Q: Takahagi has won titles with clubs both domestically and internationally. What impact does winning titles have?
AUnless you are someone who has won titles, you don't feel a strong desire to win more titles, do you? Those who have won more tend to have a greater sense of ambition, and I believe that experience leads to winning the next title.
Q: Will the scenery change?
A, it's more about the scenery or emotions, I guess. The emotions that arise can only be felt when you win a title. They are incomparable to the joy or happiness felt at other times. Sanfrecce Hiroshima has won the league, and we also won league and cup titles in Korea. I think the meanings of the league and cup are slightly different. Since Tokyo still doesn't have a league title, I believe that once we experience that, both the team and the club will have a different sense of things.
Q: Young players are also getting opportunities to play in the Levain Cup. How does Takahagi see them?
A, it can be difficult to see the feelings that are invested in the match right in front of us. If players don't express emotions like, 'I will seize the opportunity to play in the next league match in this game' or 'I will do whatever it takes to win this match to carry on to the next one,' it won't be conveyed to the viewers or the coaching staff. I want them to play with their fighting spirit and rebellious heart on full display.
In the professional world, waiting does not automatically bring your turn. If you don't think, "If I don't deliver results in this match, there won't be another chance," or "I have no way out," then I believe it's wrong to feel that you might get to play in the next match just because it's the Levain Cup or a series of consecutive games.
I have always dedicated myself to the matches in front of me since I was young, and I still do. When I came on as a substitute in the Levain Cup match against Jubilo Iwata (March 15, 2022), I played with that mindset. I have a sense of urgency that if I don't perform well here, I won't get another chance. I would like to see that aspect come out more.
Q: Is that attitude something that is directly conveyed through words, or is it something to be sensed?
A, it's not something that can be shown through play, and I don't think there's a particular need to talk about it either. Whether they are called young players or veterans, in the professional world, they are rivals regardless of age or experience, and I play with that mindset myself. I don't want to lose to players in the same position, and I want to be on the field. If that feeling disappears, I feel like I would no longer be a professional.
