Q: What should fans and supporters call the coach?
A, for the past two years, I have been called Albert Pobor, but the 'to' is not pronounced, it is Albert PUIG ORTONEDA. The original has the accent on 'beru'. For some reason, in Japan, it has been registered as Albert Pobor, and even Wikipedia uses Albert Pobor (laughs), but I would be happy if you could call me Albert PUIG ORTONEDA from now on.
Q: So, Mr. Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, this will be your first challenge in J1 and with FC Tokyo, a club in the capital. How did you feel when the offer came in?
A, first of all, I want to say that I was truly able to work comfortably in Niigata. The club made efforts to change its direction, and the players followed the playing style I aimed for. I believe the fans and supporters liked it as well. However, I am always seeking new challenges. I have spent most of my career as a youth coach. After coaching at the Barça (FC Barcelona) Academy, I was able to take on the role of Barça Academy Director, one of the most important positions in youth development worldwide. I was involved in various reforms within the club, and after that, I embarked on a new journey of challenges.
Q, you have served as the technical director of the Gabon national team and as a coach for New York City in Major League Soccer in the United States, right?
When Domenec Torrent, who served as the right-hand man to Josep Guardiola (former Barcelona manager, current Manchester City manager), was appointed as the manager of New York City FC, he invited me by saying, "Why don't you join us?" Supporting Torrent for two years, I developed a desire to become a manager myself. However, it wasn't just anywhere. I wanted to be involved in an attractive project in a country or city where there is respect, and at that time, I received an offer from Albirex Niigata. Two years have passed, and now I have the desire to take on a new challenge again.
Q, so it's a challenge in J1.
A, it is also a top-class club in J1, and if it is an attractive project, I wanted to take on the challenge. I received several offers, but the most attractive one was from FC Tokyo. I was drawn to the idea that the club was embarking on a reform and was willing to challenge a new team playing style. Moreover, it is a club located in the capital of a wonderful country, Japan. I was also interested in the fact that, despite having the potential to become a great club, it has not yet achieved results that match that potential. Additionally, the uniform, which is similar to Barça's Blaugrana (meaning 'navy and claret' in Catalan), was one of the factors that caught my interest (laughs).
Q: Do you feel any connection to the club where Takefusa KUBO once played?
At age 10, Barcelona acquired Takefusa KUBO, and I was the one who decided that at the time when I was serving as the academy director. I think it’s a beautiful story that I came to the club where KUBO belonged after Barcelona. However, it’s unfortunate that he didn’t return to Barcelona (laughs).
Q: I have watched your matches during your time in Niigata, but once again, what kind of football do you aim to play at FC Tokyo?
A, (Thank you for watching the match.) The Barcelona team I once worked with emphasized positional play in football, constantly seeking what to do with the ball in both attack and defense. I believe the style Barcelona has expressed matches the strengths and characteristics of Japanese players. Many Japanese players are intelligent. They have a strong impression of playing with a clear understanding of why a certain play is required and why a certain phenomenon occurs. Compared to the world's top teams, they may be physically inferior, but on the other hand, their technical level is very high. They also have speed. With their dedicated nature, they are also good at pressing and winning the ball.
Q, these are exactly the things required for the Barcelona style.
A, I have always wondered why Japanese players do not pursue a style of play like Barcelona's. I believe it was proven in Niigata that Barcelona's style suits Japanese players. Although most players had never experienced it before, by the second year, they were able to express it quite well. Even more importantly, fans and supporters liked that style of play. Many spectators came to the stadium. It would be wonderful if we could express the football played in Niigata in Tokyo, the capital of Japan.
Q, during the Niigata era, the football seemed to have both attack and defense designed simultaneously. Additionally, it was characteristic that the shape changed significantly when forming blocks in defense and when building up in attack.
In both offense and defense, everyone must play as a single block. In my country, we express this as 'travel together as one.' Possession of the ball is important, but even more emphasized is positioning (the players' placement). With positioning and possession, better attacks can be realized. Also, in soccer, there are two main ways to defend: defending space and defending by maintaining possession of the ball. As Johan Cruyff said, as long as we keep possession of the ball, the opponent cannot attack.
Q, so having the ball is equivalent to good defense, right?
A, that's right. If each player takes good positions, we can maintain better possession and create more opportunities. When we have good positioning in attack, we can also recover the ball effectively when possession is lost. That is the positioning I expect. And in defense, players must work hard and run for the team. Players who cannot do that will not be allowed to play. If there is a player who thinks they are so great that they don't need to run, I will give that player Guardiola's phone number (laughs).
Q: Recommend going to Manchester City (laughs).
A, however, in reality, there is only one player in the world who doesn't have to run. That is Lionel Messi. In other words, in Tokyo, everyone must run. On top of that, even if the opponent applies high pressure, I want the players to connect passes firmly without fear. In Niigata, during the first year, they kept clearing the ball one after another. But in the second year, they started to keep the ball and connect passes to their teammates instead of clearing. I want the Tokyo players to change in a shorter period of time.
