JEF United Chiba(ジェフユナイテッド ngàn diệp,Jefu Yunaiteddo Chiba),full nameJEF United Ichihara Chiba(ジェフユナイテッド thị nguyên ・ ngàn diệp,Jefu Yunaiteddo Ichihara Chiba)and also known asJEF Chiba(ジェフ ngàn diệp,Jefu Chiba),is a Japanese professionalfootballclub based inChiba,capital ofChiba Prefecture.They currently play in theJ2 League,Japanese second tier of professional football.
 | |||
| Full name | JEF United Ichihara Chiba | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | JEF, Inu (The Dogs) | ||
| Founded | 1946 as Furukawa Electric SC | ||
| Stadium | Fukuda Denshi Arena Chiba | ||
| Capacity | 19,781 | ||
| Owner | East Japan Railway Company(50%) Furukawa Electric(50%) | ||
| Chairman | Akira Shimada | ||
| Manager | Yoshiyuki Kobayashi | ||
| League | J2 League | ||
| 2023 | J2 League, 6th of 22 | ||
| Website | jefunited | ||
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History
editFurukawa Electric SC (1946–1991)
editThe club began as thecompany team,Furukawa ElectricSoccer Club(Cổ hà điện khí công nghiệp サッカー bộ)in 1946. As the company team, it won theJapan Soccer Leaguetwice, theEmperor's Cupfour times and the JSL League Cup three times. Furukawa also won the1986–87 Asian Club Championship,the top club honor inAsia;they were the first Japanese club to do so.
The club was a founding member ("Original Eight"[a]) of theJapan Soccer League(JSL) in 1965. Since the league's inception, the club had always played in the top flight in Japan and was the only Japanese club to never be relegated from the JSL Division 1, a record they kept into the J1 years. They did finish the1978season in a relegation position (last of 10) but stayed up after beatingHonda FC1–0 on aggregate in a two-legged playoff. The last place was not automatically relegated until the1980season.
JEF United Ichihara (1992–2004)
editIn 1991, it merged with the JR East's company team to becomeEast Japan JR Furukawa Football Club(Đông Nhật Bản ジェイアール cổ hà サッカークラブ)and rebranded itself as JEF United Ichihara upon the J.League's founding in 1993. JEF United Ichihara was an original member ("Original Ten"[b]) of the J.League in 1993. The club initially built itself around the formerGermany national football teamplayerPierre Littbarski.
From 1998 to 2000, the club struggled to stay in the J.League and it began a series of efforts to be a competitive team. Since the hiring ofIvica Osimin 2003, JEF United has contended for the league title each year despite limited resources and struggling attendance.
JEF United Chiba (2005–)
editOn 1 February 2005, the club changed its name fromJEF United Ichiharato the current name afterChiba cityhad joinedIchihara, Chibaas its hometown in 2003. Of its club name,JEFis taken from theJR EastandFurukawa Electriccompanies andUnitedis meant to represent the unity of the club and its home city. Also, JEF United is the only team in J.League which corporate name survived the transition from theJSLin 1992, as J.League mandated that "corporate teams are not allowed in the J.League", and that any corporate teams need to adapt a hometown and name themselves after it, rather than their owner companies.
On 16 July 2006, Osim left the club to take over the coach of theJapan national teamand was succeeded byAmar Osim,his son and assistant coach.[1] On December 5, 2007, it was announced that Amar Osim had been sacked after the club's lowly 13th-place finish in the 2007 season.[2]
After 13 games in the 2008 seasonJosip Kužewas sacked as team manager. On 8 May 2008 it was announced that the new manager wasAlex Miller.Miller was First Team Coach atLiverpool F.C.alongsideRafael Benítezprior to joining JEF United.
TheFurukawa Electricis no longer the main sponsor of the club, a job these days taken over byFuji Electric.
On November 8, 2009, JEF United Chiba was relegated to J2 after 44 seasons in the Japanese top division; since 2010, JEF United Chiba is playing inJ.League Division 2.
JEF United Chiba was close to being promoted toJ.League Division 1during the 2012 season. The club was considered one of the favorites to be directly promoted to J1. However, after defeats to clubs considered lesser than them such asFC GifuandF.C. Machida Zelvia,JEF played the playoffs, making their road to the final. They defeatedYokohama FCby 4–0, but lost the final match toOita Trinitaby 1–0, atTokyo National Stadium.
In the 2013 season they played in the promotion to J1 playoffs. They lost the semi-final match to Tokushima Vortis by 1–1(Chiba was 6th place and Tokushima was 3rd place in the league, regulation decides up high club can go final even draw.)
In the 2014 season they played in the promotion playoffs to J1 again. The club did not have to play in the semi-final (Chiba was 4th place but the 3rd place club named Giravanz Kitakyushu had a J League original stadium problem so Kitakyushu could not go to the promotion play off). In the final against Montedio Yamagata, they lost by 0–1, at Ajinomoto Stadium.
