Takayuki Nishigaya appointed as new national Coach of Singapore Lions!
(Takayuki Nishigaya 18 October 2015. Photo Credit ©J.LEAGUE)
25 APRIL 2022 – The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) today announced the appointment of Takayuki Nishigaya as the new Head Coach of the Singapore Men’s National Team.
The Shizuoka native, who turns 49 next month, succeeds Tatsuma Yoshida in the Lions dugout and was unveiled at a press conference in the afternoon at Jalan Besar Stadium. Nishigaya will officially assume his new role in May and is currently finalising the necessary paperwork to travel to Singapore.
“It is a great honour to become the new Head Coach of the Singapore Men’s National Team and I am very grateful for the trust and belief that FAS has in me,” Nishigaya said. “I fully understand the heavy expectations that come with this position, and I am very much looking forward to undertaking the responsibilities with my fullest commitment and endeavour.”
(Takayuki Nishigaya 14 Oct 2019. Photo Credit ©Matsumoto Yamaga FC)
The former Japan Under-22 international can count on Singapore legend and Under-23 coach Nazri Nasir as his assistant, as well as staff coach and analyst Koichiro Iizuka – both of whom have served as part of Tatsuma’s backroom staff.
“I know the high regard in which Tatsuma is held by the Lions and fans, and the excellent work he has done with the team,” added Nishigaya, who has remotely kept tabs on the Lions’ recent FAS Tri- Nations Series 2022 performances, the current AIA Singapore Premier League (SPL) campaign and the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U23 Championship 2022. “It is my aim to build on the progress that he has made and, in that regard, the expertise and knowledge of Nazri – a former Singapore captain who commands the respect of the team – and Koichiro will be key to helping us achieve that. Together with the strong support from the fans and other stakeholders, I will give my all to help bring Singapore football forward.”
Assistant Coach Nazri said: “Like with Tatsuma previously, I will be giving my fullest support to our new Head Coach and also help in the familiarisation of the current set-up. All the backroom staff, including myself, will have to play our part to help Coach Nishigaya settle in quickly. My experience as a former Lions captain and having taken charge of the National Team on an interim basis recently will come in handy as we prepare for an important assignment in June for the AFC Asian Cup qualification. I look forward to working with him.”
A former defender who made 100 J.League appearances and represented Japan at Under-22 level, Nishigaya, who holds a Japan Football Association (JFA) S Coaching Licence (equivalent to Asian Football Confederation Pro Licence), started his top-level coaching journey in 2004 as a youth coach at Tokyo Verdy. He eventually became youth head coach before leaving in 2009. He went on to become assistant coach at Albirex Niigata (2012) and Mito Hollyhock (2013 - 15) before being promoted to head coach (2015 - 17) at the latter. Nishigaya also helmed SC Sagamihara before moving to Matsumoto Yamaga, first as Under-18 head coach before becoming first-team assistant in 2020.
FAS President, Mr Lim Kia Tong, welcomed the new Lions Head Coach and said: “We are delighted to have Nishigaya on board after a rigorous recruitment process,” he said. “We knew that Tatsuma had left some big shoes to fill, and it was imperative that we found the best candidate who had the required character and attributes to succeed him. We believe that Nishigaya is exactly that and we are confident he can take on the challenge of continuing to make our Lions roar.”
(Takayuki Nishigaya 6 June 2021. Photo Credit ©Matsumoto Yamaga FC)
Nishigaya comes highly recommended by the JFA Technical Committee, whose Deputy Technical Director, Mr Takeshi Ono, said: “I am delighted that Mr Takayuki Nishigaya has been appointed as the Head Coach of the Singapore Men’s National Team. His vast experience will definitely contribute to the success of the team and the development of the next generation of players.
“Since forming our partnership with the FAS in 2015, we have been cooperating in various areas. The appointment of Mr Nishigaya further strengthens the relationship between the two countries, and we look forward to closer collaboration to develop football further. I very much look forward to the progress of the Lions and sincerely wish for every success in Singapore football.”
Nishigaya will immediately focus on preparations for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup China 2023™ Qualifiers Final Round this June. Drawn in Group F, the Lions are set to face hosts Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Myanmar in a bid to qualify for the Finals.