Q: It seems you watched several games in Tokyo during the 2021 season. Are there any players you are looking forward to or find interesting for the 2022 season?
I have watched many matches in Tokyo, but you can't really understand until you see the players with your own eyes. First, I want to observe the players with a blank slate. I plan to hold meetings and communicate clearly with the players. I am the type who prefers to talk to players individually. I want them to come to me if they have any questions, and I also want to offer advice. I tend to express myself straightforwardly without sugarcoating, so sometimes it might be hard to hear. Regardless of whether they are young or veterans, I want to convey my honest thoughts to the players.
Q: The Niigata team showcased wonderful soccer in the 2021 season, but they slightly lost momentum towards the end. What do you think was the cause of that? Tokyo also had a fantastic season in 2019 but lost momentum and missed out on the title. Are there any lessons from that experience that can be applied to Tokyo?
A, I don't know what happened in Tokyo, but I can explain what happened in Niigata. In over 90% of the matches in the 2021 season, despite outnumbering the opponents in chances and shots, I believe the main reason for the slowdown was the continuous loss of points due to a lack of finishing ability. Niigata was clearly more offensive than any other team, but it is difficult to explain why such a team had so many draws. There was even a match where the number of shots was 20 to 3, yet the score was 1-1.
Q: Looking at rival teams, Peter UTAKA (Kyoto SANGA F.C.) and Lukian (Júbilo Iwata) demonstrated their finishing ability.
A, I think they were bringing points to the team. If we can score the first goal, the opponent will have to come forward to score, making it easier for us to add more goals. For example, the match where we defeated Verdy 7-0 at home was such a scenario. However, perhaps due to the impact of that match, many teams have since started to strengthen their defense.
Q: Tokyo has a great lineup of strikers.
A, they need to once again prove their high scoring ability. This is because the 2022 season will require demonstrating scoring ability in tight spaces. Counterattacks usually have space when taking shots, but in the 2022 season, there will be more games where teams press their opponents. As a result, the space in front of the opponent's goal will become narrower. The question is whether they can still score under those conditions. Of course, I have high expectations for them. I also have expectations for the younger players. Japanese people tend to worry about age, but I do not hesitate to use young players. I respect veterans, but what matters on the pitch is performance, not age. Whether they are 35 or 15 years old, it does not matter.
Q: Takefusa KUBO also stepped onto the J1 pitch at the age of 16.
A. Japan has many talented young players, so I want to pay attention to the academy players as well. If there are good players, I want to give them a chance to challenge themselves in the top team. On the other hand, foreign players must bring something to the team that Japanese players cannot provide. This applies to me as well. If a Japanese coach can only offer what I can provide, then there is no need for me to lead the team. Also, I believe that the coach who succeeds me must be a Japanese coach.
Q, it's about building a solid foundation, isn't it?
A, sooner or later, I will leave this club, this city, and this country. My mission is to nurture FC Tokyo, a club for the people of Tokyo. I was surprised that everyone in Japan says, "We aim to win the championship." I do not say such things. I am someone who hates losing more than anyone and is obsessed with winning, but what I can promise is to instill a clear playing style, equip the team with enough strength to always compete for the championship, and grow the club. We will prioritize players from the academy, reinforce with high-quality foreign players, and continuously grow by strengthening players suited to my playing style. FC Tokyo is still not at the top level in terms of management scale in J1. The current professional soccer world is not an easy place where clubs that cannot compete at the top in management scale can always aim for the championship. However, if the team and the entire club continue to grow, it will also promote growth in management scale.
Q: In addition to developing the current players, if the club gains economic strength, it will be able to establish an even more solid power.
A, it is a time-consuming process and must be approached with patience. We hope that fans and supporters will continue to support us with a long-term perspective. We want you to carefully observe what kind of play the team is aiming for and what kind of play they are expressing. If we continue to express play that everyone can feel proud of, the number of fans and supporters at the stadium should increase. The more fans and supporters we have, the more we believe it will lead to acquiring many sponsors.
Q: If the number of sponsors increases, revenue will increase, making it possible to strengthen the team with higher quality players.
For example, Kawasaki Frontale always competes for the championship because they have a clear playing style. I also want to spend 2 to 3 years building the foundation of this club. Based on that foundation, I want to develop the club into one that can compete for titles every year. To achieve that, not only the players and the team but every aspect of the club needs to become professional. I believe it is also my role to promote that. This is not just about the playing style expressed on the pitch; the entire club must grow. It requires being a wonderful person and, as a professional, an excellent worker.
Q: Finally, please give a message to the fans and supporters in Tokyo.
A. I believe that Japanese people have a national character of respecting each other. I am also a person who values respect. Let's cooperate and fight together. If I make a mistake, I intend to apologize, but I will not apologize if we lose the match. There are times when you cannot win even if you give your best effort. That is not a failure. Any project requires time and patience to succeed. Within that, I want to continue fighting so that everyone can unite. I look forward to the day I can meet all of you!
text by Atsushi Iio
