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Sagan Tosu

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Sagan Tosu
サガン鳥栖
Full nameSagan Tosu Football Club
Nickname(s)Sagan
Founded1997; 27 years ago (1997)
StadiumEkimae Real Estate Stadium
Tosu, Saga
Capacity24,130
ChairmanMinoru Takehara
ManagerKosuke Kitani
LeagueJ2 League
2024J1 League, 20th of 20 (relegated)
Websitehttp://www.sagan-tosu.net/
Current season

Sagan Tosu (サガン鳥栖, Sagan Tosu) is a Japanese professional football club based in Tosu, Saga Prefecture. The club set to play in the J2 League from 2025 after relegation from J1 in 2024, which is the second tier of Japanese football.

Sagan is a coined word with various suggested ideas behind where the name came from. One of its homophones is sandstone (砂岩, sagan) in Japanese. This symbolises many small elements uniting to form one formidable object, for example as a metaphor for a team. Also, Sagan Tosu can be interpreted as "Tosu of Saga (Prefecture)" (佐賀ん鳥栖, Saga-n Tosu) in the area's dialect. And... the owner of the club, when naming them decided he wanted the name of the club to sound like his beloved Juventus! Hence Sagantos(u).

History

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In February 1997, Sagan was established as a new club which virtually took over Tosu Futures, which became insolvent in the previous month, and were admitted to participate Japan Football League from 1997 to 1998, as well as J. League Cup in 1997 as a preferential measure, although J. League Associate Membership status was not awarded to Sagan. In 1999 they were admitted to the new J. League Division 2 (J2) as one of the "Original Ten", which were the ten first members of the J2. They remained at the league until their promotion to J1 at the end of the 2011 season. Little by little, Sagan Tosu started to establish itself as one of the top clubs in the country with the new President & Chief Operating Officer Minoru Takehara, who is also part owner of the club.[1]

In their first season at the J1 League in 2012, confounding the prediction of many critics about their immediate relegation to J2, they have been maintaining their position between 5th and 11th places all the way through the season, except on Matchweek 2, in which they were ranked 13th. They were ranked third after the 33rd week, having a chance to qualify for the 2013 AFC Champions League if they hadn't lost to Yokohama F. Marinos in the last match of the season. However, they have lost to Yokohama by 0–1, wrapping up the season in 5th place, while Urawa Red Diamonds defeated Nagoya Grampus and were ranked 3rd. They also became the first club in Asia to sign a partnership with Warrior Sports,[2] who sponsor many overseas clubs, including English side Liverpool.

In 2013, they made it to the semi-finals of the Emperor's Cup for the first time in the club's history, becoming the first club based in Kyushu to make it to the semi-finals of the Emperor's Cup since Nippon Steel Yawata had done in the 1981 edition. In 2013, they invited A-League team Sydney FC along with the former Italian international player Alessandro Del Piero, for a Japan Tour for the first time.[3]

In 2014, the club had been in their most successful season in the J1 League, being ranked on the top of 2014 J1 League on the 1st, 2nd, 13th, and 18th matchweek. However, the club made an announcement on 8 August which announced the termination of contract with the head coach Yoon Jung-Hwan all of a sudden, despite the apparently good season.[4] During the course of the year, they continued on its international expansion and started a partnership with Italian side Juventus, for its Juventus Under-16 Japan Tour 2014.[5] On 10 July 2018, the club reached an agreement with former FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League winner, Fernando Torres. The aging star would play 35 games for the side, netting 5 goals before finally hanging up his boots on his star-studded career.

On 19 October 2024, Sagan Tosu officially relegated to J2 League after defeat from Kyoto Sanga 2-0 and return to second tier after 13 years absence with four games left.

