Shimizu S-Pulse on Tuesday revealed Shinji Kobayashi will serve as the club’s new manager in their maiden MEIJI YASUDA J2 League campaign.

The 55-year-old has a record of success in the second division, having previously led Oita Trinita, Montedio Yamagata and Tokushima Vortis to promotion.

“I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to be able to manage a club in an area as competitive as Shizuoka” Kobayashi said. 

“I look forward to lending my experience to the team so that we can continue to make progress together.”

The Nagasaki native will be looking to take S-Pulse to immediate promotion next term, with the outfit having just suffered relegation under Katsumi Oenoki and Kazuaki Tasaka’s charge.