In the J.League YBC Levain Cup, Kojiro YASUDA, who has been promoted from the U-18 this season, was utilized, and Yuki KAJIURA also scored a goal. Additionally, Renta HIGASHI and Naoki KUMATA, who are registered as dual players, also had opportunities to play, highlighting the increasing presence of academy graduates in the top team. This time, we spoke with Kojiro YASUDA and Yuki KAJIURA, who are spending their first professional season after being promoted from the academy, about the changes they experienced after scoring their first professional goals and making their first professional appearances, as well as their feelings towards the club as academy graduates.
Interview with Kojiro YASUDA
"I am required to play with high intensity while also showcasing my own style of play."
Q: You had the opportunity to play in the Levain Cup match against Jubilo Iwata. Although the time was limited, did this experience bring about any changes within you?
A, I was happy just to be able to play since I hadn't been able to participate in matches. It had been a while since I played in a stadium with fans and supporters, so although the result was disappointing, I honestly enjoyed playing.
Q: I think it must have been frustrating not being able to join the team despite accumulating practice from the camp. Did you feel anything during that time?
Of course, the level is different from A and U-18, so during the camp, I was desperate to get used to the pace of play and keep up with everyone.
Since this is a competitive world, we must focus on the results, and I was prepared to play in the match, so I believe I was able to participate this time. That's why I wanted to achieve a good result. I felt a bit down after the match, but I decided to switch my mindset and connect it to the next opportunity.
Q: Since it was your first year, did you have the mindset that it was okay not to play, or did you feel that once you entered the professional world, you wanted to participate in matches?
A, there is a difference in both skill and experience, and while playing, I felt those differences. However, I had the mindset that I must do what I need to do despite that. I constantly think about how to bridge that gap while playing. Of course, there are many days when things don't go well, but by continuing, I am gradually improving little by little. I aim to reduce mistakes and increasingly showcase myself.
Q: When standing on the pitch side and coming on as a substitute, did you have any expectations for yourself?
A, I thought this was my chance. During my U-18 days, I had injuries, so I felt like the opportunity had finally come. Because this match was that opportunity, losing makes me feel even more frustrated.
Q: Your teammate scored their first professional goal right in front of you. While you must feel happy as a teammate, I imagine there's also some frustration. What was it like to watch?
A, to be honest, the feeling of frustration was stronger than happiness. On the other hand, that actually ignited a fire within me, and I think it was good in terms of how we could push each other to improve.
Q: I think this is a time for you to see and learn various things in your first year, but as a player from the academy, what feelings or thoughts do you have about changing the future of the club?
A, currently players from the academy are not getting any playing time at all, so we want to change that. As preparation for this, it’s about maintaining good conditioning at all times, and I believe they are also still lacking mentally, which is why they haven’t been able to participate in matches. They work on their weak points after practice, but the goal is to close the gap with the players who are playing in matches and ultimately take a starting position.
Q: Has your approach to practice changed by playing in matches?
A, throughout the match, I was able to sense the parts where I could perform well and the parts where I couldn't. For example, I felt that I particularly lacked the ability to finish shots. On the other hand, what I was able to do was become a starting point and receive the ball to create the rhythm of the game, so I want to develop that further.
Q: I think the style of soccer is a bit different from what you have been working on in the academy, but are you eagerly incorporating that into yourself as well?
A, I am confident in my ability to adapt. I think I am gradually starting to understand where the players are on the court and where I should move.
Q: The Levain Cup match against Fukuoka will be the final match, but there are league matches and the Emperor's Cup as well. What do you think will be required from this point in the season? How do you feel about both the playing aspect and the mental aspect?
A, I think the intensity of play is completely insufficient. For example, players like Shuto ABE and Kuryu MATSUKI are expected to perform high-intensity plays while also expressing their own style of play. To secure a starting position, I believe it is necessary to work on these aspects in daily practice.
In terms of feelings, there's no choice but to do it, so I think there will be various ups and downs, but in the end, to stand on the pitch, there's no choice but to do it, so I really want to cherish and focus on every day.
Yuki KAJIURA Interview
"Players from the academy must become the face of FC Tokyo"
Q: You had the opportunity to play in the Levain Cup Sec. 1 match against Fukuoka. Did your feelings change before and after participating in the match during your first year as a professional?
A, the change in feelings was significant. Personally, I was determined to play in matches from my first year, but it’s not such an easy world, and based on my performance at the camp, I thought I needed to improve more to be able to play in matches. In that context, being able to participate in matches was a big plus for me.
Q: I think I was able to showcase my strengths and put my feelings into it, amidst various emotions like wanting to play in the match and taking it step by step since it's my first year.
I think chances are really few, so I felt I had to show at least one thing in the limited time. I believe that actively demonstrating what the coach wanted led to what I was able to do in that match.
Q: I think we found gaps in the opponent's defense and were very positive towards the goal during that time. I believe this is also one of my strengths, but were you trying to implement what the team needed?
Before entering the pitch, I was told to aim for this spot, so before showing my own strengths, my idea was to first do what the team requires and then expand my options. I played with the team's concept in mind.
Q: You had the opportunity there, and then you had several chances in the subsequent Levain Cup, where you scored a goal in the match against Iwata. You started in that match, but don't you think there has been a change in your mindset?
A, I played for a long time in the previous match against Shonan, but I couldn't do anything and felt frustrated. The match against Iwata was right after that. Since I started from the beginning, I thought there would be no next chance if I missed this one, so I was very motivated. My mindset was different from other matches because I knew I had to deliver results here.
Q: Aside from feelings, has your approach to practice changed through experiences such as participating in training, preseason practice matches, and scoring in the Levain Cup match against Iwata?
Until then, I didn't have that much confidence, but by playing 90 minutes in the match, achieving results, and gaining various experiences, I became clearer about what I can and cannot do, and I gained confidence.
That has also allowed me to communicate more with the players around me, and my mindset has changed quite a bit. However, I believe we first need to be recognized, and only after that can we finally stand at the starting line.
Q: Did you actively change things yourself, or did they change naturally?
A, the distance has become closer and I have become able to speak up on my own, so I have strengthened my awareness of taking the initiative. I am especially conscious of this during practice, and the opportunities to ask questions when I don't understand something and to express what I want have gradually increased.
Q: Has it become proactive instead of passive?
Until the match against Iwata, it might have felt like we were just doing what we were told. However, after the Iwata match, our awareness began to change during practice.
Q: Among the players from the academy, when looking at the starting lineup in the league matches, I think there are often players who have gained experience in other teams. How do you feel about that as a player from the academy?
A, I think players from the academy need to play more matches and become the face of FC Tokyo. Rather than pressure, I believe it is something they must achieve. We have to perform well and make the academy players want to be promoted directly to the top team, so I think there is still a lot we need to improve.
I want to play in the matches myself, become the face of FC Tokyo, and win the league championship. I truly hope to introduce FC Tokyo to more people. As someone from the academy, I think it would be even better if I could contribute to that.
Q: Is there a difference between the experience gained at the top last season and your sense as a professional this season?
A: Last season, since I was in the U-18 category, I didn’t really know much about the professional world and just thought I could gain experience by participating in practice. In the recent match against Iwata, it was a game we had to win, but we lost, and I also missed my chance. Through that, I realized that the responsibility as a professional is completely different from what I felt in U-18. We have to win, and it’s not just about my own feelings, but also about the fans and supporters, so I felt that I have to carry all of that and fight. Everything is a desperate struggle, and each moment is far more intense and competitive compared to U-18, so I finally understood that this is the professional world. I think we haven’t reached that level yet, so it was a match where I felt the harshness even more.
