After graduating from Waseda University, he joined Japan Soccer League (JSL) club Furukawa Electric in 1980.
[1] After retirement, Okada started his coaching career at Furukawa Electric (later JEF United Ichihara) in 1990.
During the 1998 World Cup qualification Final round in October 1997, Japan's manager Shu Kamo was sacked and Okada was named his successor.
In November 2007, Japan national team manager Ivica Osim suffered a cerebral infarction.
Okada gained worldwide attention for leading Japan to ninth-place finish in the 2010 World Cup.
He was commended for turning his Japanese team of young, inexperienced players into a slick passing, talented squad of youngsters.
[citation needed] Okada signed a contract with Chinese Super League side Hangzhou Greentown on 14 December 2011.