The club will play their 14th consecutive season at the J2 on 2023.
Symbols
editStadiums
editIt had played its home matches atIchihara Seaside Stadium,but has since moved to the larger, football-specific and more conveniently locatedFukuda Denshi Arena,which opened in Chiba during the 2005 season. The club had initially practiced atUrayasu, Chibaplanning to base itself inNarashino, Chibabefore opposition by those living around AkitsuStadiumforced it to be based in Ichihara. Since 2000, training has been held at Footpark Anesaki in Ichihara in normally. Since 1 October 2009, they made new practice place UNITED PARK near the Fukuda Denshi Arena.
Mascot
edit
JEF United Ichihara'smascotcharacters areAkita Inubrothers named Jeffy and Unity. Thesquad numberof Jeffy is 2 and that of Unity is 9. They are also joined by a third mascot named Mina, or Mina-chan. Her backstory was that she one day came toSoga Station(the railway station nearest toFukuda Denshi Arena) and offered to work alongside Jeffy and Unity.[3]Her squad number is 12.
Slogan
editJEF United considers its philosophy to be encapsulated in its tagline "Win By All"[4]since 2001.
Affiliated clubs
editFurukawa Electric Chiba
editThis was JEF'sreserve teamduring the JSL years. They were formed in 1967 and were first promoted to the JSL Second Division in 1975. They still exist, although they are no longer affiliated on paper, and play in the Kanto Regional League. In 2008 they renamed themselvesS.A.I. Ichiharaand in 2011 they adopted the nameVonds Ichihara.Now separate from Furukawa Electric control, they aim to form its power base in Ichihara as JEF is now based in Chiba city.
JEF Reserves
editJEF's reserve teamplayed until 2011 in theJapan Football League,the third tier of Japanese football. But in 2011, the club announced the end of the B team because of financial problems.
JEF United Chiba Ladies
editRivalries
editMarunouchi Gosanke
editHistorically, JEF United's fiercest rivals have beenKashiwa ReysolandUrawa Reds,both close neighbors. The three were co-founders ("Original Eight") of theJapan Soccer League(JSL) in 1965, and spent most seasons in the top tier through the JSL era. Because of their former parent companies' headquarters being all based inMarunouchi,Tokyo,the three clubs were known as theMarunouchiGosanke(Hoàn の nội Ngự tam gia) and fixtures among them were known as the Marunouchi derbies.
Chiba derby
editJEF United and Reysol first met in 1941 in ancientKantoregional football league. The two clubs both now based inChiba Prefecture,and their rivalry is known as theChiba derby.They annually contest a pre-season friendly match well known as theChibagin Cup(i.e.,Chiba BankCup) since 1995.
Record as J.League member
edit| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |
| Season | Division | Teams | Position | P | W(PKW / OTW) | D | L(PKL / OTL) | F | A | GD | Pts | Attendance/G | J.League Cup |
Emperor's Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JEF United Ichihara | ||||||||||||||
| 1992 | – | – | – | – | Group stage | Quarter final | ||||||||
| 1993 | J1 | 10 | 8th | 36 | 14 | - | 22 | 51 | 67 | -16 | - | 20,273 | Group stage | Quarter final |
| 1994 | 12 | 9th | 44 | 19 | - | 25 | 69 | 85 | -16 | - | 22,262 | 2nd round | 2nd round | |
| 1995 | 14 | 5th | 52 | 28(0 / -) | - | 20(4 / -) | 97 | 91 | 6 | 88 | 15,418 | – | 1st round | |
| 1996 | 16 | 9th | 30 | 13(0 / -) | - | 16(1 / -) | 45 | 47 | -2 | 40 | 12,008 | Group stage | 3rd round | |
| 1997 | 17 | 13th | 32 | 6(0 / 5) | - | 17(1 / 3) | 43 | 66 | -23 | 28 | 5,693 | Quarter-final | 4th round | |
| 1998 | 18 | 16th | 34 | 8(1 / 0) | - | 20(1 / 4) | 49 | 75 | -26 | 25 | 5,365 | Final | 3rd round | |
| 1999 | 16 | 13th | 30 | 6(0 / 4) | 2 | 14(0 / 4) | 41 | 56 | -15 | 28 | 5,774 | 2nd round | 3rd round | |
| 2000 | 16 | 14th | 30 | 8(0 / 1) | 2 | 14(0 / 5) | 37 | 49 | -12 | 28 | 6,338 | 2nd round | Quarter final | |
| 2001 | 16 | 3rd | 30 | 14(0 / 3) | 2 | 9(0 / 2) | 60 | 54 | 6 | 50 | 7,818 | Quarter-final | Quarter final | |
