Shintaro Harada

Shintaro Harada
Harada with Crystal Palace Baltimore in 2008
Personal information
Date of birth (1980-11-08) 8 November 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Sayama, Saitama, Japan
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder, defender
Youth career
1996–1998 Toin Gakuen High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2001 Yokohama F. Marinos 16 (1)
2002 Omiya Ardija 2 (0)
2003–2005 Tokushima Vortis 51 (3)
2005–2006 ALO's Hokuriku 38 (0)
2007–2009 Crystal Palace Baltimore 61 (2)
2010–2012 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 56 (2)
2013–2014 Dayton Dutch Lions 49 (2)
2013 → Yokohama FC Hong Kong (loan) 5 (0)
2015–2016 Colorado Springs Switchbacks 35 (2)
Total 313 (12)
Medal record
Yokohama F. Marinos
Runner-up J1 League 2000
Winner J.League Cup 2001
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Shintaro Harada (原田 慎太郎, Harada Shintaro, born 8 November 1980) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder or defender.

Career

Japan

Shin played alongside Japanese national hero Shunsuke Nakamura, who also started his career at Yokohoma. In 2002 acquired by Omiya Ardija and then Tokushima Vortis.[1]

He played part of the 2005 season and all of the 2006 season for ALO's Hokuriku of the Japan Football League in Japan.

Crystal Palace Baltimore

In his first season in Baltimore, Harada was named to the USL Second Division All-League Second-Team, and followed that up by being named in the USL Second Division All-League First-Team in 2008, 2009, and 2010.[2]

Harada has become USL-2 All-League regular by making his fourth consecutive appearance on an All-League team. He was also the Most Valuable Defender finalist in 2009, and earned that award in 2010.[3] He is nominated as 2010 USL Second Division Most Valuable Player.[4]

During the 2008 off-season, several Major League Soccer clubs showed interest in him, and invited to take part in their trials such by Chicago Fire, Real Salt Lake, and San Jose Earthquakes, but due to injury had to return to Palace for the 2009 season.

Following his impressive performances in the 2009 season, Harada went on trial at Baltimore's English parent club, Crystal Palace.[5]

After three months of training with Crystal Palace F.C., he was selected as the "Palace's Other Player Of The Year" on Crystal Palace's official club magazine,[6] and featured also on Major League Soccer's expansion team Philadelphia Union's official website as a strong candidate for the club's tryout.[7]

Pittsburgh Riverhounds

On 22 March 2010, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds announced the signing of Harada to a contract for the 2010 season.[8]

While in the second division, Harada won the league's USL Second Division All-League First Team for 4 consecutive years. He re-signed with Pittsburgh, in the USL Pro league, on 21 February 2011.[9]

Dayton Dutch Lions

After the conclusion of the 2012 season, Harada was invited to tryout with CE Sabadell FC that plays in Spanish Segunda División.[10] Before the USL Pro season started, Harada signed with Dayton Dutch Lions,[11] where he led the club into the playoffs for the first time in club history.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks

On 12 February 2015, The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC announced the signing of Harada for the 2015 season.[12] This will be Harada's 3rd team in USL PRO. Head Coach Steve Trittschuh praised that "Harada has been a great leader for us and role model for the younger players".[13] On 23 June 2015, Harada made his 100th appearance in United Soccer League as the first Japanese in league history.[14] Harada ended his first season with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC with 2 goals and 2 assists and logged 2,000 minutes of play time.[15]

On 12 January 2016, it was announced that Harada had resigned for Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC for the 2016 USL Pro season.[16]

Hong Kong

Upon conclusion of USL Pro 2013 season, Harada announced he would sign with Yokohama FC Hong Kong on a loan deal until 31 January 2014.[17]

Retirement

After retiring in 2017, he became a scout for the Japanese J.League side FC Tokyo.[18] In 2019, it was announced that he became the scout for Omiya Ardija, in J.League, where he played as a player back in 2002.

Style of play

Proved as a quality utility player who plays both holding midfielder, and center defender by being selected to All-League First-Team for both positions. Known for his accurate distribution, and play making in the middle as the control tower. Admires the Mexican National Team's Rafael Márquez, and FC Barcelona's Pep Guardiola.

