Shigetoshi Hasebe has been awarded Manager of the Month honors for September after leading Avispa Fukuoka to an undefeated month.

Hasebe has done a marvelous job with Avi in the second half of the season. They won five straight before dropping a pair to close out August. Hasebe got the team back on track for September, though, solidifying the back line as they conceded just two goals in the month’s four contests.

Avi got the job done against some very good teams, too. Nagoya Grampus fell at the hands of Fukuoka in their three-match winning streak to begin September before closing out the month with a draw against Kashima Antlers.

Fukuoka now sit eighth in the table, one spot back of what would be a club record finish. Hasebe has Avi rolling.

In J2, Manager of the Month went to JEF United Chiba’s Yoshiyuki Kobayashi. JEF won all four of their September contests, out-scoring opponents 7-2 to move from 11th in the table all the way up to sixth, squarely in the promotion fight.

Top manager honors in J3 was given to Yasuaki Oshima. He guided Kagoshima United to three wins and a draw in September, which moved the club all the way up to third place as they aim to earn promotion to J2.