Arata Izumi
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 31 July 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | FC Pune City | ||
| Number | - | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005 | Albirex Niigata Singapore | 22 | (3) |
| 2006 | Mitsubishi Mizushima | 24 | (4) |
| 2006–2007 | East Bengal | 14 | (1) |
| 2007–2009 | Mahindra United | 84 | (20) |
| 2009–2015 | Pune | 129 | (25) |
| 2015–2016 | Atlético Kolkata | 11 | (5) |
| 2016– | → Mumbai (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2016– | FC Pune City | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2013– | India | 9 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:33, 2 June 2016 (UTC). | |||
Arata Izumi (和泉 新 Izumi Arata, born 31 July 1982) is a Japanese-born Indian footballer who plays for FC Pune City as a midfielder in the Indian Super League.
Career
Albirex Niigata Singapore
In 2005 Izumi started his professional football career with Albirex Niigata Singapore of the S.League.[1] Albirex Niigata Singapore was an affiliate of Albirex Niigata of the J.League.[2] Arata grew a reputation for his speed while in the S.League.[1] He scored his first professional goal of his career against Tampines Rovers in the S.League on 18 September 2005.[1][3] He then scored his second goal of the season on 30 September 2005 against Woodlands Wellington.[3] Arata ended the season with 22 caps in S.League with 3 goals and 2 caps in the Singapore Cup scoring 1 goal.[4]
Mitsubishi Mizushima
In 2006 after a successful season with Albirex Niigata Singapore in which the team finished 5th in the S.League,[3] Arata moved back to Japan and signed for Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima of the Japan Football League. While with the team Arata also worked for Mitsubishi Motors as a toso (a person of paints cars).[5] He worked 10 hours a day from 5 in the morning to 6 in the evening with the car company and then he spent 2 hours practicing with the football team. Despite scoring 7 goals and gaining 7 assists in 24 games during the 2006 season Izumi could not stop the club finishing in 17th place, 2nd the last that season.[4]
East Bengal
In November 2006 Izumi signed for East Bengal of the National Football League.[6] At first he struggled to get accustomed to the Indian climate but eventually he found his way. He ended his maiden season with the club with 1 goal and 10 assists in 14 games.[4]
Mahindra United
In 2007 Izumi signed for Mahindra United of the I-League, which replaced the old National Football League.[7] He began the 2007–08 I-League campaign with an injury that kept him out of football for six months.[7] He managed to come back that season, scoring 1 goal and getting 2 assists in 8 games.[4] The next season Izumi scored 1 goal and gained 5 assists in 16 I-League games.[4] That season Arata and Mahindra won the Durand Cup.[7]
Pune
In 2009 Izumi signed for newly promoted I-League side Pune.[8] Izumi has called his move to Pune as the turning point of his career.[8] In 2010 he finished the season with a career high 10 goals and 10 assists in 26 games.[4] He also scored an extra 6 goals in cup matches.[4] He was the top goalscorer among all midfielders and was also nominated as the best midfielder in the I-League by goal.com.[8] Izumi also won the Pune FC Man of Steel award from the club that season.[8] Arata continued his good form for the club in 2010–11 scoring 6 goals and getting 9 assists in 24 games.[9] On 22 October 2011 Izumi made his 50th appearance for the club in I-League in the opening match of the 2011–12 season against Shillong Lajong.[10] On 24 August 2012 Izumi extended his contract by 2 years with Pune FC.[11]
Atlético de Kolkata
In 2015 Izumi signed for Atlético Kolkata of the 2015 Indian Super League season. He produced a match winning performance against Kerala Blasters in Kochi, coming off the bench and scoring twice on 84th and 90+3 minutes with his team winning the match 3-2.[12]
International
On 24 August 2012, Izumi gained Indian citizenship, thus making him eligible to play for India at the international level.[11] Then on 29 January 2013 it was confirmed that Izumi had been called up to Wim Koevermans side for the friendly against Palestine.[13] Izumi then made his international debut in that match when he came on in the 64th minute for Lenny Rodrigues as India went on to lose the match 4–2.[14]
Since then Izumi has also been called up to India's 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification squad and their 2013 SAFF Championship squad.[15]
Personal
Arata was born to Narendra Khambholja, a Gujarati father and Akiko Izumi, a Japanese mother.[16] On 24 August 2012 it was officially announced by his club, Pune FC, that he has received Indian citizenship from the Government of India.[11] Izumi also holds an Indian name, Neelkanth Khambholja.[16]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | League Cup | Domestic Cup | AFC | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Albirex Niigata Singapore | 2005 | S.League | 22 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 4 |
| Total | 22 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 4 | ||
| Mitsubishi Mizushima | 2006 | Japan Football League | 24 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 6 |
| Total | 24 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 6 | ||
| East Bengal | 2006–07 | National Football League | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Total | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | ||
| Mahindra United | 2007–08 | I-League | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| 2008–09 | I-League | 16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 1 | |
| Total | 24 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 2 | ||
| Pune | 2009–10 | I-League | 26 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 29 | 11 |
| 2010–11 | I-League | 24 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 6 | |
| 2011–12 | I-League | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 3 | |
| 2012–13 | I-League | 22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 6 | |
| 2013–14 | I-League | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | I-League | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 2 | |
| Total | 129 | 25 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 155 | 29 | ||
| Atlético de Kolkata | 2015 | Indian Super League | 11 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 5 |
| Total | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 | ||
| Mumbai (loan) | 2015–16 | I-League | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Career total | 237 | 41 | 30 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 287 | 48 | ||
References
- 1 2 3 "Albirex Niigata 2005". Arata Izumi. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ↑ http://www.albirex.com.sg/ Niigata webpage
- 1 2 3 "Singapore 2005". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 http://arataizumi.com/news/stats.html Arata Izumi Stats
- ↑ "Mitubishi Mizushima FC 2006". Arata Izumi. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ↑ "Kingfisher East Bengal FC 2006–2007". Arata Izumi. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Mahindra United FC 2007–2009". Arata Izumi. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "Pune FC 2009–2010". Arata Izumi. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ↑ "Pune FC 2010–2011". Arata Izumi. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ↑ "I-League: Pune FC 0–0 Shillong Lajong FC". Pune Football Club. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Medio Arata now an Indian citizen; Pune FC extend contract". Pune Football Club. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ↑ http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/kerala-blasters-vs-atl%C3%A9tico-de-kolkata/2037325/report
- ↑ "Arata Izumi becomes first foreign national to be selected for Indian football team". NDTV Sport. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- ↑ "India 2-4 Palestine". Goal.com. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- ↑ "Wim Koevermans names India squad for SAFF Championship". NDTV Sports. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- 1 2 Biswas, Babua. "Pune FC holds a special place in my heart: Arata Izumi". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ↑ Arata Izumi profile at Soccerway
- ↑ "Arata Izumi Statistics". Arata Izumi. Retrieved 24 December 2013.