Naohito Hirai

Naohito Hirai (平井 直人, Hirai Naohito, born July 16, 1978) is a former Japanese football player.

Naohito Hirai
平井 直人

Personal information
Full name	Naohito Hirai
Date of birth	(1978-07-16) July 16, 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth	Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1994–1996	Kyoto Purple Sanga
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–2010	Kyoto Sanga FC	213	(0)
2017	Renofa Yamaguchi FC	0	(0)
2018	Kataller Toyama	0	(0)
Total		213	(0)
Medal record Kyoto Sanga FC Winner Emperor's Cup 2002
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Hirai was born in Kyoto on July 16, 1978. He joined J1 League club Kyoto Purple Sanga (later Kyoto Sanga FC) in 1997. He could not play at all in the match behind Shigetatsu Matsunaga until early 2000. He became a regular goalkeeper from the middle of 2000. However the club was relegated to J2 League end of 2000 season. Although he lost regular position behind Masahiko Nakagawa from the middle of 2001,^[1] the club returned to J1 League in a year. From 2002, he became a regular goalkeeper again and the club won the champions 2002 Emperor's Cup first major title in club history. After that, although the club results were bad, he played many matches until 2007. However the club gained Yuichi Mizutani in 2008 and Hirai he could hardly play in the match behind Mizutani. He retired end of 2010 season. In September 2017, when he coached Renofa Yamaguchi FC, he was registered as player because many goalkeeper could not play in the match.^[2] However he did not play in the match and his registration was deleted a week later.^[3] In March 2018, when he coached Kataller Toyama, he was registered as player because many goalkeeper could not play for injury.^[4] However he did not play in the match and his registration was deleted in April.^[5]

Coaching career

After retirement, Hirai started coaching career at Kyoto Sanga FC in 2011. He served as goalkeeper coach until 2012. In 2013, he moved to Ehime FC and coached until 2014. In 2015, he returned to Kyoto. In 2017, he moved to Renofa Yamaguchi FC. In 2018, he moved to Kataller Toyama.

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
1997	Kyoto Purple Sanga	J1 League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1998			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1999			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2000			15	0	1	0	8	0	24	0
2001		J2 League	15	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
2002		J1 League	26	0	5	0	6	0	37	0
2003			28	0	1	0	4	0	33	0
2004		J2 League	26	0	1	0	-		27	0
2005			39	0	0	0	-		39	0
2006		J1 League	18	0	0	0	4	0	22	0
2007	Kyoto Sanga FC	J2 League	33	0	0	0	-		33	0
2008		J1 League	8	0	0	0	3	0	11	0
2009			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2010			5	0	0	0	5	0	10	0
2017	Renofa Yamaguchi FC	J2 League	0	0	0	0	-		0	0
2018	Kataller Toyama	J3 League	0	0	0	0	-		0	0
Career total			213	0	8	0	30	0	251	0

References

1. J.League(in Japanese)
2. J.League(in Japanese)
3. J.League(in Japanese)
4. J.League(in Japanese)
5. J.League(in Japanese)

External links

• Naohito Hirai at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)