Eiji Hirata

Eiji Hirata
平田 英治

Personal information
Full name	Eiji Hirata
Date of birth	(1966-05-16) May 16, 1966
Place of birth	Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi, Japan
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1982–1984	Yamaguchi High School
1985–1988	Waseda University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1992	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	15	(4)
1993–1994	Švarc Benešov
1994	Yamaguchi Teachers
1995–1998	Otsuka Pharmaceutical	78	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eiji Hirata (平田 英治, Hirata Eiji, born May 16, 1966) is a former Japanese football player.

Playing career

Hirata was born in Yamaguchi on May 16, 1966. After graduating from Waseda University, he joined Japan Soccer League Division 2 club Mazda (later Sanfrecce Hiroshima) in 1989. He debuted in 1990 and he played many matches instead many players for injury. The club also was promoted to Division 1 at the end of the 1990–91 season. In 1993, he moved to the Czech 2. Liga club Švarc Benešov. In 1994, he returned to Japan and joined his local club Yamaguchi Teachers in Regional Leagues. In 1995, he moved to the Japan Football League club Otsuka Pharmaceutical. He retired at the end of the 1998 season.

Coaching career

After retirement, Hirata started coaching career at Otsuka Pharmaceutical (later Tokushima Vortis) in 1999. He mainly served as coach for top team and manager for youth team.