Grulla Morioka

Infobox Football club
clubname = Grulla Morioka


fullname = Grulla Morioka
nickname = Grulla
shortname =
founded = 2000
ground = Morioka-minami Koen Ground Morioka, Iwate
capacity = 4988
chairman = flagicon|Japan Bunji Matsuyoshi
mgrtitle = Manager
manager = flagicon|Japan Toru Yoshida
league = Tohoku League Div. 1
season = 2007
position = Champions
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=|leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=000000|socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=|leftarm2=009933|body2=009933|rightarm2=009933|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=009933
nihongo|Grulla Morioka|グルージャ盛岡|Gurūja Morioka is a Japanese football (soccer) club based in Morioka, Iwate. It currently plays in Tohoku League, one of the regional football leagues in Japan, and aims to promote themselves to J. League in the future.

Name origin

"Grulla" is the Spanish word of "crane", which was used in the mon of Nanbu clan of former Morioka Han and later became the local symbol of Morioka.

History

Initially known as nihongo|Villanova Morioka|ヴィラノーバ盛岡|Viranōba Morioka, the team was organized by alumni of Morioka Commercial High School and Morioka Chuo High School in 2000.

In 2003, a nonprofit organization nihongo|"Association of Setting Up a J. League Team in Morioka"|Jリーグチームを盛岡に作る会|J Rīgu chīmu wo Morioka ni tsukuru kai was founded, and the team was reorganized and changed their name to Grulla Morioka in February 2004 with the intention of achieving elevation to the J. League by 2008.

Under the new organization, former JEF United and Oita Trinita player Shinichi Muto was invited to coach and captain the team with the company of players from the defunct Villanova Morioka and from J2 league. They played their first match on May 9, 2004, and it could be seen as an introduction to the local press beforehand. They won the second devision Tohoku League in 2004 and moved to the first division in 2005. In the same year, they won their first league championship, which was shared with TDK S.C. Toru Yoshida has been coaching the team since 2006.

Current squad

Recent transfers

;In
*flagicon|Japan Koutaro Shitayasiki (Gainare Tottori);Out
*flagicon|Japan Kazuya Konda
*flagicon|Japan Shingo Ogura
*flagicon|Taiwan Lu Kun-chi "(to Taiwan P.E. College)"
*flagicon|Japan Yuji Mito "(return to Kyoto Sanga F.C. from loan)"
*flagicon|Japan Masaaki Watabe
*flagicon|Japan Yuichi Kato "(to FC Machita Zelvia)

Club records and statistics

External links

* [http://www.grulla.jp/index.html Grulla Morioka official site] ja icon
* [http://www.menkoi-tv.co.jp/program/grulla/index.html GO！GO！GRULLA] , a supporting TV program produced by Iwate Menkoi Television ja icon
* [http://kikufamily.blog9.fc2.com/ グルージャまったり日記] , fan site ja icon