[U-15 Fukagawa] Thailand Expedition Day 2
[Morning: Breakfast & Training]
On the second day, we woke up at 7:30 a.m. and had breakfast.
The menu consisted of shredded fried chicken on rice, soup, and dragon fruit. In Thailand, it seems common to pour the soup over the rice before eating.
Some players struggled a bit with the local seasoning, but we saw many of them doing their best, saying, "I'll somehow eat this and adapt to the environment!"
After that, we moved to the field at 9 o'clock and trained for about an hour!
Both field players and goalkeepers worked on technical training. Although there were some difficulties adapting to the unfamiliar environment, they consistently showed a positive attitude.
【Special Lesson】
After returning to the lodging, a special lesson (meeting) was held by Daijiro Takakuwa, the GK supervisor.
It began with the story, "Things can look completely different depending on the perspective from which you view them and who is viewing them," and we learned that what is important as a soccer player is not just technique and physicality, but also various aspects such as diet, sleep, and personality.
We were able to hear stories based on extensive experience so far, making it a very inspiring time for the players.
We want to watch over how they will apply this to their future training and private lives.
[Afternoon: Lunch and Training Match]
Lunch is also provided in a lunch box format with quite a substantial portion.
Even amid a tough schedule, the players made a strong effort to eat properly so as not to lose weight.
From 5:00 PM, we held a training match (two 30-minute halves).
However, here came challenges unique to overseas. Various troubles occurred, such as the opposing team not arriving on time, the scheduled pitch being unavailable, and the pitch we intended to use not having lines marked.
Even so, the emergence of players who took leadership and communicated proactively under such unexpected circumstances is a significant achievement of the overseas expedition.
In the match, against opponents who carefully built up and structured each attack, we were able to create good opportunities by actively pressing to win the ball and convert it into goals.
The players actively communicated with each other on the pitch, resulting in few dangerous situations and finishing the match without conceding any goals.
[Training Match Result]
10-0 (7-0, 3-0)
[Scorers]
Shinta Murakami ×4, Zenji Wada, Ryoma Watanabe ×3, Sora Kuramochi, Shohei Yakishita
[After the Match: Cultural Exchange and Dinner]
After the match, we received a typical Thai fruit called 'Lam Yai (Longan)' from the opposing team. It is said to be a specialty product of Lampoon.
Wrapped in a slightly tough skin, the players were initially puzzled by its unique appearance, but after tasting it, they highly praised it as "sweet and juicy!" Some players couldn't stop eating it, and their challenge with the food took a positive turn!
Dinner was planned to be taken in the large dining hall, but due to a sudden Thai-style squall, we were unable to move, so the meal was quickly changed to boxed lunches and delivered to the accommodation.
Adapting flexibly, the second night also ended safely.
The 'JSE INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL FESTIVAL' will finally kick off from the 3rd day!
On the 4th and 5th days, two matches each will be played in the preliminary league, and advancement to the final tournament will be decided based on the results.
We appreciate your continued support!
[Player Comments]
Mahiro Murakami
After finishing the second day of the Thailand expedition, we were unable to coordinate our outfits among the players during the meeting.
If I had spoken up, we could have changed it, so I want to take the initiative to communicate both on and off the pitch.
After listening to the talk by GK Supervisor Takakuwa, I realized that it is not about "what to do" but rather "how to approach it" that we need to focus on more.
Although we won the match 10-0, I want to value every opportunity and work towards achieving the '+1 goal'.
I was able to score 4 goals individually, but I am not satisfied with that result and want to aim for even greater heights.
◇[U-15 Fukagawa] Thailand Expedition Departure – Day 1