Kit and colours

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Kit evolution

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Home kits
1999–2000
2001–2002
2003–2004
2005
2006–2007
2008–2010
2011–2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024–present
Away kits
1999–2000
2001–2002
2003–2004
2005
2006–2007
2008–2010
2011–2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024–
Alternative kits
2013 Summer Carnival
2014 Falcon Festival Commemoration
2015 Commemoration
2015
Hawk Festival Memorial
2016
Ladies Day
2016
Hawk Festival Memorial
2017 Ladies' Day
2017
Hawk Festival Memorial
2017
20th Anniversary
2018 Ladies' Day
2018
Hawk Festival Memorial
2018 DAZN Day
2019 Ladies' Day
2019
Falcon Festival Commemoration

Current squad

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As of 21 August 2024.[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Spain ESP Arnau Riera
2 DF Japan JPN Kosuke Yamazaki
3 DF Japan JPN Seiji Kimura (on loan from FC Tokyo)
4 DF Japan JPN Yuta Imazu
6 MF Japan JPN Akito Fukuta
8 MF Japan JPN Hikaru Nakahara
10 MF Japan JPN Fuchi Honda
11 FW Brazil BRA Vinícius Araújo
13 FW Japan JPN Ayumu Yokoyama
14 MF Japan JPN Naoyuki Fujita (captain)
16 DF Japan JPN Katsunori Ueebisu
18 MF Japan JPN Shota Hino
19 MF Japan JPN Kentaro Moriya
20 DF South Korea KOR Kim Tae-hyeon
21 MF Japan JPN Yuki Horigome
22 FW Japan JPN Cayman Togashi
24 MF Japan JPN Tojiro Kubo (on loan from Nagoya Grampus)
25 MF Japan JPN Ryohei Watanabe
No. Pos. Nation Player
27 MF Japan JPN Yoshiki Narahara
28 DF Japan JPN Yusuke Maruhashi
29 DF Japan JPN Taisei Inoue DSP
31 GK Japan JPN Masahiro Okamoto
32 FW Japan JPN Keisuke Sakaiya
33 MF Japan JPN Kento Nishiya
36 DF Japan JPN Fumiya Kitajima
42 DF Japan JPN Wataru Harada
47 FW Japan JPN Daichi Suzuki Type 2
51 GK South Korea KOR Lee Yun-sung
55 MF Japan JPN Hiroshi Kiyotake (on loan from Cerezo Osaka)
70 MF Brazil BRA Jája Silva (on loan from FC Tokyo)
71 GK Japan JPN Park Il-gyu (vice-captain)
77 MF Lithuania LTU Vykintas Slivka
99 FW Brazil BRA Marcelo Ryan

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
12 GK South Korea KOR Koh Bong-jo (at Ventforet Kofu)
34 DF Japan JPN Shiva Tafari Nagasawa (at Mito HollyHock)
41 FW Japan JPN Ryonosuke Kabayama (at Thespa Gunma)
GK Japan JPN Kei Uchiyama (at Fujieda MYFC)
DF Japan JPN Dai Hirase (at Renofa Yamaguchi FC)
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Japan JPN Ryotaro Takeuchi (at Criacao Shinjuku)
DF Japan JPN Koma Osato (at Reilac Shiga FC)
MF Japan JPN Shunya Sakai (at Tegevajaro Miyazaki)
FW Japan JPN Oji Kawanami (at FC Gifu)

Sagan Tosu U-18

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As of 16 April 2024.

