We would like to announce that our player Naotake HANYU will be transferring to JEF United Ichihara Chiba.
[Naotake HANYU Player Profile]
□ Position: MF
□ Date of Birth: December 22, 1979
□ Hometown: Chiba Prefecture
□ Height/Weight: 167cm/62kg
□ Blood Type: O
□ Career:
1995-1997 Chiba Prefectural Yachiyo High School
1997 76th National High School Soccer Championship Best 8
1998-2001 Tsukuba University
2002-2007 JEF United Chiba/JEF United Ichihara Chiba
2005 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Champions
2006 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Champions
2008-2012 FC Tokyo
2009 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Champions
2010 Suruga Bank Championship 2010 TOKYO Champions
2011 J.League Division 2 Champions, promoted to J1
2011 91st Emperor's Cup All Japan Soccer Championship Winners
2013 Ventforet Kofu ※On loan
2014-2016 FC Tokyo
□ Selection/Representative History:
1997 Chiba Prefecture Selection (3rd place in Osaka Prefecture National Sports Soccer Competition Boys)
2001 Kanto University Selection (Denso Challenge Cup Champions, MVP)
2001 Japan Universiade Representative (Universiade Beijing Games Champions)
2006 Japan National Team (AFC Asian Cup 2007 Qualifiers)
2007 Japan National Team (AFC Asian Cup 2007 4th place)
2008 Japan National Team (East Asian Football Championship 2008 Runner-up, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Asian Qualifiers)
※ 17 appearances and 0 goals for the Japan national team in international A matches
□ Participation Record (As of January 5, 2017)
2016
[FC Tokyo] J1 League 14 games played 0 goals / Cup 2 games played 0 goals / Emperor's Cup 1 game played 0 goals / ACL 5 games played 0 goals
※ AFC Champions League 2016 Playoffs 1 Appearance 0 Goals
＜Total＞
J1 League 344 Appearances 29 Goals
J2 League 37 Appearances 5 Goals
Cup Matches 70 Appearances 5 Goals
Emperor's Cup 32 Appearances 1 Goal
ACL 9 Appearances 0 Goals
□ Player's Comment
"I am pleased to announce that I will be transferring to JEF United Chiba."
I had many discussions with the club regarding this transfer. I am grateful that even though I have not been able to produce significant results during my long tenure, the club still offered me a new contract for the upcoming season. I am also thankful to President Oogane, GM Tateishi, and Coach Shinoda for showing me many options to stay with the club. I would also like to express my gratitude to my teammates, coaches, and business staff who have supported me throughout my time here. Thank you very much.
This decision was not an easy one for me or my family. Leaving FC Tokyo, which I have become so familiar with, was not something that many people around me wanted. But what drove me was the desire to be an ambitious soccer player until retirement.
If you are a member of FC Tokyo, you have a comfortable place as the oldest player in the new season, and there are fans and supporters who will be kind to you whether you play or not. After spending such a year, I retired. It might be easy, but something feels different. That's what I thought.
My challenge at 37 years old is by no means smooth, and there are not only positive voices about this transfer, but it is all part of the challenge. I think the professional world is a place where you have to blaze your own trail and make your own history. I will approach my battle with the determination that it may be my last year, and I want to give it my all to the point where I think, "I can't run anymore!"
The club tried to provide an opportunity for me to directly greet the fans and supporters on the occasion of this transfer, but due to scheduling issues, it ended up being a written greeting like this. However, the support and encouragement that you all have sent me have definitely been the driving force behind my heart and body, and that is why I am here now and this transfer has been realized.
We are looking forward to the day when we can meet again with a smile. And we sincerely hope for the development of the club and winning the league. Thank you very much for everything so far.
