Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi

Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (川口 能活, Kawaguchi Yoshikatsu, born 15 August 1975), sometimes referred to as Yoshi Kawaguchi, is a former Japanese football goalkeeper.[1] He is a former captain of the Japan national team.

Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi
川口 能活
Kawaguchi with Júbilo Iwata in 2010
Personal information
Full name Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi
Date of birth (1975-08-15) 15 August 1975
Place of birth Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1991–1993 Shimizu Commercial High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–2001 Yokohama F. Marinos 193 (0)
2001–2003 Portsmouth 12 (0)
2003–2005 Nordsjælland 8 (0)
2005–2013 Júbilo Iwata 228 (0)
2014–2015 FC Gifu 43 (0)
2016–2018 SC Sagamihara 43 (0)
Total 527 (0)
National team
1995–1996 Japan U-23 10 (0)
1997–2008 Japan 116 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Born in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, Kawaguchi studied at Shimizu Commercial High School and was a member of the football team there. After finishing high school, he joined the professional football team Yokohama Marinos (later Yokohama F. Marinos). He was called up to the Japanese national team and played in the Atlanta Olympic games. He kept a clean sheet against Brazil in the first game. He played in Japan's first ever World Cup game in 1998 in a 1–0 defeat to Argentina, and throughout the tournament, his stellar performance prevented Japan from being scored more than one, with all three Japanese defeats were just one-goal margin. In 2001, Kawaguchi was Japan's first-choice goalkeeper as the team finished runner-up in the Confederations Cup.

Following impressive performances for both club and country, he moved to English club Portsmouth,[2] signing for a club record £1.8m.[3] However, he struggled to adapt to life in the English Football League, and struggled with the physical side of the First Division, notably in a 3–1 away defeat to Grimsby Town. Kawaguchi lost his place to veteran Dave Beasant after being held responsible for Portsmouth's 4–1 home defeat to underdogs Leyton Orient in the FA Cup. Despite his poor performances for Pompey he remained something of a cult hero with the fans, on account of his cheerful demeanour, and his insistence that he would work hard to regain his place. After a season of playing reserve team football, he made his final appearance for Portsmouth in the final game of the 2002–03 Football League First Division championship winning season, coming on at half time to a standing ovation in the 5–0 win against Bradford City. Despite this brief reappearance, he realised that his future lay elsewhere, and moved on to Nordsjælland of the Danish league. Prior to the 2005 Japanese football season, Kawaguchi returned to his home country when he signed with then-perennial title-contenders Júbilo Iwata.[4]

Kawaguchi is a noted penalty stopper, making two saves in the shootout against Jordan in the 2004 Asian Cup quarter-final and also saving from Croatia's Darijo Srna in the 2006 World Cup. During the 2007 Asian Cup he was instrumental in Japan's quarter-final win against Australia making two saves from Harry Kewell and Lucas Neill in the penalty shootout, thus making him the Man of the Match.

In August 2006, it was revealed that he would wear the captain's armband, as new Japan manager Ivica Osim believed that former captain Tsuneyasu Miyamoto was not getting enough playing time at his domestic club, Gamba Osaka. Kawaguchi is his country's most-capped goalkeeper and overall third most-capped player with 116 caps for Japan, six behind second-placed Masami Ihara with 122 caps, but an injury had since sidelined him from action.[5] Long-time rival Seigo Narazaki had since been playing as first-choice keeper for Japan.

A broken leg sustained in a J1 League clash against Kyoto Sanga FC appeared to have sidelined him for the rest of the season thus ruling him out of the 2010 World Cup. However, after making a full and quick recovery Japanese head coach Takeshi Okada decided to include him in the final squad announced on 10 May 2010. Kawaguchi was one of two Japanese players (the other being Seigo Narazaki) to be named for their national team's 4th consecutive World Cup. Despite his period of inactivity and having fallen to third in the pecking order, Okada selected him in the hope that his leadership and experience would aid the team's progress. Kawaguchi was appointed captain of the national team during team training on 21 May 2010.[6]

Kawaguchi was not picked to play for the national team under coach Alberto Zaccheroni, and with youngster Eiji Kawashima impressing in Japan's 2011 Asian Cup success, the Fuji-shi born custodian's international career was effectively over.

Career statistics

[7][8]

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Japan League Emperor's Cup J.League Cup Asia Total
1994Yokohama MarinosJ1 League000000—00
199541020——430
199615000130—280
19972202000—240
19983401000—350
1999Yokohama F. MarinosJ1 League2802060—360
20002803050—360
20012500070—320
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
2001/02PortsmouthFirst Division110100000120
2002/031000000010
2003/04Premier League00———00
Denmark League Danish Cup League Cup Europe Total
2003/04NordsjællandSuperliga80001010100
2004/050000000000
Japan League Emperor's Cup J.League Cup Asia Total
2005Júbilo IwataJ1 League290301010340
20063401030—380
20073201030—360
20083300010—340
20092600040—300
20101701040—220
20113401030—380
2012201000—30
20132101010—230
2014FC GifuJ2 League37000——370
20156000——60
2016SC SagamiharaJ3 League19000——190
2017180———180
201860———60
Total Japan 5070190510105780
England 120100000130
Denmark 80001010100
Career total 5270200520206010

[9]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
1997210
199890
199930
200080
200190
200220
200320
2004110
2005140
2006190
2007120
200860
Total1160

Honors

Yokohama F. Marinos

Portsmouth

Japan

Individual

See also

References
  1. Kamikaze-keeper Kawaguchi bold.dk
  2. "Football focus: Tall order for Kawaguchi as Portsmouth seek eastern promise". The Daily Telegraph. 29 September 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  3. "Kawaguchi receiving home interest". Sky Sports. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  4. "Stats Centre: Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  5. Mamrud, Roberto. "Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi - Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  6. Captain Kawaguchi
  7. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 266 out of 289)
  8. Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 257 out of 289)
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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