Toshihide Saito

Toshihide Saito
Personal information
Full name	Toshihide Saito
Date of birth	April 20, 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth	Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1989–1991	Shimizu Higashi High School
1992–1995	Waseda University
Senior career*
Years	Team
1996–2006	Shimizu S-Pulse
2007–2008	Shonan Bellmare
2009–2013	Fujieda MYFC
Total
National team
1996–1999	Japan
Honours
Shimizu S-Pulse
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Toshihide Saito (斉藤俊秀, Saito Toshihide, born April 20, 1973) is a former Japanese football player. He played for the Japan national team.

Biography

Saito was born in Shizuoka on April 20, 1973. After graduating from Waseda University, he joined his local club Shimizu S-Pulse in 1996. He played as regular player from first season. At 1996 J.League Cup, the club won the champions and he was selected "New Hero awards". End of 1996 season, he was also selected "J.League Rookie of the Year awards". The club also won the 2nd place at 1998 Emperor's Cup and 1999 J1 League, he was also selected Best Eleven in 1999. In 2000s, the club won 1999–2000 Asian Cup Winners' Cup and 2001 Emperor's Cup. In 2006, he moved to J2 League club Shonan Bellmare and played in 2 season. In 2009, he was appointed playing manager of Prefectural Leagues side Fujieda MYFC. After promotion to the Japan Football League in 2011 and acceptance into J3 League for the 2014 season, Saito decided to leave the club.

Saito was capped 17 times for the Japanese national team between 1996 and 1999. His first international appearance came on August 25, 1996 in a friendly against Uruguay. He was an unused substitute at the 1998 World Cup. He also played at 1999 Copa América.

Statistics

^[1]^[2]

Club statistics			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
1996	Shimizu S-Pulse	J1 League	29	2	3	0	16	0	48	2
1997			22	2	3	0	0	0	25	2
1998			33	0	5	0	1	0	39	0
1999			28	3	3	0	4	0	35	3
2000			28	3	5	0	6	0	39	3
2001			20	1	0	0	2	0	22	1
2002			20	1	2	0	1	0	23	1
2003			2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
2004			26	3	1	0	6	0	33	3
2005			28	0	0	0	7	1	35	1
2006			8	1	0	0	3	0	11	1
2007	Shonan Bellmare	J2 League	46	4	2	0	-		48	4
2008	Shonan Bellmare	J2 League	38	0	1	0	-		39	0
2009	Fujieda MYFC	Prefectural Leagues	11	3	-		-		11	3
2010		Regional Leagues	15	2	-		-		15	2
2011		Regional Leagues	5	0	-		-		5	0
2012		Football League	11	0	0	0	-		11	0
2013		Football League	15	1	1	0	-		16	1
Country	Japan		385	26	28	0	46	1	459	27
Total			385	26	28	0	46	1	459	27