Yuji Sakakura

Yuji Sakakura
阪倉裕二
Personal information
Full name	Yuji Sakakura
Date of birth	June 7, 1967 (age 57)
Place of birth	Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1983–1985	Yokkaichi Chuo Technical High School
1986–1989	Juntendo University
Senior career*
Years	Team
1990–1994	JEF United Ichihara
1995	Nagoya Grampus Eight
1996–1997	Brummell Sendai
1998	Mind House TC
Total
International career
1990–1991	Japan
Managerial career
2001	Yokohama FC
2014–2015	Tochigi SC
2018	AC Nagano Parceiro
Medal record
JEF United Ichihara
Nagoya Grampus Eight
Representing Japan
AFC Asian Cup
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Yuji Sakakura (阪倉裕二, Sakakura Yūji, born June 7, 1967) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team.

Club career

Sakakura was educated at and played for Yokkaichi Chuo Technical High School and Juntendo University. After completing university, he joined Japan Soccer League side Furuawa Electric (later JEF United Ichihara). He moved to Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1995, then Japan Football League side Brummell Sendai in 1996. He finished his playing career in 1998 at his home town club Mind House TC, a Regional Leagues side, after playing for them for one season.

National team career

Sakakura was capped 6 times without scoring for the Japan national team between 1990 and 1991.^[1] His first full international cap came on July 27, 1990 in a Dynasty Cup match against South Korea in Beijing. He was a member of the Japan team that won the 1992 Asian Cup but did not play in the tournament.

Coaching career

Sakakura was a coach at Yokohama FC between 1999 and 2004. He briefly served as caretaker manager at the club after Yoshikazu Nagai was sacked in 2001. He coached Kyoto Sanga FC's U-18 team from 2005 to 2007. He moved to Tochigi SC and became a coach. In 2014, he became a manager and managed until July 2015. He signed with Shimizu S-Pulse in 2016 and coached until 2017. He moved to AC Nagano Parceiro in 2018 and became a coach. In June, he became a manager as Tetsuya Asano successor. He managed until end of 2018 season.

Club statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J.League Cup		Total
1990/91	Furukawa Electric	JSL Division 1	20	0			5	0	25	0
1991/92	Furukawa Electric	JSL Division 1	12	1			1	0	13	1
1992	JEF United Ichihara	J1 League	-				9	0	9	0
1993			25	0	0	0	0	0	25	0
1994			8	0	0	0	2	0	10	0
1995	Nagoya Grampus Eight	J1 League	18	0	0	0	-		18	0
1996	Brummell Sendai	Football League	26	0	3	0	-		29	0
1997	Brummell Sendai	Football League	26	0	2	0	5	0	33	0
Total			135	1	5	0	22	0	162	1