Yoshinobu Ishii

Yoshinobu Ishii
Personal information
Full name	Yoshinobu Ishii
Date of birth	March 13, 1939
Place of birth	Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Japan
Date of death	April 26, 2018 (aged 79)
Place of death	Japan
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1954–1956	Fukuyama Iyo High School
Senior career*
Years	Team
1957–1967	Toyo Industries
1968–1975	Fujita Industries
Total
National team
1962	Japan
Teams managed
1975–1980	Fujita Industries
1986–1987	Japan
1988–1990	Fujita Industries
Honours
Toyo Industries
Fujita Industries
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Yoshinobu Ishii (石井義信, Ishii Yoshinobu, March 13, 1939 – April 26, 2018) was a Japanese football player and manager. He played for the Japan national team. He also managed Japan national team.

Biography[change | change source]

Ishii was born in Fukuyama on March 13, 1939. After graduating from Fukuyama Iyo High School, he joined his local club Toyo Industries in 1957. In 1965, Toyo Industries joined new league Japan Soccer League. The club won the league champions for 3 years in a row (1965-1967) and Emperor's Cup 2 times (1965 and 1967). He played 28 games in the league until 1967. In 1968, he moved to new club Towa Real Estate (later Fujita Industries). The club was promoted to Japan Soccer League in 1972. He retired in 1975.

On August 15, 1962, Ishii debuted for the Japan national team against Singapore.

In 1975, when Ishii played for Fujita Industries, he became a playing manager as Yukio Shimomura successor. The club won the champions in 1977 and 1979. The club also won 1979 Emperor's Cup. He left the club in 1980. In 1986, he named a manager for the Japan national team as Takaji Mori successor. He managed at 1986 Asian Games. However, at 1988 Summer Olympics qualification in October 1987, following Japan's failure to qualify for 1988 Summer Olympics, he resined a manager. In 1988, he returned to Fujita Industries and managed the club. However, in 1989–90 season, the club was relegated to Division 2 and he resigned as manager.

Ishii died on April 26, 2018 at the age of 79.