| 2002 | 16 | 7th | 30 | 12(- / 1) | 3 | 14 | 38 | 42 | -4 | 41 | 7,897 | Quarter-final | Semi-final | |
| 2003 | 16 | 3rd | 30 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 57 | 38 | 19 | 53 | 9,709 | Group stage | Quarter final | |
| 2004 | 16 | 4th | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 55 | 45 | 10 | 50 | 10,012 | Group stage | 4th round | |
| JEF United Chiba | ||||||||||||||
| 2005 | J1 | 18 | 4th | 34 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 56 | 42 | 14 | 59 | 9,535 | Winner | 5th round |
| 2006 | 18 | 11th | 34 | 13 | 5 | 16 | 57 | 58 | -1 | 44 | 13,393 | Winner | 4th round | |
| 2007 | 18 | 13th | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | 51 | 56 | -5 | 42 | 14,149 | Group stage | 4th round | |
| 2008 | 18 | 15th | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 36 | 53 | 17 | 38 | 14,084 | Quarter final | 4th round | |
| 2009 | 18 | 18th | 34 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 32 | 56 | -24 | 27 | 14,730 | Group stage | 4th round | |
| 2010 | J2 | 19 | 4th | 36 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 58 | 37 | 21 | 61 | 11,689 | Not eligible | 4th round |
| 2011 | 20 | 6th | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 46 | 39 | 7 | 58 | 9,680 | Quarter final | ||
| 2012 | 22 | 5th | 42 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 61 | 33 | 28 | 72 | 9,281 | Quarter final | ||
| 2013 | 22 | 5th | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 68 | 49 | 19 | 66 | 10,004 | 3rd round | ||
| 2014 | 22 | 3rd | 42 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 55 | 44 | 11 | 68 | 9,333 | Semi-final | ||
| 2015 | 22 | 9th | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 50 | 45 | 5 | 57 | 10,725 | 3rd round | ||
| 2016 | 22 | 11th | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 52 | 53 | -1 | 53 | 10,292 | 3rd round | ||
| 2017 | 22 | 6th | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 70 | 58 | 12 | 68 | 9,983 | 3rd round | ||
| 2018 | 22 | 14th | 42 | 16 | 7 | 19 | 72 | 72 | 0 | 55 | 9,858 | 3rd round | ||
| 2019 | 22 | 17th | 42 | 10 | 13 | 19 | 46 | 64 | -18 | 43 | 9,701 | 2nd round | ||
| 2020† | 22 | 14th | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 47 | 51 | -4 | 53 | 2,778 | Did not qualify | ||
| 2021† | 22 | 8th | 42 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 48 | 36 | 12 | 66 | 4,068 | 3rd round | ||
| 2022 | 22 | 10th | 42 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 44 | 42 | 2 | 61 | 5,775 | 2nd round | ||
| 2023 | 22 | 6th | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 61 | 53 | 8 | 67 | 8,523 | 2nd round | ||
| 2024 | 20 | 7th | 38 | 19 | 4 | 15 | 67 | 48 | 19 | 61 | 10,431 | First round | Quarter final | |
| 2025 | 20 | TBD | 38 | TBD | TBD | |||||||||
- Key
- Pos.= Position in league;P= Games played;W= Games won;D= Games drawn;L= Games lost;F= Goals scored;A= Goals conceded;GD= Goals difference;Pts= Points gained
- OTW / PKW= Overtime wins / Penalty kicks wins 1997 & 1998 seasons - 1999, 2000, 2001 & 2002 Overtime wins only
- OTL / PKL= Overtime losses / Penalty kicks losses 1997 and 1998 seasons - 1999, 2000 & 2001 Overtime losses only
- Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
- †2020 & 2021 seasons attendances reduced byCOVID-19worldwide pandemic
- Source:J.League Data Site
Honours
editAs Furukawa Electric SC (1946–1992), JEF United Ichihara (1992–2004), and JEF United Chiba (2005–present)
| Honour | No. | Years |
|---|---|---|
| All Japan Works Football Championship | 3 | 1959, 1961, 1962 (shared) |
| All Japan Inter-City Football Championship | 4 | 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964 |
| Emperor's Cup | 4 | 1960,1961,1964(shared),1976 |
| JSL Division 1 | 2 | 1976,1985 |
| JSL Cup/J.League Cup | 5 | 1977,1982,1986,2005,2006 |
| Japanese Super Cup | 1 | 1977 |
| Asian Club Championship | 1 | 1986 |
League history
editPlayers
editCurrent squad
editAs of 24 July 2024.[5] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules.Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules.Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
