<Taishi Brandon NOZAWA>
I am really glad to be able to participate in this tournament as a player of FC Tokyo. Thank you for your support――.
Q: What kind of tournament has this become?
A, it was a disappointing result both personally and as a team. However, being able to compete as a member of the Japan national team on that stage was a special experience.
Q: Did you feel any differences compared to previous international tournaments?
A, I didn't particularly feel anything. However, the schedule was tough, and I did feel that the travel was quite demanding.
Q: I think you must have felt frustrated without any playing opportunities, but did you feel anything during this representative period?
A, I felt that I still need to grow in many aspects, and it made me realize once again that I am not putting in enough effort to reach higher levels.
Q: The battle in Tokyo begins again from here. Please share your enthusiasm.
I believe it is important to value each and every match. Time keeps passing quickly, so I think it’s about how much we can cherish the present moment. This applies not only to matches but also to practice, where I want to raise my awareness and put in more effort.
Q: What kind of efforts would you like to make in order to aim higher from here?
A, the league matches will start again from here. I think it is important to produce results as a matter of course and to contribute to the team's victory, but I still believe my level of play is not high enough, so I need to raise the overall standard.That can happen through continuous participation in matches, and I also think there are improvements that can be made during practice. In any case, I want to cherish each day.
<Ryotaro ARAKI>
Thank you for all the support from Japan.
Q: What kind of experience was this for Araki?
A, I feel that this tournament was a valuable experience when thinking about my future football career.
Q: Wasn't the feeling of regret stronger?
A, that's right. Honestly, the frustration is greater, and there were parts where I felt I could have done more. But there's no choice but to move on, and as an individual, I want to improve my level further. In activities with the Japan national team, there is a major tournament, the World Cup, in two years, so I want to grow more towards that.
Q: There were scenes of tears after the match.
A, I didn't think I would cry myself. However, I was more frustrated than I had imagined, and when I went to Bryan LINSSEN and Reo Kokubo, I couldn't hold back when I saw Kokubo collapse.
Q: How do you want to utilize this experience moving forward?
A, from here, I believe my new first step toward the next goal will begin. I want to work on the areas I feel are lacking and the things I need to do more, and move forward step by step.
