In Tokyo, which has embarked on a transformation, Higashi struggled to increase his playing opportunities in the first half of the season. The turning point came in the second half when he was utilized in the anchor position. As Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA worked to instill his envisioned style into the team, Higashi played a significant role in an unfamiliar position. After completing his tenth season in Tokyo, what does the man feel about this season of transformation, and what does he see for the future?
View from the New Frontier Anchor
Q: In recent years, Keigo HIGASHI has repeatedly expressed that his most important desire is to win, and that winning is his primary goal.
A, you have to place that as a basic premise because this is the professional world. I believe the direction we Tokyo are aiming for is not wrong, and we will continue with it in the coming seasons. Additionally, further work will be necessary to build our style.
Q: You have challenged a different style compared to the era of former coach Kenta HASEGAWA (current coach of Nagoya Grampus) in the first year under coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA. Have you felt the changes in yourselves once again?
I think the style is completely different now. Of course, this is not about which style is right or wrong. One thing is certain: since 2022, what we aim for has started to change, and we are in the middle of challenging new things. Compared to the first half of the season, there is definitely more time when the whole team can calmly control the ball, and I believe the so-called possession rate has also increased. What the coach aims for is to firmly maintain possession of the ball, and he also says, "The best defense is a good offense," so there have been matches where the style we aim for as a team performance has clearly appeared. However, it is still unstable.
Q: The development of being able to reliably move the ball forward through anchor player Higashi is definitely increasing.
A, of course, the opponent's positioning and system alignment differ in every match, and these factors greatly influence this position. However, the opportunities to carry out plays smoothly are definitely increasing. The challenge for the next season is the accuracy of attacks once inside the opponent's territory. This refers to the strategy for the so-called 'final third' area leading up to the opponent's goal. Naturally, in playing football, overcoming this area is the most difficult theme.
Q: This season, as he started playing as an anchor, player Higashi said, "I was a playmaker when I was younger. Playing as an anchor is similar in the sense that you coordinate with teammates all around you."
A, above all, the anchor touches the ball more often and interacts with various players during play. I actually like that kind of play. When I used to play as an attacking midfielder, I was the type to receive the ball a lot, and creating rhythm was also part of my job. As an attacking midfielder, you also need to make forward runs. Additionally, you include decoy movements to create opportunities for your teammates. Those kinds of movements are not part of the anchor's role. Instead, the anchor focuses on awareness and power in defense.
Q: Currently, player Higashi, who is playing as an anchor, doesn't have many opportunities to get involved in the play in the higher areas. While watching the previous attacks, do you think, 'If it were me, I would approach it this way'?
A, yes, there are times when you view it that way even while playing in a match. Honestly, when playing soccer, that area (in front of the opponent's goal) is the most enjoyable. Spectators also expect the most exciting plays to come from that area. The position and role I am currently playing is part of the process leading up to scoring a goal. Personally, I find that fresh and interesting in its own way. Certainly, when I played as an attacking midfielder, I wasn't a player who scored 10 goals a year, but I was good at movements that allowed teammates to score and creating chances. Watching the players currently deployed in Tokyo's attacking positions, I think it would make for more exciting soccer if they showed more of those kinds of movements.
Q, it feels like in this new role as an anchor, my perspective and awareness have expanded beyond my usual areas.
A, I am able to see things with an open perspective, and I have also been increasingly able to view the team objectively in a positive way. Conversely, for example, when playing as an anchor and in defensive situations, being able to anticipate where the opposing player wants to pass or where they want to move has been a personal discovery. Regarding defense, a big part is being able to sense the opponent's emotions and feelings. I defend while thinking, "So that's where you came, you want to pass there," (laughs).
The future of Keigo HIGASHI and Tokyo
Q: It has been exactly 10 years since I joined FC Tokyo in 2013. How do you feel about the future of your career? Of course, I still want you to continue playing for a long time (laughs).
A, I want to play as far as I can on the front lines. For me right now, it's about playing in Tokyo aiming for a title. On the other hand, the club that raised me, Oita Trinita, is also very special to me, and I am extremely grateful. Of course, I also have unchanged feelings of gratitude towards Omiya Ardija, but my feelings for Oita, where I started as a soccer player, are strong. This is because the battle in Tokyo is the most important thing for me right now, and I want everyone to understand that. There's no point in lying here, so I spoke honestly. This is just how I feel, and whether I return to Oita in the end depends on the club's circumstances, so I don't know how that will turn out. The three years in the youth team and the first and second years as a professional — now that I am older, I realize once again how incredibly important those periods were.
Q: It's not good to make the fans and supporters in Tokyo too sad (laughs), so what does player Higashi want to achieve in this ongoing challenge here?
We only have the league title in Division A. Although we won the Levain Cup, I believe the club, players, and fans/supporters are now focused solely on that (winning the league).
Q: With the current soccer style and approach in Tokyo, I realistically want to achieve victory and aim for the league championship. How does player Higashi perceive this?
A, what I think while doing this is that the style of soccer was obviously different during the Massimo FICCADENTI era, Kenta's era, and now under Albert PUIG ORTONEDA. It is natural for coaches to have various styles. That said, what ultimately decides the outcome is the fine details. No matter what direction or style you have, if you keep conceding the first goal from a set piece or making mistakes in critical moments, you will never win. I think it’s a matter of that level. There are many soccer styles, but to aim for the championship, the attention to detail is something every team absolutely must have. That is the part each player must thoroughly pursue. I feel that Kawasaki Frontale and Yokohama F.Marinos fight not only with an outwardly aggressive and flashy approach but also with meticulous attention to detail in crucial moments. There must be no oversight. I believe that turns into mental toughness. Style is important. But it is not the only thing that decides the match or the result.
Q, Player Higashi is responsible for conveying that to the team.
A, young players often do not have the mindset to reach that level of awareness. I was the same myself. If every team could easily do that, everyone would have the experience of winning the championship. But over the past few years, I have deeply felt the harshness and fear at the decisive moments of a match. I want to play matches at that level again. The championship battle, that is. This connects with what Kenta said about 'paying attention to the details.' Without that, you can't win by just building a style. How to increase the number of players who raise their individual awareness. When thinking about winning the championship, I believe the current mindset of Tokyo's players is still insufficient.
Q, the sensitive experiences from Kenta's era are also alive in player Higashi himself, and the team must carry that forward.
A, that's right. In Kenta's era, even though we were particular about the details to that extent, we couldn't win the league championship. Of course, maybe our attention to detail was still insufficient, but all the more reason that if we aim for the championship from here, the young players should have a sense of urgency, and if the team shares the same level of commitment, it will become a good team, a strong team. That's what I believe.
Q: Although player Higashi is no longer the captain, his perspective on soccer and competition remains unchanged, regardless of titles.
A, I really want to win. In the past, it was enough if my own play was good. Now, I play to win. So I expect that from those around me as well. Playing soccer to win. That is my biggest motivation. So honestly, the style doesn't matter at all (laughs). Winning in Tokyo. That's my true feeling.
Q: Nowadays, Keigo HIGASHI's victory pose is exhilarating. It's precisely because he is so eager to win.
A, the taste of one win is strong. Because of that, the damage from a loss is also big. To win the championship, it is about accumulating one win after another. With that one win, we couldn't reach the top in the 2019 season. One play, attention to detail. I think it all comes down to this.
Text by Yuuki Nishikawa (El Golasso)
