Tokushima Vortis (徳島ヴォルティス, Tokushima Vorutisu) is a Japanese professional football club located in Tokushima, capital of Tokushima Prefecture. The club currently playing in the J2 League, the Japanese second tier of professional football league.
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| Full name | Tokushima Vortis | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Vortis | ||
| Founded | 1955 | ||
| Stadium | Naruto Otsuka Sports Park Pocari Sweat Stadium Naruto, Tokushima | ||
| Capacity | 17,924 | ||
| Owner | Otsuka Pharmaceutical | ||
| Chairman | Kazuhiro Kishida | ||
| Manager | Beñat Labaien | ||
| League | J2 League | ||
| 2022 | J2 League, 8th of 22 | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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Name originEdit
The name, "Vortis" was named in 1997 (see below), and it was explained as a coinage of Italian "Vortice" (meaning whirlpool, after the famous Naruto whirlpool in Naruto Strait). The name was chosen to exhibit the dynamics of a whirlpool in the hope of swallowing up the whole audience in excitement by its power, speed and unity.[1]
HistoryEdit
Founded in 1955 as Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Soccer Club, VORTIS joined the J-League in 2005. They are still sponsored by Otsuka's best-known brand, Pocari Sweat sports drink.[1]
They were first promoted to the old Japan Soccer League Division 2 in 1989, but the company's reluctance to professionalize the team forced it to compete in the former JFL and current JFL. In the 1997 old JFL season, they first sported a Vortis Tokushima name, but the lack of fan interest at the time forced them to go back to the corporate identity. They finally adopted the Tokushima Vortis name for good after winning the new JFL championship in 2004 and being promoted.[2]
The first season in J2 was naturally a difficult one for Vortis, but they surprised many sceptics with their determination and quality of play. The team rose as high as fourth place, at one point, before slipping down the table later in the season to finish ninth. In 2006, the team was forced to rebuild, as the players who took the team into the J.League began to hit the ceiling of their abilities and made way for younger replacements. As a result, despite the encouragement of a local rivalry with Ehime FC, Tokushima drifted down-table, and they followed it up with a last-place finish in 2007 and 2008.[2]
In 2013, they earned fourth place in J2, matching the same placement they had two years before in the division and twenty years before in the old JFL Division 1; this time they won the playoff, defeating Kyoto Sanga F.C. in the final round at the National Stadium in Tokyo, thus becoming the first professional Shikoku football club to compete in the top division of their national league.[3]
Until their promotion, they were the only former JSL member currently a member of the J.League which has never competed in the top tier of Japanese football. With promotion and the creation of the J3 League in 2014, the distinction was taken over by Blaublitz Akita.
In the 2019 season, they finished 4th again and were one win away from a return to J1 in the playoffs, but ultimately failed to beat Shonan Bellmare away in the final game. In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, they did one better and were promoted as J2 champions.
Team name transitionEdit
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical (1955-1996, 1998-2004)
- Vortis Tokushima (1997)
- Tokushima Vortis FC (2005-present)
StadiumEdit
The team is Their home stadium is Naruto Otsuka Sports Park Pocari Sweat Stadium, in Naruto, Tokushima.
League & cup recordEdit
| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |
| League | J.League Cup |
Emperor's Cup | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Div. | Teams | Pos. | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Attendance/G | ||
| Otsuka Pharmaceuticals | ||||||||||||||
| 2003 | JFL | 16 | 1st | 30 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 65 | 21 | 44 | 72 | 781 | Not eligible | 3rd round |
| 2004 | 16 | 1st | 30 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 74 | 20 | 54 | 78 | 3,046 | 2nd round | ||
| Tokushima Vortis | ||||||||||||||
| 2005 | J2 | 12 | 9th | 44 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 60 | 76 | -16 | 52 | 4,366 | Not eligible | 4th round |
| 2006 | 13 | 13th | 48 | 8 | 11 | 29 | 43 | 92 | -49 | 35 | 3,477 | 4th round | ||
| 2007 | 13 | 13th | 48 | 6 | 15 | 27 | 31 | 67 | -36 | 33 | 3,289 | 4th round | ||
| 2008 | 15 | 15th | 42 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 40 | 72 | -32 | 29 | 3,862 | 3rd round | ||
| 2009 | 18 | 9th | 51 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 67 | 52 | 15 | 72 | 4,073 | 2nd round | ||
| 2010 | 19 | 8th | 36 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 51 | 47 | 4 | 51 | 4,614 | 3rd round | ||
