The Okinawa camp has entered its final stage, with only 4 days remaining. Yesterday, we played our first match of the season against a J.League team and returned to Kunigami with various achievements and challenges from the opponent's home ground.
Since it was the day after demanding high intensity in the match, we focused on stretching this morning to aid the body's recovery.
Under Coach Fujiwara, the goalkeepers started sparring while wearing boxing gloves. By having them take precise steps, they put strain on their legs and hips. Although it seemed like a unique training menu, the players working on it appeared to be quite exhausted.
Among them, player Slowik fully embraced the role of the protagonist from the famous boxing movie "Rocky Balboa," enjoying this menu as he worked through it.
Since it was Saturday, many fans and supporters came from the morning. Because the recovery menu ended in a short time, Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA changed the usual closed afternoon practice to be open. Many people also came in the afternoon, and they were able to see the passionate team.
The main menu for the afternoon was to confirm the form of bringing the build-up to the finish. Through continuous repetition, the passing work gradually sped up, and the players worked on changing the course based on their judgment without limiting the form of bringing it to the finish.
Although fatigue is reaching its peak, the atmosphere during training is excellent. It's not just about cheering loudly; everyone gives each other instructions, confirms each other's positions, and coaching voices encouraging the whole team to move in one direction are exchanged. Although the time was short, we were able to have a very intense and focused practice session.
It has been decided that tomorrow's afternoon practice will also be open to the public. Since it is Sunday, we hope many people will come to see Tokyo players' preseason efforts.
On the 13th day of the camp, we conducted an interview with Koki TSUKAGAWA.
Q. The Okinawa camp has reached its 13th day; how is your condition?
A, I need to improve my condition more, and since the competition within the team is intense, I have a strong feeling that I cannot afford to lose. While observing the good points of each player, I hope to play in a way that can make better use of those players.
Q. You joined midway through last season and I believe you understand Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA's style of football. What kind of demands are being placed on you this season?
A, as a team, we definitely want to score more goals, so it is important to score from the inside half position. I believe that will bring us much closer to victory as a team. I think it would be good to play with more focus on moving into the penalty area and taking shots than ever before, and I believe those aspects are being demanded even more.
Q. You mainly play as an inside half, but do you have any particular preference for your position?
A, Originally, my strength is being able to play in various positions, so no matter where I play, it is necessary to show my strengths and the play that the team expects from me. In yesterday's match, my position changed at times, but I often played while considering the team's spacing and how to make things work well. I believe that we need to think more and share this understanding throughout the entire team for things to run smoothly, and I see this as part of my role as well.
Q. What kind of features would you like to highlight?
A, I want people to feel that when Tsukagawa is playing, the team moves the ball smoothly, and that no matter who he plays with, having Tsukagawa next to them makes it easier to play. It's also important to bring out my own strengths. However, I'm not a player who can do everything on my own, so I thrive by being used well by those around me, and I want to manage that well.
Q. It seemed that the team's overall ball possession was going smoothly from the beginning of this camp.
A. Now that we have been able to build on what we achieved last season, I think there are more things we need to think about and play for ourselves in order to move forward. Until now, it was enough to express and play what we were told, but as we move to the next phase, each individual needs to make various decisions, and since what we see is different, we need to communicate and align with each other, as well as share our own thoughts. I hope we can thoroughly pursue these aspects.
Q. What kind of things do you talk about with the players during meetings?
A, currently we are building on last season's foundation, and since there are new players joining, we are working together as a team once again. We have also been told to further improve our quality. Additionally, to score more goals, the formation in front of the goal is crucial, so we are challenging ourselves in that area.
Q, Please tell us the goals you want to achieve through this camp.
A, my focus is on the starting lineup for the opening game, so my short-term goal is set there. I will continue practicing in friendly matches to ensure I can compete well within the team, and I want to work on this throughout the camp.
Q. What kind of year do you want this season to be?
Of course, the league title is what the team aims for, and we also want to win the Levain Cup. I believe we have enough players to achieve that, so I want to play an active role throughout the season to become a key player for the team.
