I’m Yuhei Yamaguchi, representative of Private Football, private soccer lesson.
I currently work as a soccer coach in Tokyo, providing instruction for children and adults.
My coaching philosophy is centered not on winning or losing matches, but on developing each player’s individual technical ability.
Recently, I had a very meaningful experience that I would like to share in this article.
A soccer coach from South Korea visited Japan with the goal of learning about the Japanese soccer coaching system. Through actual training sessions, I shared my coaching methods and philosophy with him.
At present, he serves as both head coach and player for a team in the K League, and from next season, he is scheduled to become the representative of a newly established junior team.
Differences Between Japanese and Korean Soccer Coaching
What particularly interested him about Japanese soccer development were:
- Detailed instruction focused on individual technical skills
- Coaching methods adapted to each child’s age and developmental stage
- The concept of long-term, consistent player development
In contrast, he explained that in Korea there tends to be a stronger emphasis on:
- Early competition
- Physical strength
- Tactical priority
As a result, environments where individual technique can be patiently and carefully developed are relatively limited.
He highly evaluated the Japanese approach as being well-suited for long-term player development.
In future coaching environments, I believe it will be essential to:
incorporate the strengths of overseas systems while further evolving Japan’s culture of developing individual players.
Through this exchange, I was once again reminded that:
“The strengths of Japanese coaching have real value, even when viewed from abroad.”
When it comes to your child’s soccer journey, I hope we can continue to value growth that leads to the future — not just short-term results.
Private Football
Yuhei