| 2011 | 20 | 4th | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 51 | 38 | 13 | 65 | 5,207 | 2nd round | ||
| 2012 | 22 | 15th | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 45 | 49 | -4 | 51 | 3,991 | 3rd round | ||
| 2013 | 22 | 4th | 42 | 20 | 7 | 15 | 56 | 51 | 5 | 67 | 4,348 | 2nd round | ||
| 2014 | J1 | 18 | 18th | 34 | 3 | 5 | 26 | 16 | 74 | -58 | 14 | 8,884 | Group stage | 3rd round |
| 2015 | J2 | 22 | 14th | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 35 | 44 | -9 | 53 | 5,019 | Not eligible | 4th round |
| 2016 | 22 | 9th | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 46 | 42 | 4 | 57 | 4,565 | 3rd round | ||
| 2017 | 22 | 7th | 42 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 71 | 45 | 26 | 67 | 4,979 | 2nd round | ||
| 2018 | 22 | 11th | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 48 | 42 | 6 | 56 | 4,997 | 3rd round | ||
| 2019 | 22 | 4th | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 67 | 45 | 22 | 73 | 5,736 | 3rd round | ||
| 2020 † | 22 | 1st | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 67 | 33 | 34 | 84 | 3,100 | Semi-finalist | ||
| 2021 | J1 | 20 | 17th | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 34 | 55 | -21 | 36 | 5,664 | Group stage | 3rd round |
| 2022 | J2 | 22 | 8th | 42 | 13 | 23 | 6 | 48 | 35 | 13 | 62 | 4,224 | Group stage | 3rd round |
| 2023 | 22 | TBA | 42 | |||||||||||
- Key
- Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
- Attendance/G = Average league home attendance
- † 2020 season attendance reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
- Source: J. League Data Site
HonoursEdit
- J2 League: 1
- 2003, 2004
- 1978, 1979, 1981, 1989
Current playersEdit
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loanEdit
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club staffEdit
For the 2023 season.
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Beñat Labaien
|
| Assistant manager |  Takeshi Komoto Sisinio
|
| First-team coach | Masaya Yamaguchi Tsuyoshi Furukawa
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| Goalkeeper coach | Masahiko Nakagawa
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| Physical coach | Aitor Maiztegi
|
| Rehabilitation fitness coach | Atsushi Nagatani
|
| Chief trainer | Shoji Suzuki
|
| Trainer | Hisaaki Maehara Yuta Hoshino Kenta Saito
|
| Manager | Yusuke Abe
|
| Assistant manager | Yuya Ishii Daiki Sugawara
|
| Interpreter | Tetsuya Ozawa Masahiro Fukasawa Masayuki Hatamoto Ferreira Hiroki Nunome
|
Managerial historyEdit
| Manager | Nationality | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Finish | ||
| Kunio Yamade | Japan |
1988 | 31 January 1993 |
| Hajime Ishii | Japan |
1 February 1993 | 31 January 1996 |
| Edinho |  Brazil |
1 February 1996 | 31 December 1998 |
| Shinji Tanaka | Japan |
1 January 1999 | 28 September 2006 |
| Yutaka Azuma | Japan |
28 September 2006 | 31 January 2007 |
| Masataka Imai | Japan |
1 January 2007 | 31 January 2008 |
| Naohiko Minobe | Japan |
1 February 2008 | 31 January 2012 |
| Shinji Kobayashi | Japan |
1 February 2012 | 31 January 2016 |
| Hiroaki Nagashima | Japan |
25 November 2015 | 31 January 2017 |
| Ricardo Rodríguez | Spain |
1 February 2017 | 31 January 2021 |
| Takeshi Komoto (Interim) | Japan |
1 February 2021 | 16 April 2021 |
| Dani Poyatos | Spain |
1 February 2021 Actual start date 16 April 2021[6] |
31 January 2023 |
| Beñat Labaien | Spain |
1 February 2023 | present |
Kit evolutionEdit
| Home kits - 1st | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
         2005-2006 |
    2007-2008 |
    2009-2010 |
   2011-2012 |
     2013 |
    2014 |
    2015 |
     2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 - |
| Away kits - 2nd | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
    2005-2006 |
    2007-2008 |
    2009-2010 |
    2011-2012 |
     2013 |
    2014 |
    2015 |
     2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 - |
| Other kits - 3rd | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
     2017 Summer 3rd |
     2019 15th Anniversary Summer Only |
     2021 Summer | ||
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b "Tokushima Vortis Challenges J1 League Rivals". Otsuka Pharmaceutical. February 7, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ a b "The 2013 Promotion Playoff winners are the first club from the island of Shikoku to participate in Japan's top flight". Goal.com. March 26, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ Gus Fielding (December 8, 2013). "Tokushima reaches J1 with playoff final victory". Kyodo News. The Japan Times. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ "2023シーズン チーム体制について". vortis.jp. Tokushima Vortis. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ "Top team". Tokushima Vortis. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ "Dani Poyatos arrives in Japan". www.vortis.jp. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
External linksEdit
- (in Japanese) Tokushima Vortis Official Web Site