NEWS

We are delighted to announce that Tadaaki Hirakawa has been appointed as a new FC Ryukyu head coach.
Comment for FC Ryukyu
"My name is Tadaaki Hirakawa, and I am honored to take on the role of head coach at FC Ryukyu Okinawa for the 2025 season. First, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone at FC Ryukyu for this incredible opportunity. I am truly delighted to be part of this club as its head coach.I will strive to embody the club’s philosophy, ‘Growing Stronger Together with Okinawa – With the Love, Courage, and Pride of Ryukyu,’ and face the challenges ahead with determination. During my playing days, I always started my training camps in Okinawa, a place I came to love deeply. Even now, my family and I visit Okinawa every year. I am grateful for the chance to work for Okinawa, a place so dear to my heart. I will take on this role with a sense of responsibility and pride, dedicating myself wholeheartedly to Okinawa and FC Ryukyu. My immediate goal is to lead the team to promotion to J2, and I promise to showcase aggressive, attacking football. I look forward to meeting FC Ryukyu fans and supporters at the stadium."
Comment for Urawa Reds
"I am honored to announce that I will take on the role of manager at FC Ryukyu OKINAWA starting from the 2025 season. My 23 years with Urawa Reds have been nothing short of extraordinary. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone—fans and supporters, partner companies, local governments, the supporters' association, stewards, my teammates, coaches, medical staff, nutritionists, catering staff, managers, groundskeepers at Ohara, Reds Land, and Saitama Stadium, laundry and cleaning staff, media personnel, business staff, the players and staff of the Ladies team, academy staff, academy players, and their families. Thanks to the unwavering support of so many, I was able to spend 17 years as a player and six years as a coach. I am deeply thankful to everyone I shared this journey with over the past 23 years.
The memories of my time with Urawa Reds will stay with me forever. From winning our first title, the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup in 2003 at the National Stadium, to victories in the J.League, Emperor’s Cup, and ACL, and even the fight to avoid relegation in 2011, every moment was unforgettable. Thank you, Urawa Family, for standing by my side through the highs and lows. As a coach, I had the privilege of working with top team head coach such as Oswaldo Oliveira, Tsutomu Otsuki, and Ricardo Rodríguez, gaining invaluable experience. In the academy, I had my first full-year experience as a head coach, learning a great deal from the players. From next season, I will channel all the knowledge and passion I gained at Urawa into my role at FC Ryukyu OKINAWA. While we are in different categories, I would be thrilled if you continue to keep FC Ryukyu, striving for J1 promotion, in your thoughts."