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Japan Football Hall of Fame

JFA Hall of Fame Inductee

KAMO Shu
Inductees Recommended by the Committee (Special Selection)
Inducted into the 14th Japan Football Hall of Fame in 2017
今井 恭司
Born in Osaka on 29 October 1939

As the very first Japanese “professional head coach”, Kamo has won many titles, while spreading the importance of team management in Japanese football.

Kamo first started playing football while attending Hyogo Ashiya High School, and continued to play at Kwansei Gakuin University prior to joining Yanmar Diesel. He became a coach at Yanmar Diesel’s football club in 1967 and attended the “1st FIFA Coaching School” in 1969. Under the schoolmaster Dettmar CRAMER’s tutelage, he eventually became determined to become a professional coach.”

In 1974, he was appointed as the head coach of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd Soccer Club (currently Yokohama F・Marinos). After promoting the team from Kanagawa Regional League to the Japanese Soccer League (JSL), he led the team to win their first Emperor's Cup in 1983. During the1988/89 season, the team won three championships: the JSL, the JSL Cup, and the Emperor's Cup. In addition, Kamo contributed to the education of management professionals, encouraged players to turn pro, and recruited world-class players, exhibiting his leadership skills in team management and making extensive efforts in improving the team environment.

In 1991, Kamo became the head coach of ANA Soccer Club (later known as Yokohama Flugels), and won the Emperor's Cup in 1993. In 1994, he was appointed as the head coach of the Japan National Team. Although he could not fulfill his goal to help Japan qualify for the World Cup for the first time, he continued to build his career as an instructor, coaching at Kyoto Purple Sanga (currently Kyoto Sanga F.C.) and his alma mater, Kwansei Gakuin University.

  As a club team coach, Kamo has led his teams to win four Emperor's Cups and one JSL, while leading the Japan National Team to win three Kirin Cup Soccer cups and one Dynasty Cup. Over the past half century, he has remained at the forefront of Japanese football as a renowned football coach. His passion and pursuit for ‘world-class football’, along with his past achievements, deserves great recognition.
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