Ken Naganuma

Ken Naganuma
	Naganuma in 1963
Personal information
Full name	Ken Naganuma
Date of birth	September 5, 1930
Place of birth	Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
Date of death	June 2, 2008 (aged 77)
Place of death	Japan
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1946–1948	Hiroshima Normal School
1949–1952	Kwansei Gakuin University
1953–1954	Chuo University
Senior career*
Years	Team
1955–1967	Furukawa Electric
Total
National team
1954–1961	Japan
Teams managed
1959–1961	Furukawa Electric
1962–1969	Japan
1972–1976	Japan
Honours
All Kwangaku
Furukawa Electric
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Ken Naganuma (長沼健, Naganuma Ken, September 5, 1930 – June 2, 2008) was a Japanese football player and manager. He played for the Japan national team and also later managed the team. He was the president of the Japan Football Association from 1994 to 1998.

Biography

Naganuma was born in Hiroshima on September 5, 1930. After graduating from Kwansei Gakuin University and Chuo University, he joined Furukawa Electric in 1955. Furukawa Electric won 1960, 1961 and 1964 Emperor's Cup. In 1961, he was selected first "Japanese Footballer of the Year award". In 1965, Furukawa Electric joined new league Japan Soccer League. He played 19 games and scored 8 goals in the league. He retired in 1967.

In March 1954, Naganuma was selected the Japan national team for 1954 World Cup qualification. At this qualification, on March 7, he debuted and scored a goal against South Korea. He also played at 1954 Asian Games. In 1956, He was selected Japan for 1956 Summer Olympics. However, he could not play in the match for physical condition.^[1] He played 4 games and scored 1 goal for Japan until 1961.

In 1959, when Naganuma was player, he became a manager for Furukawa Electric. In 1960, he led the club won to 1960 Emperor's Cup champions. This was the first Emperor's Cup champions as a works team. In 1962, when he was 32 years old, he named a manager for the Japan national team as Hidetoki Takahashi successor. He managed Japan with assistant coach Shunichiro Okano at 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. At 1968 Summer Olympics, Japan won Bronze Medal. This is the first time an Asian team won a medal at Olympics. In 2018, this team was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame. He also managed at 1966 Asian Games. In 1969, he resigned after 1970 World Cup qualification and Okano was promoted to new manager.

At 1972 Summer Olympics qualification, following Japan's failure to qualify for 1972 Summer Olympics, Okano resigned a manager and Naganuma became a manager again in 1972. He managed 1974 World Cup qualification and 1974 Asian Games. At 1976 Summer Olympics qualification in April 1976, following Japan's failure to qualify for 1976 Summer Olympics, Naganuma resigned.

Naganuma became a vice-president of Japan Football Association (JFA) in 1987 and a president of JFA in 1994. He also served as vice-president World Cup bidding committee and Japan World Cup Organizing Committee for 2002 World Cup. In 1998, he resigned a president of JFA. In 2005, he was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame.

On June 2, 2008, Naganuma died of pneumonia at the age of 77.