Tsuyoshi Kuroda, who has won the national high school soccer championship three times as manager of Aomori Yamada High School, has been appointed as the new manager of J2 side Machida Zelvia.
Mr. Kuroda is 52 years old.
In 1995, he became the manager of Aomori Yamada High School, where he helped the school to become one of the strongest schools in the country, and led them to win the national high school soccer championship three times.
He also has a reputation for developing players, and has sent Japan's national team player Gaku Shibasaki and J1 FC Tokyo player Kuo Matsuki to the professional world.
Machida Zelvia announced on the 24th that Mr. Kuroda was appointed as manager and will lead the team from next season.
Zelvia finished 15th in J2 this season and will aim for promotion to J1 next season under new manager Kuroda.
Through the club, the new manager Kuroda said, "I am very happy to be able to take on a new challenge. I have no experience as a professional coach so far, and I may feel uneasy about my appointment, but I have cultivated it over a long period of time. I believe that the 'winner's mentality' will not be lost in any category.From now on, I will do my best for Machida Zelvia's victory."