George Yonashiro

George Yonashiro
与那城 ジョージ
Personal information
Date of birth (1950-11-28) November 28, 1950
Place of birth São Paulo, Brazil
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1972–1986 Yomiuri 239 (92)
Total 239 (92)
International career
1985 Japan 2 (0)
Managerial career
1986–1990 Yomiuri
1994 Kyoto Purple Sanga
1996 Kyoto Purple Sanga
2004–2006 FC Ryukyu
2007–2010 Giravanz Kitakyushu
2013–2014 Blaublitz Akita
2017–2019 J.FC Miyazaki
Medal record
Yomiuri
Winner Japan Soccer League 1983
Winner Japan Soccer League 1984
Runner-up Japan Soccer League 1979
Runner-up Japan Soccer League 1981
Winner JSL Cup 1979
Winner JSL Cup 1985
Winner Emperor's Cup 1984
Runner-up Emperor's Cup 1981
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

George Yonashiro (与那城 ジョージ, Yonashiro Jōji; born November 28, 1950) is a former football player and manager. Born in Brazil, he played for the Japan national team.

Club career

Yonashiro was born in São Paulo, Brazil on November 28, 1950. He joined Japan Soccer League Division 2 club Yomiuri in 1972. The club was promoted to Division 1 in 1978. In 1979, the club won first title JSL Cup. The club won the league champions in 1983, 1984. The club also won 1984 Emperor's Cup and 1985 JSL Cup. He retired in 1986. He played 239 games and scored 93 goals in the league. He was selected Best Eleven 5 times.

International career

In January 1985, Yonashiro was approved for naturalisation as a Japanese citizen by the Ministry of Justice.[1] In October, when he was 34 years old, he was selected to the Japan national team for the 1986 World Cup qualification. At this competition, on October 26, he debuted against South Korea. He played two games for Japan in 1985.[2]

Coaching career

Yonashiro began his managerial career with Yomiuri in 1986, leading the club to the 1986–87 Japan Soccer League title, consecutive Emperor's Cup victories in 1986 and 1987, and the 1987 Asian Club Championship before resigning in 1990. He later managed Kyoto Purple Sanga twice, first in 1994 as successor to Seishiro Shimatani, and again in 1996 following Oscar. In 2004, Yonashiro took charge of FC Ryukyu, guiding the team from the Prefectural Leagues to the Regional Leagues in 2005 and the Japan Football League in 2006. He then joined Giravanz Kitakyushu in 2007, overseeing promotions to the Japan Football League in 2008 and the J2 League in 2010, before stepping down at the end of that season. His final managerial post came with Blaublitz Akita in 2013, where he achieved promotion to the newly established J3 League in 2014. He resigned later that year.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Emperor's Cup JSL Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Yomiuri 1972 JSL Division 2 9 5 9 5
1973 18 15 18 15
1974 18 13 18 13
1975 18 6 18 6
1976 16 7 2 1 4 0 22 8
1977 17 7 3 1 2 1 22 9
1978 JSL Division 1 18 5 2 1 6 2 26 8
1979 18 7 2 2 4 0 24 9
1980 18 4 3 0 2 0 23 4
1981 15 10 5 2 1 0 21 12
1982 18 5 3 0 1 0 22 5
1983 18 2 3 1 3 1 24 4
1984 17 5 4 2 2 1 23 8
1985–86 21 1 2 1 4 2 27 3
Career total 239 92 29 11 29 6 297 109

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[2]
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan national team 1985 2 0
Total 2 0

Managerial statistics

[3]

Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Yomiuri 1986 1990 88 40 30 18 045.45
Kyoto Purple Sanga 1996 1996 15 8 0 7 053.33
FC Ryukyu 2004 2006 56 23 12 21 041.07
Giravanz Kitakyushu 2007 2010 124 48 32 44 038.71
Blaublitz Akita 2013 2014 67 24 12 31 035.82
J.FC Miyazaki 2017 2019 56 48 0 8 085.71
Total 406 191 86 129 047.04

References

  1. ^ 読売ニユース総覧. Yomiuri Shimbunsha. 1985. p. 294. ISBN 4643415509. 読売クラブの日系ブラジル選手ジョージ・与那城選手の日本への帰化申請が法務省に認められ ...
  2. ^ a b Japan National Football Team Database
  3. ^ J.League Data Site(in Japanese)