is a Japanese football manager and former player.
Club career Nishino was born in Saitama on 7 April 1955. After graduating from Waseda University, he joined Hitachi in 1978. The club won the 2nd place at 1980 JSL Cup and 1982 Japan Soccer League. He retired in 1990. He was elected Best Eleven in 1985–86.
International career In March 1977, when Nishino was a Waseda University student, he was selected in Japan national team for 1978 World Cup qualification. At this qualification, on 6 March, he debuted against Israel. He played 12 games and scored 1 goal for Japan until 1978.Japan National Football Team Database
Managerial career
Early years After retirement, in 1990, Nishino became a coach for Hitachi (later Kashiwa Reysol). From 1991, he managed the Japan U-20 national team and Japan U-23 national team. At U-23 Japan in 1996 Summer Olympics Qualifiers, Japan qualified to 1996 Summer Olympics for the first time in 28 years since 1968 Summer Olympics, where Japan won the bronze medal. At 1996 Olympics, although Japan won 2 matches, Japan lost in the First round. At this time, Japan beat Brazil in first game. It was known as the "Miracle of Miami" (マイアミの奇跡) in Japan.
Kashiwa Reysol In 1997, Nishino returned to Kashiwa Reysol and became a coach. In 1998, he became a manager. In 1999, he led the club to win the 1999 J.League Cup. In 2000, the club won the 3rd place in J.League Division 1 for 2 years in a row and he received Best Managers award. However, he was sacked in July 2001.
Gamba Osaka In 2002, Nishino signed with Gamba Osaka. In 2005, the club won J.League Division 1 for the first time in club history and he was elected for the Best Manager award. In 2008, the club won AFC Champions League and the 3rd place at 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. He was also elected AFC 'Coach of the Year' awards. The club also won the 2007 J.League Cup, the 2008 and the 2009 Emperor's Cup. He resigned in 2011. In May 2012, he signed with Vissel Kobe as Masahiro Wada's successor. However, he was sacked in November.
Nagoya Grampus In 2014, Nishino signed with Nagoya Grampus and managed the club until 2015.
Japan national team In March 2016, Nishino returned to the Japan Football Association as a technical director. In April 2018, Japan national team manager Vahid Halilhodžić was sacked and Nishino was named as the new manager. A big challenge for Nishino was lack of time for preparation, while also being doubted because of his lack of coaching experience. Nonetheless, in the 2018 World Cup, he registered history by helping Japan to beat Colombia 2–1, the first ever defeat of a CONMEBOL team to an Asian side. His brilliant tactics continued to be demonstrated when Japan held Senegal in a 2–2 draw. His Japan lost 0–1 to Poland in the final group match, but as Japan received fewer yellow cards than Senegal, Japan controversially qualified to the knockout stage, becoming the only Asian team to do so in the 2018 World Cup. However, his Japan lost 2–3 to Belgium despite having led 2–0, thus were eliminated from the tournament. Nishino stepped down once his current term expired following the World Cup.
Thailand national team Nishino consented to take charge of the Thailand's senior and under-23 national sides on 17 July 2019, became the first Japanese to coach Thailand, and on 24 January 2020, this contract has been extended until 2022. On 29 July 2021, Football Association of Thailand announced that it had parted ways with Nishino, which was later explained due to poor performance in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueDivisionAppsGoalsHitachi1978JSL Division 1131197912019801561981811982154198318219841721985–8622121986–871711987–88JSL Division 21988–891989–90JSL Division 160Career total14329
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsJapan197740197881Total121
Managerial statistics
+ Managerial record by team and tenureTeamNatFromToRecordJapan U231 January 199431 December 1996Japan20 July 19963 August 1996Kashiwa Reysol1 February 199830 July 2001Gamba Osaka1 February 200231 January 2012Vissel Kobe22 May 20128 November 2012Nagoya Grampus1 February 201431 January 2016Japan9 April 201831 July 2018Thailand U2317 July 201929 July 2021Thailand17 July 201929 July 2021Career Total
Honours Manager Kashiwa Reysol J.League Cup: 1999
Gamba Osaka J.League Division 1: 2005 Emperor's Cup: 2008, 2009 J.League Cup: 2007 Japanese Super Cup: 2007 AFC Champions League: 2008
Individual Japan Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2019
Player Japan Soccer League Best Eleven: 1985–86
Manager J.League Manager of the Year: 2000, 2005 AFC Coach of the Year: 2008
References
External links
Japan National Football Team Database