With the appointment of coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, the 2022 season aimed at building a new playing style is now down to the final third. What kind of growth has the team achieved so far? We welcomed sports writer Atsushi Iio, who conducted an interview with coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA before the season started, to ask the coach about the team's current status.
Q: The match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on July 6 was a test match for vocal support operations. It was the first time since the opening match of the 2020 season when Albert PUIG ORTONEDA was leading Albirex Niigata that he heard cheers and chants in Japan. How did you feel about the singing voices of the fans and supporters?
A, I believe the atmosphere of the stadium as it should be has returned. During the past two years, there were times when matches were held without spectators. Even when fans and supporters began filling the stands again, they were unable to raise their voices. I think everyone felt frustrated, and we did too. What I want to convey to those who cheered at Ajinomoto Stadium that day is that both "You’ll Never Walk Alone" and the calls for "Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Tokyo" were definitely heard. Your cheers gave us strength and allowed us to play a wonderful match. At the same time, we could also hear the fans and supporters from Sapporo.D continuing to cheer until the very end. I want to express my gratitude to the fans and supporters of both teams who created such a fantastic atmosphere.
Q. By the way, how does Coach Albert see himself, as a romanticist or a realist? Which type of coach does he think he is?
A, suddenly, what's wrong? (laughs). I think of myself as a realist.
Q: What reasons do you have for thinking that way?
A, Romantistais something that ends with just dreaming. However, I am always facing reality in order to incorporate my ideal soccer into the team. In recent years, with the spread of the internet and the advancement of technology, soccer analysis has progressed dramatically, but on the other hand, I feel that the elements that soccer originally possesses are being lost. For example, there is an abundance of tactical analysis of soccer on the internet. There are opinions that winning a match is a victory of tactics, and losing a match means the tactics are bad, but soccer is not that simple. A team is a group of living human beings. Each has strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes they have problems off the pitch. The coach must skillfully bring together such real human beings. Therefore, while I have ideals, I am always facing reality.
Q, the reason is that in the first 10 matches of the season, there were many direct plays, and the style from last season was still very evident. While earning points this way, we gradually aim to instill the desired playing style, allowing us to embody 'football that loves the ball.' I felt a sense of skill in this approach.
A, the first thing I noticed when I joined this club was that there were few mid-career players in their late 20s, and the team was mostly composed of young players and veterans. Furthermore, we struggled with the novel coronavirus in the early part of the season. In such a situation, if I had stuck rigidly to my ideals, what do you think would have happened? We might have been fighting to avoid relegation by now. What I need to do this season is to gradually get the team used to a new playing style and build a foundation, while also giving opportunities to young players and gradually rejuvenating the team. You can understand this gradual change by comparing the possession rates of the past few years with this season.
Q, while building a foundation, we also give opportunities to young players and earn as many points as possible. I believe that the matches against Shimizu S-Pulse on May 25 and Kashima Antlers on May 29 were where we could embody the style of football that Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA aims for, especially the match against Kashima, which I think was a game that set the standard.
A, I think we played well in those two matches. Also, the first halves of the Emperor's Cup match against V-Varen Nagasaki on June 22 and the match against Sagan Tosu on June 26 were not bad. We can say that the team has progressed to the next phase. However, as we have become able to retain possession of the ball, technical mistakes have become more noticeable, and we are facing more opportunities for counterattacks. This is a new challenge that comes from our growth. To control the ball more calmly, provide appropriate support, and aim for the opponent's goal at the right timing, we still need time.
Q: You mentioned that when building a style, you have to take two steps forward and one step back.
A, moreover, there have been many injuries. When so many players are injured, there is a limit to what the coach can do. With Henrique TREVISAN sidelined, the center backs Morishige (Masato) and Yasuki KIMOTO have had to continue playing. Hodaka (Nakamura), Takuya AOKI, and Shuto ABE are also injured, and Adailton and Diego OLIVEIRA are playing while dealing with pain. Given this team situation, we had to place 18- and 19-year-old players in the center of the team.
Q, it's Kuryu MATSUKI and Yuki KAJIURA.
<div>A, if there had been no pass mistake by Kajiura in the match against Urawa on July 10th and the halftime score had been 0-0, the subsequent course of the game would have been completely different. It may sound harsh, but that conceded goal had a significant impact on the flow of the match. It was a painful goal for the team, but I believe Kajiura himself gained very valuable experience. Such experience can only be gained by actually playing in matches. However, I repeat, we have only been working on a new playing style for half a year and are still in the process of building the foundation. Even at Albirex Niigata, where I was in charge, we struggled in the first year, but by the second year, a clear playing style was established and we were able to achieve results. Yokohama F.Marinos, who won the championship in the 2019 season, were also in their second year under a new manager. Manchester City's Josep Guardiola had no trophies in his first year but made significant investments in the second year and achieved a double. The same goes for Liverpool's Jürgen Klopp.
Q: Klopp won his first title with Liverpool in his fourth season.
A, I don't know if I will be given that much time (laughs), but I want to build a team step by step that can aim for the title. The coach is not a magician. Of course, I accept criticism when we lose, but the club has just started its reforms. I hope you understand that.
Q: One of the highlights of the first half of the season has been the performance of Ryoma WATANABE. He has played as a right back, right inside half, and right winger, fulfilling the required roles effectively. What does coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA think about his play and abilities?
A, Ryoma is one of the player types I look for. His main position is MF, but sometimes he plays like a winger, and other times he can play like a side back. There is still room for improvement in ball possession, but he is doing very well. In matches, players must adapt to various flows. Leandro is the same, but polyvalent players expand the range of tactics and management, making them valuable assets.
Q, additionally, I am particularly interested in Yuto NAGATOMO and Keigo HIGASHI. NAGATOMO joined the team late due to national team duties and missed opportunities at the beginning of the season, but he has secured the right back position. HIGASHI spent time warming the bench, but he seized the opportunity that came his way while playing in a position that is not his primary role as an anchor. Amidst the generational shift, I feel that we have witnessed the strength of veterans who prepare and bounce back without losing heart.
A, Nagatomo is one of the few Japanese players who have continued to play for great clubs in Europe. The reason he has been able to compete at that level is because he has a soul that is committed to winning. He is full of eagerness to learn and always gives 100 percent in practice. Last year, he faced criticism regarding his play for the Japan national team, but he overcame it with strong mentality and effort. I recognize that players with a mentality like his are truly great players. Young Japanese players should learn a lot from Nagatomo. Keigo also has a strong mentality and possesses excellent skills. As you said, he has overcome difficult situations and is now playing as a defensive midfielder. It’s as if he has been playing in this position all along. I think it is a position that suits him well.
Q, on the other hand, Abe and Matsuki are mainly used as inside halves. I think they are players who rely more on intensity than creativity. Is intensity more important for the inside half image that Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA is looking for?
Even if you tell A and Shuto to "play like Iniesta," it doesn't mean they can become Iniesta. As a realist, I want to first make the most of the strengths of the players in front of me. Of course, I also expect gradual improvement. For example, I think it is clear to everyone that Kuse has made significant progress over the past few months. Not only is his intensity high, but the quality when he has the ball is also vastly different from the beginning of the season.
Q: This summer, there were farewells to important players. First, about Ryoya OGAWA. What words did you say to send him off?
A said, "To perform at a high level in Europe, I want you to make use of what you have learned over the past few months first." And he told me, "Be mentally strong." He emphasized the importance of having a competitive spirit. He also talked about the challenges many Japanese players face when playing in Europe. That is adaptability. Going back to the previous story, Nagatomo speaks Italian. Just going to Italy doesn't mean you can immediately learn Italian. Nagatomo reportedly said, "I don't need an interpreter" to learn the language faster. On the other hand, I have heard of Japanese players who return after living in Europe for several years without acquiring the language. Therefore, I told Ryoya, "You either adapt properly or come back at Christmas."
Q: What do you think about Kensuke NAGAI and Yojiro TAKAHAGI? I believe there are many fans and supporters who are shocked.
Regarding A. Kensuke, he wanted a different playing style and a different place to continue playing as an active player for a longer time. Since he played an important role in this team, it is unfortunate that he is leaving, but I wanted to respect Kensuke's feelings. Since it is a transfer within the same league, I am looking forward to facing him. Yojiro also wishes to continue playing longer, and I think this transfer will be a positive move for him. His technical skills are excellent, but as he has aged, it has become difficult to keep running constantly and to perform repeated sprints. I hope he gets plenty of playing time at Tochigi.G SC, and at the same time, I believe he has the ability to be a coach, so I advised him, "While playing, you should prepare for becoming a coach in the future."
Q: During the process of reform, is it sometimes necessary to part ways?
A, of course, it is an unavoidable path in soccer. Even in Niigata, many foreign players left after the first year ended. As long as there is a style we aim for, I think it becomes necessary to replace players to realize it. Even Manchester City and Liverpool refresh their players almost every year while refining their style and strengthening their squad. If you don’t do that and keep changing styles and concepts frequently, you fall into a negative cycle. For example, in Niigata now, Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI has inherited the style I built and is guiding the team in a good direction while making some player changes. In Tokyo, when I left, I hope my successor will inherit the style and ideas and lead the team in the same direction. I believe that is the secret to success.
Q: I believe you are also working hard on the club's reform. You mentioned that "we must change the club's mentality," but what kind of mentality do you currently have, and what aspects would you like to change?
A, we must not forget that the club is an organization built by real people. And in order for the team to develop a winner's mentality, everyone involved in the club must also possess it. We must not become complacent. Regardless of the department or section, we must continuously demand more from ourselves. A winner's mentality means always being hungry for victory and giving your all to win. This applies to the club's management, the strengthening department, the marketing department, and the public relations team alike. In the case of public relations, they must constantly work to have the club covered by more media and continue efforts to disseminate information about the club. Every department must always aim higher. I believe that is the winner's mentality within the club. Even if the playing style changes, without a winner's mentality in the club, great success cannot be achieved. When you visit great clubs in Europe, you can feel the winner's mentality strongly from the moment you step into the club. I would be very happy if Tokyo could acquire that.
Q: With one-third of the season left, how do you want to end this season?
A, I want to continue pursuing the same things as before. While focusing on competition, I will keep making daily efforts and continue to grow. Also, I want to build a solid foundation and connect it to the next season.
Text by Atsushi Iio (Sports Writer)
