000	Urawa Reds
2014	JEF United Chiba
Mitsubishi Motors
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Kazuo Saito (斉藤和夫, Saitō Kazuo, born July 27, 1951) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team.

Club career

Saito was born in Saitama on July 27, 1951. After graduating from Hosei University, he joined his local club Mitsubishi Motors in 1974. The club won the 2nd place for 4 years in a row (1974-1977). In 1978, the club won all three major title in Japan; Japan Soccer League, JSL Cup and Emperor's Cup. The club also won 1980 Emperor's Cup, 1981 JSL Cup and 1982 Japan Soccer League. However, in 1988–89 season, the club finished at the bottom place and was relegated Division 2. He retired in 1989. He played 248 games and scored 3 goals in the league. He was selected Best Eleven in 1975, 197 and 1978.

National team career

On January 28, 1976, Saito debuted for Japan national team against Bulgaria. He played as regular player at 1976 Summer Olympics qualification and 1978 World Cup qualification. He was also selected for Japan for 1978 Asian Games. In 1984, he played for Japan for the first time in 6 years. 1984 Summer Olympics qualification was his last game for Japan. He played 32 games for Japan until 1984.[1]

Coaching career

Saito retired from playing career in 1989, he became a manager for Mitsubishi Motors (later Urawa Reds) as Kuniya Daini successor. In 1989–90 season, he led the club to won the champions in Division 2 and promoted to Division 1. He resigned in 1992. Through a coach for Urawa Reds and JEF United Ichihara (later JEF United Chiba), he signed with Kawasaki Frontale in 1997. In 2000, he returned to Urawa Reds and managed the club. From 2010, he signed with JEF United Chiba and became a coach. In 2014, he managed JEF United Chiba as caretaker as Jun Suzuki successor.

Club statistics

Club performance			League
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals
Japan			League
1974	Mitsubishi Motors	JSL Division 1	15	0
1975			18	0
1976			17	1
1977			18	1
1978			13	0
1979			14	0
1980			18	1
1981			18	0
1982			18	0
1983			12	0
1984			15	0
1985/86			21	0
1986/87			19	0
1987/88			20	0
1988/89			12	0
Total			248	3

National team statistics

[1]

Japan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1976	14	0
1977	5	0
1978	9	0
1979	0	0
1980	0	0
1981	0	0
1982	0	0
1983	0	0
1984	4	0
Total	32	0

Managerial statistics

[2]

Team	From	To	Record
Team	From	To	G	W	D	L	Win %
Urawa Reds	2000	2000	40	28	3	9	070.00
JEF United Chiba	2014	2014	2	1	0	1	050.00
Total			42	29	3	10	069.05

References

Japan National Football Team Database
J.League Data Site(in Japanese)

External links

Kazuo Saito at National-Football-Teams.com
Japan National Football Team Database
Kazuo Saito at J.League (in Japanese)

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[JNFTD-1] Japan National Football Team Database

[2] J.League Data Site(in Japanese)