The main U-18 team of Sagan Tosu currently plays in the Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, the top-flight league for U-18 clubs in the country. Only the registered players for the competition will be displayed.[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Japan JPN Kota Imoto
2 DF Japan JPN Shuya Furutachi
3 DF Japan JPN Kanta Uchimaru
4 DF Japan JPN Shotaro Oba
5 DF Japan JPN Teppei Ikematsu
6 MF Japan JPN Haruki Yamasaki
7 MF Japan JPN Tentaro Onuki
8 MF Japan JPN Sena Morimoto
9 MF Japan JPN Tomomichi Yoza
10 FW Japan JPN Daichi Suzuki
11 FW Japan JPN Shion Watanabe
12 GK Japan JPN Kosei Tanaka
13 DF Japan JPN Yuto Kakimoto
14 MF Japan JPN Ryu Sakurada
15 FW Japan JPN Shion Shinkawa
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 DF Japan JPN Yuya Kuroki
17 DF Japan JPN Hikaru Yamaguchi
18 MF Japan JPN Tokito Mizumaki
19 MF Japan JPN Ryoma Koga
20 MF Japan JPN Aitaro Higashiguchi
21 MF Japan JPN Konosuke Haraguchi
22 MF Japan JPN Kento Yamamura Chidi
23 MF Japan JPN Yuki Suzuki
24 MF Japan JPN Tokia Ikeda
25 FW Japan JPN Yuto Tanaka
26 FW Japan JPN Yuta Shimoda
27 DF Japan JPN Junnosuke Iwamura
31 MF Japan JPN Ren Ono
32 FW Japan JPN Rentaro Harada
40 GK Japan JPN Teyan Tani
69 GK Japan JPN Frankie Farmer-Liang

Retired number

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  • 17 Japan Sakata Michitaka – A former professor of Saga University and the person which backed up in both the establishment of Tosu Futures and the team's revival as Sagan Tosu. He died due to kidney cancer on 7 January 2000. The number 17 indicates his day of death.

Club officials

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Club official for 2024 season. [8]

Role[9] Name
Manager Japan Kosuke Kitani
Head coach Japan Naoya Kikuchi
Coaches Japan Yuzuru Suwabe
Japan Naoyuki Iwata
Japan Yoshizumi Ogawa
South Korea Cho Dong-geon
Goalkeeping coach Japan Takuya Muro
Physical coach Japan Tadashi Noda
Analyst Japan Shota Tamaki
Japan Yutaro Hamada
Chief trainer Japan Toru Kawaguchi
Athletic trainer Japan Atsushi Shiga
Trainer Japan Daisuke Adachi
Japan Masahiro Hirano
Japan Masashi Maeda
Interpreter Italy Alesso Mariani
South Korea Lee Kang-haeng
Japan Naoto Muramatsu
Japan Ryuki Yamamoto
Competent Japan Yoshito Tsuichihara
Deputy officer Japan Naoki Egawa
Japan Ayaki Goto
Equipment manager Japan Yoshiki Sugimoto
Chief doctor Japan Kyota Nishifuru

Managerial history

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Manager Nationality Tenure
Start Finish
Takashi Kuwahara  Japan 1 February 1993 31 January 1995
Hiroshi Sowa  Japan 1 February 1997 31 January 2000
Kazuhiro Kōso  Japan 1 February 2000 31 January 2002
Hiroshi Soejima  Japan 1 February 2002 31 January 2003
Yoshinori Sembiki  Japan 1 February 2003 31 January 2004
Ikuo Matsumoto  Japan 1 February 2004 31 January 2007
Yasuyuki Kishino  Japan 1 February 2007 31 January 2010
Ikuo Matsumoto  Japan 1 February 2010 31 January 2011
Yun Jeong-hwan  South Korea 1 February 2011 7 August 2014
Megumu Yoshida  Japan 8 August 2014 31 January 2015
Hitoshi Morishita  Japan 1 February 2015 31 January 2016
Massimo Ficcadenti  Italy 1 February 2016 18 October 2018
Kim Myung-hwi  South Korea 19 October 2018 31 January 2019
Luis Carreras  Spain 1 February 2019 4 May 2019
Kim Myung-hwi  South Korea 4 May 2019 20 December 2021
Kenta Kawai  Japan 1 February 2022 8 August 2024
Kosuke Kitani  Japan 9 August 2024 present

