Kensuke Takahashi (futsal player)

Kensuke Takahashi (高橋 健介), is a former Japanese futsal player and current futsal manager. As a player, he was a member of the Japanese national futsal team. Currently, he is the head coach of the Japan national under-20 futsal team and one of the assistant coaches of Japan national futsal team.

Player
In 1982, he was born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. He graduated from Asahikawa City Midorigaoka Junior High School and Hokkaido Asahikawa Business High School. He played soccer in junior high school and high school. When he entered Juntendo University in 2001, he switched from soccer to futsal in his third year of university. In 2004, he joined PREDATOR (Bardral Urayasu).

In May 2004, he participated in the 2004 AFC Futsal Championship. In November 2004, he participated in the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship. In both competitions, he was the youngest player of Japanese national futsal team. In May 2005, he participated in the 2005 AFC Futsal Championship. In 2007, the first F.League was held as Japan's first national league. In 2007-08 season, he scored 7 goals in the F.League.

In July 2008, he joined to Caja Segovia FS in the Spanish Primera Division. He signed a professional contract with a number of 10. He then injured his right knee, so he was unable to participate in the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup. In the 2009-10 season, he became the main player of the Kaha Segovia FS. In 2010, he joined to UD Guadalajara FS in the Spanish Primera Division.

In May 2011, he moved to the old nest of Bardral Urayasu. In 2011-12 season, he was selected the F.League Best 5. In 2012, he participated in the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup. After 2015-16 season, he retired from futsal.

Manager
In 2016, he became technical director of Bardral Urayasu. In 2017, he took over as manager of Bardral Urayasu.

Indonesia national team
In April 2018, he took over as manager of Indonesia national futsal team. He was in charge of the senior national futsal teams, both men and women, and also the youth U-20 national futsal team. He first brought the women team into the quarter-finals of the 2018 AFC Women's Futsal Championship. In the 2018 AFF Futsal Championship, he led the men senior team to third place. Next, he led the men U-20 team to the semifinals of the 2019 AFC U-20 Futsal Championship, finishing the tournament as fourth place.

After three and a half years tenure, he declined to renew his contract and resigned from the position citing family reason.

Japan national team
Right after he left Indonesia, the JFA appointed him as the new head coach of the Japan national under-20 futsal team and as an assistant coach of the Japan national futsal team.

Clubs

 * 2004–2008 🇯🇵 Bardral Urayasu
 * 2008–2010 🇪🇸 Caja Segovia FS
 * 2010–2011 🇪🇸 UD Guadalajara FS
 * 2011–2016 🇯🇵 Bardral Urayasu

Managerial Teams

 * 2017–2018 🇯🇵 Bardral Urayasu
 * 2018–2021
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia national futsal team
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia women's national futsal team
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia national under-20 futsal team
 * 2021–present
 * 🇯🇵 Japan national under-20 futsal team (as head coach)
 * 🇯🇵 Japan national futsal team (as assistant coach)

Club

 * All Japan Futsal Championship (1)
 * 2006

Individual

 * F.League Best 5 (1)
 * 2011-12