Has been reported about his "the dedicated — almost spartan — approach" with his profession[19]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Yokohama F. Marinos 1999 J1 League 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
2000 16 1 0 0 2 0 18 1
2001 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 16 1 0 0 3 0 19 1
Omiya Ardija 2002 J2 League 2 0 0 0 – 2 0
Tokushima Vortis[c] 2003 Japan Football League 27 1 3 0 – 30 1
2004 22 2 1 0 – 23 2
2005 J2 League 2 0 0 0 – 2 0
Total 51 3 4 0 0 0 55 3
ALO's Hokuriku 2005 Japan Football League 11 0 3 0 – 14 0
2006 27 0 – – 27 0
Total 38 0 3 0 0 0 41 0
Crystal Palace Baltimore 2007 USL Second Division 20 0 1 0 – 21 0
2008 21 2 4 0 – 25 2
2009 20 0 1 0 – 21 0
Total 61 2 6 0 – 67 2
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2010 USL Second Division 17 0 1 0 – 18 0
2011 USL Pro 18 2 1 0 – 19 2
2012 21 0 – 21 0
Total 56 2 2 0 – 58 2
Dayton Dutch Lions 2013 USL Pro 24 1 1 0 – 25 1
2014 25 1 – 25 1
Total 49 2 1 0 – 50 2
Yokohama FC Hong Kong (loan) 2013 Hong Kong First Division 5 0 – 5 0
Colorado Springs Switchbacks 2015 USL Pro 28 2 2 0 – 30 2
2016 7 0 1 0 – 8 0
Total 35 2 3 0 – 38 2
Career total 313 12 19 0 3 0 335 12
  1. ^ Includes Emperor's Cup, Open Cup, Hong Kong FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes J.League Cup, Hong Kong League Cup
  3. ^ "Otsuka Pharmaceutical" until 2004

Honors and awards

Yokohama F. Marinos

Individual

  • 2015 - First Japanese to appear in 100 games in United Soccer League
  • 2010 - USL Second Division Most Valuable Player Finalist
  • 2010 - USL Second Division Most Valuable Defender
  • 2010 - USL Second Division All-League First Team
  • 2009 - Crystal Palace F.C.: "Palace's Other Player Of The Year"
  • 2009 - USL Second Division All-League First-Team
  • 2009 - USL Second Division Most Valuable Defender Finalist
  • 2008 - USL Second Division All-League First-Team
  • 2007 - USL Second Division All-League Second-Team

References

  1. ^ "Stats Centre: Shintaro Harada Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  2. ^ USL-2 All League Teams Announced Archived 27 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ USL-2 Awards Winners Announced Archived 18 July 2012 at archive.today
  4. ^ USL-2 Awards Finalists Announced Archived 10 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Give & Go: Crystal Palace's Shintaro Harada
  6. ^ PALACE's OTHER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
  7. ^ OPEN TRYOUT SPOTLIGHT: MEET SHINTARO HARADA Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Riverhounds add four to roster". USLsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  9. ^ "Riverhounds Re-Sign Two Defensemen". 21 February 2011.
  10. ^ Shintaro Harada és central i ha jugat les darreres temporades als Estats Units
  11. ^ Dutch Lions Unveil Five Signings Archived 17 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ SFC Announces 2015 Player – Shintaro Harada Archived 13 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Veteran Japanese midfielder Shintaro Harada is guiding force for surging Colorado Springs Switchbacks
  14. ^ 100 - appearances for @shintaroharada
  15. ^ "Switchbacks Re-Sign Veteran Midfielder Harada - United Soccer League". Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  16. ^ "Switchbacks Re-Sign Veteran Midfielder Harada - United Soccer League". Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  17. ^ Harada Shintaro Transferred to Yokohama FC (HK) on Loan
  18. ^ [email protected], NICHOLAS MURRAY- (24 December 2017). "The USL Q&A – Shintaro Harada". USL Championship. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  19. ^ Veteran Japanese player sets example for Dutch Lions