Q: Before we talk about joining Tokyo, could you tell us about your experience playing in Sendai for the first time in Japan for two and a half years?
For A, myself, and my family, life in Sendai was very happy. We received a lot of support from the fans and supporters in Sendai. I have nothing but good memories. I am also grateful to all the club staff, and I still remember my debut match against Cerezo Osaka. Of course, there were also matches against Tokyo, and I have only happy memories.
Q: The press release announced from Sendai included the loving words, "Let's definitely meet again in J1." Player Kuba (nickname for Swowik) will continue to fight on the J1 stage as a member of Tokyo from here.
Of course, I am disappointed with the result of Sendai's relegation to J2 in the 2021 season. However, I gave my all in everything from practice to matches. In that context, I was very happy to receive an offer from Tokyo, one of Japan's big clubs, and I want to achieve a lot together with my teammates at this club.
Q: What was your impression of Tokyo as an opponent?
In the 2019 season, when I first came to Japan, Tokyo was competing for the championship. I had the impression that it was a strong team at the very top of the standings. It is also a team where players with quality always perform well in matches.
Q: In the 2021 season, Tokyo achieved two victories against Sendai, and in both matches, Kuba's big saves stood out.
Ah, I remember (laughs). However, in the end, Sendai was defeated. We did our best, but Tokyo has a team full of high-quality players, so that was the result.
Q: Who is a memorable player from Tokyo?
Ah, Diego OLIVEIRA. I have faced him twice in penalty shootouts, so he left a strong impression on me (laughs). His penalty style is unique, and I really think he is a skilled player. From a GK's perspective, his way of shooting is difficult to handle, but since we are on the same team now, if he takes penalties in practice, I feel like I could adapt to any style (laughs).
Q: There are excellent GKs in Tokyo, but what is your impression of the level of GKs in Japan?
A, of course Tokyo has talented GKs, and Kosei TANI from Shonan is also a wonderful talent. Keisuke OSAKO from Hiroshima and Yuma OBATA, who played in the same Sendai team, are also like that. It gives the impression that the number of promising and potential-filled players is increasing. There is no doubt that the quality of Japanese GKs is also improving.
Q: Kuba's home country, Poland, has produced many famous goalkeepers such as Jerzy Dudek and Wojciech Szczęsny. Krzysztof Kamiński, who previously played for Iwata, also made an impact.
A, that is very important in Polish football. Many goalkeepers have played for big European clubs, and some are currently active there. Besides the players mentioned earlier, goalkeepers like Artur Boruc (who played with Shunsuke Nakamura at Celtic and Maya Yoshida at Southampton) and Łukasz Fabiański are also excellent. In Japan, Kaminski's remarkable achievements led to my opportunity to go to Japan. I want to demonstrate the strength of Polish goalkeepers firmly here in Tokyo as well.
Q: By the way, at what age did player Kuba start playing as a GK?
Ah, it’s quite an old story... (laughs) I think I was about 5 or 6 years old. My older brother started playing soccer first, and since I was the smallest, I ended up playing as the GK. Everyone disliked being GK because you have to fall down during saves and sometimes fall from high places, but for me, that was normal and didn’t bother me. After that, I also had experience playing as a DF. I belonged to a big academy, but since my playing style wasn’t very technical (laughs), the coach suggested, "How about trying GK?" Receiving a pair of GK gloves also became a motivation, and from then on, I’ve been dedicated to being a GK.
Q: I thought that the GK position was popular in Poland because there are many famous GKs.
A, I think children from any country all want to become strikers at first (laughs). When players like Dudek and Borutz were active, goalkeepers also became popular, but when it comes to Poland, it's definitely Roberto CESAR Lewandowski. That's why I think many players admire forwards.
Q: Looking at your career, you have played for domestic clubs in Poland, but I have read news that you almost signed with Reading in England in 2015.
A, at that time, I went for a tryout for about a week. However, the team's GK slots were already filled, and shortly after, I also got injured, so things didn't progress as I had hoped. But I always wanted to test my potential and abilities overseas someday, and that first stage ended up being in Japan. I have held that desire since my time in Poland.
Q: After playing in the J-League for two and a half years, is there a difference in your image of Japanese football compared to when you first arrived in Japan?
A, in my opinion, Japan is a wonderful country and league. I don't know about other Asian countries, but I think it is an excellent league.
Q: Tokyo will be led by coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA for the 2022 season. He was in charge of Albirex Niigata until the 2021 season, but have you seen the style of football played by coach Albert's team?
A, although it was only a few matches, I watched games from the Niigata era. I checked to understand what kind of soccer is played and what kind of play is expected. The impression was a style of connecting the ball, and I think building attacks from the GK and DF is also required. Originally, the GK's role was to firmly protect the goal and stop shots, but nowadays, much more is demanded. This includes foot skills and kicking. Probably, Tokyo's new style will require many of these aspects. My style is to thoroughly absorb, learn, and improve on what is demanded from practice. I want to approach this with a positive attitude to adapt properly.
Q: Tokyo had a lot of goals conceded in 2021, which was a challenge. While fans and supporters expect the most from player Kuba in terms of shot-stopping, how do you want to improve the defense, including the defenders?
A, no team can defend the goal with just one player alone, nor can one player score all the goals. Everyone, from FW to GK, attacks and defends together. In my case, I want to communicate more with the DF, and specifically, I want to maintain a compact formation firmly to be able to defend successfully.
Q: Do you have a clear goal you want to achieve with this team?
A, I usually don't set many personal goals, but first and foremost, as a team, we want to face the right direction and achieve good results. It would be great to win more trophies, but first, we want to fight hard and become a group that fans and supporters can truly be proud of, saying "This is really a great team." The players must continue to play in a way that brings such words from many places.
Q: Lastly, what are you looking forward to while living in Tokyo, the capital of Japan?
A, Tokyo is truly a major metropolis and leaves the impression of being a wonderful city on a global scale. My family is also looking forward to it, but the important thing is that no matter where we are, we can always be together as a family. One thing I'm looking forward to is that it's closer to Disneyland than from Sendai (laughs). I'm also excited about other famous spots. I love Japanese food, and both sushi and yakiniku are the best. Natto? When I first tried it, I couldn't handle it, but gradually I'm getting used to it (laughs).
text by YUKI NISHIKAWA
