Masatada Ishii

Masatada Ishii
石井正忠
Personal information
Full name	Masatada Ishii
Date of birth	1 February 1967 (age 57)
Place of birth	Ichihara, Japan
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Thailand (manager)
Youth career
1982–1984	Ichihara Midori High School
College career
Years	Team
1985–1988	Juntendo University
Senior career*
Years	Team
1989–1991	NTT Kanto
1991–1997	Kashima Antlers
1998	Avispa Fukuoka
Total
Managerial career
2015–2017	Kashima Antlers
2017–2018	Omiya Ardija
2019–2021	Samut Prakan City
2021–2023	Buriram United
2023–	Thailand
Medal record
Kashima Antlers
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Masatada Ishii (石井正忠, Ishii Masatada, born 1 February 1967) is a Japanese professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is currently manager of the Thailand national football team.

Playing career

Ishii was born in Ichihara on 1 February 1967. After graduating from Juntendo University, he joined Japan Soccer League club NTT Kanto in 1989. He played many matches from first season. He moved to Sumitomo Metal (later Kashima Antlers) in 1991. In 1992, Japan Soccer League was folded and a new league, J1 League, was founded. In 1993, the club won the 2nd place J1 League and Emperor's Cup. However he could hardly play in the match from 1996. He moved to Avispa Fukuoka in 1998. He retired at the end of the 1998 season.

Managerial career

Kashima Antlers

After retirement, Ishii became a coach for Kashima Antlers in 1999. He served as mainly physical coach. In July 2015, manager Toninho Cerezo was sacked and Ishii became a new manager. He was the Japanese manager of the club for the first time in 21 years since Masakatsu Miyamoto in 1994 (Except caretaker Takashi Sekizuka in 1998 and 1999). In October, the club won the champions 2015 J.League Cup. In 2016, the club won the champions J1 League and qualify for 2016 Club World Cup. He was also elected J.League Manager of the Year. At Club World Cup, the club became the first Asian team to reach the Club World Cup final. In the final, after a 2–2 draw against European champions Real Madrid after 90 minutes, they were beaten 4–2 after extra time. However the club performance is bad in 2017, he was sacked in May 2017.

Omiya Ardija

In November in late in 2017 season, Ishii signed with Omiya Ardija (former NTT Kanto) where he began his playing career. Although he managed 3 matches, the club could not win the matches and was relegated to J2 League. He remained a manager in 2018 season and aimed to return to J1 League. However Ardija finished at 5th place in 2018 season and missed promotion to J1. He resigned at end of the 2018 season.^[1]

Samut Prakan City

On 23 December 2019, Ishii was named the head coach of Thai League 1 club Samut Prakan City.^[2]

Buriram United

2021–22: Domestic treble

On 1 December 2021, Ishii was appointed head coach of Buriram United.^[3] In 2022, the club won the champions 2021–22 Thai League 1 and qualify for 2023–24 AFC Champions League group stage. During the 2021–22 season, Ishii successfully guided Buriram United to win the Thai League 1, Thai FA Cup and Thai League Cup, thus completing the domestic treble for the fourth time in the club’s history.

2022–23: Domestic treble for two consecutive seasons

The season ended with Ishii winning the first 'Double Treble' (a treble in two consecutive seasons) in Thai football history with a 2–0 Thai FA Cup Final win over Bangkok United on 28 May 2023, thus completing the domestic treble for the fifth time in the club’s history.^[4]

Thailand

On 22 November 2023, Nualphan Lamsam, team manager of Thailand national team appointed Masatada Ishii to be the new head coach of Thailand national team. Ishii replaced Alexandré Pölking who was sacked earlier. Ishii became the second Japanese head coach of Thailand, following Akira Nishino, who served for two years from July 2019.

Management style

Tactic

Based on 4-4-2 formation, it is characterized by aggressive tactics that use high press and short counter to break through the center. During his time at Omiya Ardija, he made good use of Genki Omae, who had a lack of scoring ability and was unsuccessful in the previous year, leading him to the league's top scorer.

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
1989/90	NTT Kanto	JSL Division 2	19	0			1	0	20	0
1990/91	NTT Kanto	JSL Division 2	24	0			2	0	26	0
1991/92	Sumitomo Metal	JSL Division 2	15	0			2	0	17	0
1992	Kashima Antlers	J1 League	-		2	0	6	0	8	0
1993			22	2	1	0	5	0	28	2
1994			30	1	1	0	1	0	32	1
1995			30	0	3	0	-		33	0
1996			1	0	0	0	10	1	11	1
1997			11	0	0	0	5	0	16	0
1998	Avispa Fukuoka	J1 League	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Total			153	3	7	0	32	1	192	4

Managerial statistics

As of match played 20 December 2024

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team	Nat	From	To	Record
Team	Nat	From	To	G	W	D	L	Win %
Kashima Antlers		23 July 2015	31 May 2017	96	59	7	30	061.46
Omiya Ardija		6 November 2017	28 November 2018	48	22	9	17	045.83
Samut Prakan City		23 December 2019	30 November 2021	50	21	10	19	042.00
Buriram United		1 December 2021	6 August 2023	68	52	9	7	076.47
Thailand		12 December 2023	Present	18	9	6	3	050.00
Career Total				280	163	41	76	058.21

Honours

Player

Kashima Antlers

Manager