Akira Komatsu

Japanese footballer

Akira KomatsuPersonal information

Full name|  Akira Komatsu
Date of birth|  (1962-04-03) 3 April 1962 (age 62)
Place of birth|  Yuri, Akita, Japan
Position(s)|  Striker
Youth career
1975–1977|  Yuri Junior High School
1978–1980|  Nishime Nodai High School
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
1981–1990|  Yanmar Diesel|  58|  (11)
1990–1992|  Kyoto Shiko|  28|  (6)
International career
1980-1981|  Japan U-19|  5|  (8)
1981|  Japan|  1|  (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Akira Komatsu (小松 晃, Komatsu Akira, born 3 April 1962) is a former Japanese football player.

## Playing career

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### High school

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He played in the 59th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament in 1981 as a striker scoring a goal from 50 metres for Akita Nishime High School.[1][2]

### Club

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He played nine seasons for Yanmar Diesel from 1981 to 1990 in the first division of the Japan Soccer League \- then the top flight of football in Japan.[1][3] This was followed by two seasons at Kyoto Sanga F.C. in the second division.[1][3]

### International career

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In early 1981, he played in the 1980 AFC Youth Championship,[4] following the December 1980 qualifying, where combined he scored 8 goals in 5 games.[1] He got his first senior cap with the Japan national football team on January 30, 1981 against a young Poland,[5] entering at the 62nd minute.[6][7]

## Coaching career

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In 2006 he was a coach with the Vissel Kobe youth (U-18) team.[8] From 2006 to 2011 he was the director of the soccer program with Kobe Gakuin University, affiliated with Vissel Kobe, until he was dismissed after an incident when he caught five players drinking, and kicked two of them.[9]

Since 2013 he has been the coach at Meitoku Gijuku High School in Kōchi Prefecture,[2] participating in the 92nd through 95th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament in the mid-2010s.[10][11] He has also been the director of the Hirakata FC U-18 team.[12]

## Legacy

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On August 11, 2019, Akira Komatsu was featured in an episode of the Tokyo Broadcasting System Television series Disappeared Genius.[13][14]

## Personal

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His younger brother, Tsutomu Komatsu ( 小松勉 ), is a former manager of the TDK Soccer Club.[15] He served for the blue Nikaho team for nine years as a bench boss.

## References

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1. ^ a b c d "人生を変えた伝説の５０メートル弾 高校サッカーの記憶" [The legendary 50-metre shot that changed life]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Osaka. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
2. ^ a b Onishi, Junichi (11 January 2016). "伝説のシュートで人生変わった…小松さん 指導者で高校サッカー界復帰" [Life changed with a legendary shoot ... Mr. Komatsu as a leader and his return to high school soccer]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Tokyo. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
3. ^ a b "小松晃の現在と消えた理由！サッカー日本代表の幻のゴールと高校時代！" [Where Akira Komatsu is now and why he disappeared! His goals of National Team and High School days]. cocom.com (in Japanese). 11 August 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
4. ^ 『日本代表公式記録集 [Japanese National Team Official Record] (in Japanese). 2008. pp. 286–287.286-287&rft.date=2008&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Akira+Komatsu" class="Z3988">
5. ^ "ロシアW杯対戦３国との激闘録――其の壱・1981年vsポーランド" [A fierce battle record with 3 countries in the Russian World Cup - Part 1 1981 vs Poland]. サッカーダイジェスト [Football Digest] (in Japanese). Tokyo: 1. April 1981. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
6. ^ "ロシアW杯対戦３国との激闘録――其の壱・1981年vsポーランド" [A fierce battle record with 3 countries in the Russian World Cup - Part 1 1981 vs Poland]. サッカーダイジェスト [Football Digest] (in Japanese). Tokyo: 2. April 1981. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
7. ^ "World Football Elo Ratings: Japan". World Football Elo Ratings. Retrieved 19 November 2019. "January 30, 1981, Japan 1 Poland 4, Friendly in Japan"
8. ^ "Vissel Kobe - U-18 Team". Vissel Kobe. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
9. ^ "神戸学院大監督 部員への暴行で解任…Ｊ１神戸から派遣" [Kobe Gakuin University director is dismissed after assault on players ... fired by J1 Kobe]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). 20 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
10. ^ "明徳義塾が星稜に完敗 小松監督「選手がんばった」" [Meitoku Gijuku is defeated by Seiryo - Coach Komatsu “I did my best”]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Tokyo. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
11. ^ "明徳義塾が初戦敗退 小松監督はポジション取り反省" [Meitoku Gijuku loses their first match - Coach Komatsu reflects on the result]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Tokyo. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
12. ^ "Danny's Words". Retrieved 24 November 2019.
13. ^ "超一流が勝てなかった人 大追跡" [People who couldn't follow up on super wins]. 消えた天才 [Disappaered Genius] (in Japanese). Tokyo Broadcasting System Television. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
14. ^ "消えた天才 - 甲子園最高の天才＆サニブラウン＆サッカー乾＆福原愛SP". TVでた蔵 [TV Datazoo] (in Japanese). 11 August 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
15. ^ 「「TDK SC」監督・小松勉さん 初のJFL参戦」 朝日新聞（秋田県版）、2007年3月3日、2014年1月9日閲覧

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals