The first half of the league was a tough battle, but the team made a successful comeback in the second half thanks to the contributions of new players. As expectations for the players grew and their development was encouraged, the team gradually began to feel a steady sense of progress. Amid this, what was the coach thinking, and how did he try to move the team forward? Rikizo MATSUHASHI, the head coach in his first year, shares the sense of progress and challenges he felt, as well as what is necessary to aim for greater heights.
Stay True and Persevere
── The first half of the league was tough, but the players who joined during the special registration period in June successfully boosted the team, allowing us to accumulate points in the second half of the season.
I believe that is one of the factors. However, I think they joined a team atmosphere where the players who were struggling showed great attitude and faced challenges head-on. It wasn’t just that they were excellent players, but also that there were staff members who brought out their strengths. This includes what we have consistently done and thought about during daily training sessions. Ultimately, it is the result of continuous daily effort. Both players and staff never gave up and persevered, which I believe was the key to turning things in a positive direction and patiently building a good momentum.
──I think the player who became a symbol of such accumulation was Megumi Sato.
He truly energizes the team with his voice, play, and character. I believe he is a player and a person with a wonderful personality. Not only him, but players who try to grasp something and connect it to their own results are not afraid of change. Even if what they have inside themselves does not necessarily align with the team's ideas or roles, they seriously think about what they can do there and continue to face it. At first, when receiving the ball between the lines, he often struggled to face forward and made many control mistakes. In tighter areas, there were moments when he couldn't break through, but I believe he is one of the players who made our intentions and my demands his own.
──I think there were many players who improved this season besides him.
For example, Yuto NAGATOMO has steadily improved his condition and increased what he can do while deepening his understanding of tactics. He himself continues to seek areas where he must improve even more. In that sense, I believe he is one of the players who has grown. Of course, his defense is solid, but there were also many scenes where he created scoring opportunities in attack. He has a unique switch that sets him apart from others, such as his willingness to take on challenges. He is a player with an attitude to maintain and improve his condition and performance.
── While there were veterans who continued to grow, Leon NOZAWA significantly increased his playing opportunities throughout this season.
That's right. It seems that Nozawa hasn't been given many opportunities to start in the lineup, but he delivered solid results in the match against Yokohama F.Marinos (June 25, Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 15 postponed match). Even in matches where he came on as a substitute, there have been more moments where he got close to scoring. Although there are still times when he can't quite finish in those situations, I believe he is a player who accepts the place where he is competing, faces what he can do at that moment, works on it daily, and gradually shows that in actual matches.
── This season, while the team struggled, I believe the players and staff have seen Kei KOIZUMI quietly wrestling with his worries and conflicts. How did the captain's presence appear to you?
I think there were times when I caused him some difficulties. It was hard to get him into the starting lineup, but even so, we kept communicating. While I can't say that playing in matches is everything when he was entrusted as captain, I do believe there was a difference in the atmosphere and feel between being on the pitch and not. From that position, he was open to various consultations and provided great support by understanding the team's situation through many conversations. His performance in the latter part of the season, when he seized the opportunity to play, showed that he understood the challenges and brought out his strengths in the matches.
──How do you want to connect this season's battles to the future?
I believe it is essential to keep going. No matter what kind of match it is when you step onto the pitch, whether you were able to do what you have diligently practiced or not makes a huge difference. Ideally, that will lead to the next game and the future of the team. It is unacceptable to underestimate or take lightly any of this. Those who do not give their best today cannot talk about tomorrow. The world we live in is one where there is no tomorrow for those who do not strive today. First and foremost, I think we must stick firmly to what we envision and what we must do.
They say "keep going without wavering," and anyone inside our world should fully understand how difficult that is. That's why I have often said that the idea of "keeping the philosophy unchanged while being flexible in methods" is important. It's not about comparing with others; this applies not only to football but also to one's life and way of living. It may sound like I'm speaking arrogantly, but I believe the reason I am who I am today is precisely because I have stayed true without wavering. That's why I am entrusted with the role of Tokyo's coach now, and I think I am able to thrive in this football world. I keep believing, persevere, and since this is a competitive world, there are times when I have had to exclude others to push through. If I consider that as my strength, I believe the same applies to the team.
──The Emperor's Cup, with the summit in sight, ended in a semifinal round defeat. How do you feel about that frustration?
I think we had plenty of chances, and the players delivered what they had prepared well. However, we are now thinking about whether we can play even more offensively from that match onward. If we consider whether it was an enjoyable game for everyone watching throughout the entire match, it certainly was not. I believe that the style of football we aim for should include such elements. We need to express that style more. As a personal reflection, I should have thought more offensively. Of course, since it is football, the importance of defense was always in mind, but by showing a more offensive approach, there is a possibility that we could have changed the character of the game, and that thought remains in my mind. Naturally, there is frustration from losing in the Semifinal Round, but we must accept that this is our current level of ability.
──Looking back at the content and data of the match, I think we gradually became able to play while observing the opponent's moves in the second half.
Tactics, stats, and data are of course important, and how we utilize them might become an indicator for the progress of the football world. However, I personally think that if everything is seen that way, it becomes a conservative perspective. My view of football is not something that can be fully expressed by numbers; it lies in the players' momentary ideas, imagination, creativity, and surprising moves. Such tactics certainly exist. I believe that discovering various things on your own while playing is what makes football enjoyable. Of course, I understand the importance of rational thinking and tactical matters. We also make sure to handle those properly, but without some kind of final margin or space, I feel that it wouldn't be interesting for the viewers.
── There was also talk of "being more aggressive," but if we can play football that can surpass high-intensity opponents like Sanfrecce Hiroshima and FC Machida Zelvia, whom we faced in the final stages, it will surely be the most enjoyable football time.
It is absolutely possible. I have had such experiences myself, and in the end, I think it comes down to which way it swings. Of course, I also respect the football that other teams consistently play. The football we aim to play is not about overturning such opponents, but rather being tactical and creative against any opponent. I believe I can play that kind of football with this team, and I work on it every day.
── To achieve that, it might be connected to what the coach told the players before the season started: "Go beyond my imagination." I believe it is even more necessary to see players who continuously break through their own limits instead of staying within their boundaries.
I truly believe so, and I want them to challenge themselves on how to improve and elevate their quality as players. Of course, there may be things that can be calculated. But I want them to be more creative in various ways. I think that creativity lies along a line built on various accumulated foundations. It is not necessarily "just do whatever you want," but something that exists within a certain flow. That is why daily accumulation is important. For example, with player Sato, whose name was mentioned earlier, there was a foundation of daily effort and accumulation that led to moments of creativity during the game. For those watching, it looked like his range of play was expanding, his performance was steadily improving, and he was able to score goals. There was a moment when he grasped a key point. Isn't that how players grow? Not just by putting in effort repeatedly, but by firmly working on the basics and then grasping the key. That can be applied not only to one play but to various things. Even if it doesn't go well at first, as the foundation gradually improves and they get used to it, they begin to grasp the key. Once they can do that, it seems to branch out into many different things all at once. Not only him, but there are also defensive players who have given me that impression.
──The phrase "Go beyond my imagination," which I heard before the start of this season, might have been something the players gradually came to understand throughout the year.
I believe that conveying or requesting something doesn't require two or three lines. One phrase or one line is enough. Even if I think something is extremely simple, if I haven't fully conveyed it, I consider it a shortcoming on my part. How to convince others and how to help them understand are the same thing. Even if I have thoughts within myself, there are still many areas where I fall short. I myself have improved by grasping certain triggers or tips. I've been able to do this with the help of the players and the support of the surrounding staff, so from now on, I believe I must strengthen my communication even more.
Text by Kohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
