ACA Football Partners Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, CEO: Hiroyuki Ono, hereinafter ACAFP) has announced today to form a business alliance with Imabari. Yume Sports Inc., which operates a member of J3 League FC Imabari, with the aim of developing young players by implementing the Okada Method.
The Okada Method is a coaching methodology to raise proactive and independent players and teams, established by former Japan national team head coach and the current president of FC Imabari Mr. Takeshi Okada. This method is based on “Shuhari”, a Japanese martial art concept, and aims to educate the play models mainly to under 16 players. Both Imabari. Yume Sports and ACAFP wish to contribute to pushing the Asian football level up, and through this partnership we will cooperate in expanding the Okada Method in Asian countries by utilizing ACAFP’s global network to help the growth of both young promising players and coaches.
ACAFP has been providing opportunities for young Asian players to play in Europe, with its core club KMSK Deinze (Belgium), including our partnership with PVF Academy (Vietnam), and Albirex Niigata Singapore (Singapore), and the acquisition of national team players like Marselino Ferdinan (Indonesia) and Ilhan Fandi (Singapore). In February 2023, we also signed partnerships with ASEANCHAM-EU and BVA (Belgium-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry) to promote projects which connect Europe and Asia through football.
Comment from Imabari. Yume Sports Inc. President Takeshi Okada
We have signed to enter into a business alliance with ACA Football Partners with the aim of cooperating in the expansion of the Okada Method in Asia. By having a good conversation with ACAFP CEO Mr.Ono, we believed that it would be a great opportunity to develop the Okada Method through their network in Asian countries. We look forward to cooperating with them in the development of our coaching methodology for both players and coaches, and to the further growth of football in Asia.
Comment from ACAFP Football Ambassador Kunishige Kamamoto
I am very excited about this business alliance between ACAFP, of which I am an ambassador, and Imabari. Yume sports, which continues to take on new challenges. I have an experience of playing abroad in Saarbrücken, Germany, and learned to face myself and act independently and proactively in a harsh environment where I did not know anything. It is truly meaningful to have this kind of experience when a player is young. It will be great that Mr. Okada, who is well versed in the Japanese football scene as a former Japan national coach, and his team can spread their know-how to other countries by collaborating with ACAFP and its global network. I look forward to the further development of not only Japan, but of Asian football as well.”
Comment from ACAFP CEO Hiroyuki Ono
We are very pleased to collaborate with a Japanese professional football club for the first time. Since becoming the owner of KMSK Deinze in February 2022, we have learned the importance of providing a solid environment for the young generation which directly connects to the football development itself. Our recent acquisition of Juventud Torremolinos CF is part of a multi-club ownership project that aims to expand opportunities for young and promising players. I deeply resonate with Mr. Okada’s philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of players’ independence, and we will continue to work on contributing to the development of Asian football by expanding the methodology together with Imabari. Yume Sports.