League & cup record

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Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
League J. League Cup Emperor's Cup
Season Div. Teams Pos. P W (OTW/PKW) D L (OTL/PKL) F A GD Pts Attendance/G
1997 JFL 16 11th 30 12 (1/0) 17 38 54 –16 38 Not eligible 3rd round
1998 16 8th 30 11 (3) 16 40 55 –15 39 3rd round
1999 J2 10 8th 36 11 (1) 2 20 (2) 52 64 –12 37 3,385 1st round 3rd round
2000 11 6th 40 13 (2) 5 15 (5) 41 52 –11 48 3,714 1st round 3rd round
2001 12 10th 44 8 (2) 4 28 (2) 45 82 –37 32 3,479 1st round Round of 16
2002 12 9th 44 9 14 21 41 64 –23 41 3,890 Not eligible 3rd round
2003 12 12th 44 3 11 30 40 89 –49 20 3,172 1st round
2004 12 11th 44 8 11 25 32 66 –34 35 3,610 4th round
2005 12 8th 44 14 10 20 58 58 0 52 7,855 4th round
2006 13 4th 48 22 13 13 64 49 15 79 7,465 4th round
2007 13 8th 48 21 9 18 63 66 –3 72 6,114 Round of 16
2008 15 6th 42 19 7 16 50 51 –1 64 7,261 Quarter-finals
2009 18 5th 51 25 13 13 71 51 20 88 5,939 Round of 16
2010 19 9th 36 13 12 11 42 41 1 51 6,633 3rd round
2011 20 2nd 38 19 12 7 68 34 34 69 7,731 2nd round
2012 J1 18 5th 34 15 8 11 48 39 9 53 11,991 Group stage 2nd round
2013 18 12th 34 13 7 14 54 63 –9 46 11,515 Group stage Semi-finals
2014 18 5th 34 19 3 12 41 33 8 60 14,137 Group stage Round of 16
2015 18 11th 34 9 13 12 37 54 –17 40 13,450 Group stage Quarter-finals
2016 18 11th 34 12 10 12 36 37 –1 46 12,636 Group stage Round of 16
2017 18 8th 34 13 8 13 41 44 –3 47 14,194 Group stage 3rd round
2018 18 14th 34 10 11 13 29 34 –5 41 15,000 Group stage Quarter-finals
2019 18 15th 34 10 6 18 32 53 –21 36 15,050 Group stage Quarter-finals
2020 18 13th 34 7 15 12 37 43 –6 36 4,675 Group stage Did not qualify
2021 20 7th 38 16 11 11 53 35 8 59 7,276 Group stage Round of 16
2022 18 11th 34 9 15 10 45 44 1 42 9,358 Group stage Round of 16
2023 18 14th 34 9 11 14 43 47 –4 38 10,230 Group stage 3rd round
2024 20 TBD 38 Group stage (9) Round of 16
2025 J2 20 TBD 38 TBD TBD round
Key
  • Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
  • Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
  • OTW / PKW = Overtime wins / Penalty kicks wins 1997 & 1998 seasons – 1999, 2000, 2001 & 2002 Overtime wins only
  • OTL / PKL = Overtime losses / Penalty kicks losses 1997 and 1998 seasons – 1999, 2000 & 2001 Overtime losses only
  • 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances were reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
  • Source: J.League Data Site

References

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  1. ^ [サガン、竹原氏が社長就任 「J1昇格と健全な経営」 http://www1.saga-s.co.jp/news/saga.0.1913106.article.html Archived 2018-07-12 at the Wayback Machine]
  2. ^ Warrior Football – Sagan Tosu
  3. ^ Sagan Tosu outlast Sydney FC in J-League friendly
  4. ^ 尹晶煥監督 契約解除のお知らせ. Archived from the original on 2014-08-07.
  5. ^ The Bianconeri Allievi fly to Japan [1]
  6. ^ "TOP TEAM PLAYERS". Sagan Tosu. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  7. ^ "サガン鳥栖 U-18" (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Club Officials 2024". www.sagan-tosu.net/. Sagan Tosu. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  9. ^ "TOP TEAM STAFF". sagan-tosu.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
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