International capped players
edit
|
Coaching staff
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Yoshiyuki Kobayashi
|
| First-team coach | Masataka SakamotoMasashi OwadaShunta Nagai
|
| Goalkeeper coach | Motoki Kawahara
|
| Physical coach | Ryota Mizuguchi
|
| Analyst | Shunsuke Nakano
|
| Interpreter |  Fabricio
|
| Chief trainer | Yusuke Nakao
|
| Athletic trainer | Yuya OkamotoToshifumi Goto
|
| Physiotherapist | Naoki Akiyoshi
|
| Competent | Yuma Fukushima
|
| Side affairs | Yusuke Hata
|
| Kit man | Kosuke Tomitani
|
Managerial history
edit| Manager | Nationality | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Yoshikazu Nagai | Japan
|
1992–1993 |
| Eijun Kiyokumo | Japan
|
1994–1995 |
| Yasuhiko Okudera | Japan
|
1996 |
| Jan Versleijen |  Netherlands
|
1997–1998 |
| Gert Engels |  Germany
|
1999 |
| Nicolae Zamfir |  Romania
|
1999–2000 |
| Sugao Kambe(interim) | Japan
|
2000 |
| Zdenko Verdenik |  Slovenia
|
2000–2001 |
| Sugao Kambe(interim) | Japan
|
2001 |
| Jozef Vengloš |  Slovakia
|
2002 |
| Ivica Osim |  Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
2003–2006 |
| Amar Osim | Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
2006–2007 |
| Josip Kuže |  Croatia
|
2008 |
| Shigeo Sawairi(interim) | Japan
|
2008 |
| Alex Miller |  Scotland
|
2008–2009 |
| Atsuhiko Ejiri | Japan
|
2009–2010 |
| Dwight Lodeweges | Netherlands
|
2011 |
| Sugao Kambe | Japan
|
2011 |
| Takashi Kiyama | Japan
|
2012 |
| Jun Suzuki | Japan
|
2013–2014 |
| Kazuo Saito(interim) | Japan
|
2014 |
| Takashi Sekizuka | Japan
|
2014–2016 |
| Shigetoshi Hasebe(interim) | Japan
|
2016 |
| Juan Esnáider |  Argentina
|
2017–2019 |
| Atsuhiko Ejiri | Japan
|
2019 |
| Yoon Jong-hwan |  South Korea
|
2020–2022 |
| Yoshiyuki Kobayashi | Japan
|
2023– |
Kit and colours
editThe club colours of JEF United Chiba areyellow,greenandred.
Kit evolution
edit| Home | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
          1993 - 1996 |
     1997 - 1998 |
     1999 - 2000 |
    2001 |
    2002 |
 2003 |
    2004 |
     2005 |
    2006 |
    2007 |
     2008 |
     2009 |
     2010 |
     2011 |
     2012 |
     2013 |
     2014 |
     2015 |
     2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 |
     2024 - | |||
| Away | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
     1993 - 1995 |
   1996 |
   1997 - 1998 |
 1999 - 2000 |
    2001 - 2002 |
     2003 |
    2004 |
     2005 |
    2006 |
     2007 |
     2008 |
     2009 |
     2010 |
     2011 |
     2012 |
    2013 |
     2014 |
     2015 |
     2016 |
    2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 |
     2024 - | |||
| Other Kits - 3rd | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
     20123rd |
     2015 10th Anniversary of Fukuda Denshi Arena |
     2016 25th Anniversary |
   2018 15th Anniversary of Hometown Expansion |
     2019 Factory Night View Ver. |
     2022 Osimzhev Legend |
     2022 OSIM Japan Legend | |||
Notes
edit- ^The Original Eight of theJapan Soccer League(JSL) in 1965 wereMitsubishi,Furukawa,Hitachi,Yanmar,Toyo Industries,Yahata Steel,Toyota IndustriesandNagoya Mutual Bank.
- ^The Original Ten of theJ.Leaguein 1992 wereKashima Antlers,Urawa Red Diamonds,JEF United Ichihara,Verdy Kawasaki,Yokohama Marinos,Yokohama Flügels,Shimizu S-Pulse,Nagoya Grampus Eight,Gamba OsakaandSanfrecce Hiroshima.
References
edit- ^"jp-news".crisscross.18 July 2006. Archived fromthe originalon 18 July 2006.Retrieved23 December2022.
- ^"Osim - Afp-Japan-BiH-Asia".sports.yahoo.Retrieved23 December2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^A brief history of J.League mascots | Mascot madness in Japanese football,30 January 2022,archivedfrom the original on 2022-04-07,retrieved2022-04-08
- ^"JEF UNITED ICHIHARA CHIBA".JEF UNITED ICHIHARA CHIBA.Archivedfrom the original on 2020-10-31.Retrieved2020-08-17.
- ^2024｜トップチーム｜チーム｜ジェフユナイテッド thị nguyên ・ ngàn diệp công thức ウェブサイト.jefunited.co.jp.Archivedfrom the original on 19 April 2023.Retrieved31 January2023.
External links
edit
- Official website(in Japanese)