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Events & Programmes
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Articles
View AllRelated Topics
[BlogPost 162233592997 Gritty Lions Suffer Loss to China, BlogPost 162089384371 On Your Mark, Get Ready, Go Running, BlogPost 161670652697 Lions' Excellent Showing Against China, BlogPost 161435270031 Ogura Optimistic for Exciting Clash against China, BlogPost 161127614758 The Future of Basketball in Singapore: Why 3x3 is Here to Stay, BlogPost 161033673012 The Active Lifestyler's Guide to the New ActiveSG Delta Sport Centre, BlogPost 161128356680 Grand New Champions Crowned at WTT Singapore Smash 2024, BlogPost 160844835218 NSG 2024 Table Tennis: C Div Boys Pool Round, BlogPost 160210745115 NSG 2024 Basketball: Senior Div Girls Tampines Primary School vs Frontier Primary School, BlogPost 159881180544 Whirlwind Return to Women's Football, BlogPost 159633541417 Singapore Smash to Elevate a New Legacy, BlogPost 158983580420 NSG 2024 Rugby: B Div Damai Secondary School vs Peirce Secondary School, BlogPost 159003960202 SFA Fiesta: Kicking off 2024 to a Roaring Start, BlogPost 158830735126 NSG 2024 Football: B Div Girls Preliminary Round Meridian Secondary School VS Bowen Secondary School, BlogPost 158536989718 Team Nila Volunteers Recognized At Awards Ceremony, BlogPost 158270107806 NSG 2024 Hockey: B Div Boys Preliminary Round Raffles Institution VS St. Hilda Secondary School, BlogPost 157966862615 NSG 2024 Floorball: B Division Preliminary Rounds Kick Off!, BlogPost 157562433712 What Is Safe Sport?, BlogPost 157559446197 Sengkang Secondary: Cultivating Well-Rounded Footballers, BlogPost 157368261167 New National Training Centre for Cricket at West Coast Ground, BlogPost 155340164987 Active Ageing with Joey Bonifacio, BlogPost 155930815517 Inaugural Singapore Youth League kicks off from 24th February 2024, BlogPost 155340164727 Bukit Canberra : the Coolest Spot in the North, BlogPost 155368905255 How Padang Fandi Inspired Ayden to Chase his Dream, BlogPost 154755572826 Ageing Backwards with Elizabeth Cheang, BlogPost 154094657315 Running For Fitness, BlogPost 153318636178 Excitement Builds for FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024, BlogPost 153198644247 World's Top Four Confirmed for 2024 HSBC Women's World Championship, BlogPost 149413941770 Cultivating Your Kids’ Interest in the Outdoors, BlogPost 149413941163 Making Sport More Appealing for Our Kids, BlogPost 149412549409 Solo Or Team Sport – Choosing the Best for Your Child, BlogPost 151197478798 Former Lions Stalwart Baihakki Khaizan Sheds Light on New Accreditation to Elevate Grassroots Football and Youth Development, BlogPost 80703591291 New Year, Fitter You! Here are the top 3 workouts for the New Year, BlogPost 81171151456 7 Reasons Why Sports are Great for Children’s Mental Health, BlogPost 80542065330 17 Best Yoga Classes & Studios in Singapore [+ Rating & Prices], BlogPost 149404351798 From Brush to Lens: A Student's Journey in the World of Art and Sports Photography, BlogPost 149402825063 The Benefits of Active Parenting, BlogPost 149397832009 Sweden Claim 9th Straight Gold at the Women's World Floorball Championship, BlogPost 149397831449 Lion City Sailors Win 2023 Singapore Cup, BlogPost 148511324266 Pitch Perfect with Jonathan Teo, BlogPost 148511724402 Seniors: Increase your flexibility bit by bit with these stretches, BlogPost 147866574167 A Valuable Experience In Spain for Singapore's National Development Centre U-14 Boys, BlogPost 146915317264 How one magical Kallang night changed the lives of Abirami and Daania forever, BlogPost 80700409988 Strength Training for Seniors, BlogPost 137536455174 Age Gracefully, Start Strength Training, BlogPost 145856643584 FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers: Singapore vs Korea Republic, BlogPost 144608971564 ActiveSG Football Academy sets up centralised development centres to broaden base for young players, BlogPost 144605361831 Hafiz Osman & sons' love affair with the beautiful game, BlogPost 137536455236 The Golden Years, BlogPost 142676085686 Singapore crowned Mirxes Nations Cup 2023 Champions!]