Naoki Imaya
Naoki Imaya | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Football player, football manager |
| Years active | (player) –2007, (manager) 2022–present |
| Known for | Manager of Tochigi City FC |
Naoki Imaya is a former Japanese football player who operated mainly as a midfielder or striker and has since become a football manager. He currently holds the managerial position at Tochigi City FC.
Career
At the age of 10, Imaya relocated to Sydney, Australia, where he represented several local clubs before moving on to play in Switzerland. He featured in the first-ever season of the A-League with the New Zealand Knights, subsequently returning to compete in the New South Wales state league with Marconi Stallions.
In July 2007, Imaya joined VfB Lübeck, a well-established club competing in Germany’s third division, the Regionalliga Nord. His tenure lasted six months before financial constraints at the club led to his release.
Managerial career
Following his playing days, Imaya shifted focus to coaching youth teams in Japan, stepping away from professional play.
On 12 November 2021, he was named manager of Tochigi City FC, competing in the Kantō Soccer League Division 1 starting with the 2022 season. Under his guidance, Tochigi City secured the 2023 Japanese Regional Football Champions League title by defeating Tsukuba FC 4-0, earning promotion to the Japan Football League for the 2024 campaign. Later, on 17 November 2024, Imaya led the club to win the 2024 Japan Football League championship and achieve promotion to the J3 League, marking their return to Japan’s third tier after an 11-year absence following a decisive 6-0 triumph over Atletico Suzuka Club at Kanseki Stadium Tochigi.
Managerial statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Tochigi City FC | 1 February 2022 | present | |||||
| Total | |||||||
Manager
- Tochigi City FC
- Kantō Soccer League Division 1: 2022
- Japanese Regional Football Champions League: 2023
- Japan Football League: 2024