<Akihiro HAYASHI>
Q, When will the actual game be held?
A, it's been about 2 years since I was able to play without any discomfort.
Q, How was it to actually participate?
A, I still think soccer is fun.
There are overwhelming things to do between kicking soccer and connecting soccer. There are things that you can only feel in actual combat, such as where to place the ball, so it felt like a real performance, but we played while trying various things for 45 minutes. During the 45 minutes of play, various challenges came up, and I thought there were still things to do, and there were actually things that I could do better if I could do this.
I was able to play for 45 minutes, including both good and bad parts, which was good.
Q, What changes have you seen since returning to practice?
A, I was able to return to practice, but when my knee was under stress, it would become stiff the next day. (From returning to practice) It has been a little over a month, and gradually the recoil has decreased and I have been able to naturally exert my strength. I can feel it myself, and the trainers and coaches who massage me also say, "(Your knee) is getting stronger," so I think I can show it in various places.
I think I have reached the stage where I can think about how to make the most of my strengths and integrate them into the team in this match. It was a challenging 45 minutes to think about how I can contribute to FC Tokyo, which has changed its characteristics.
Q, I continued to call out without interruption. I think that is Lin's strength as a player.
A, there were many concerns, and if it were true, we would have taken this position during the camp. We would have had discussions about how to eliminate these negative aspects. However, since we were not able to do that, we are now focusing on it. As a team, there are still parts of our attack and defense that are being explored, but I think we have improved significantly since the beginning of the season. Even if it hasn't translated into results, I believe the players are feeling the progress.
Q, how do you look back on the two years away from actual battles?
A, I have never been so far away from soccer, so I felt uncertain if I could go back, and I felt the pain of not being able to play soccer again. And I was reminded of how much I love soccer. Now that I can go back, I want to fully express that feeling.
Of course, I aim to play in the GK position, but I also want to enjoy soccer while being grateful for being able to play. As a professional, it is assumed that I can do it, but for me, it was a feeling of not taking it for granted for the past two years. I think that being able to participate in this practice match is also thanks to having a healthy body, and I strongly felt that the knees are important.
Q, What were you discussing with Assistant GK Coach Yamashita before the match?
A, I always talk about how much of a perfect situation I am in as a performance, and how much I am able to achieve as a percentage of my ideal. He has been watching my flaws for two years and has been responding to them, so he has been telling me things like "I have more power in this movement" and "I still have some stiffness in this area" one by one, and he has been preparing for not only this game but also practice. For now, I have been able to enter the game, so I want to coach, behave, and speak in a way that can help the team more.
Q: Is there any difficulty in entering a phase of trial and error for the team?
A, I do want to have a good distance and good positioning when passing, but considering the risk of conceding a goal with my back to the goal, I have to think about taking a risk and not taking a position. However, I also don't want to lose the smoothness of the team, so there is a difficulty in balancing risk and smoothness. In the past, I thought that avoiding risk was the most important thing for a GK, but in order to achieve smoothness, I also need to have a delicate positioning. In terms of trapping, I used to stop at a place where I could do a long kick on the first try, but now I need to make adjustments and create situations where I can see my teammates' movements by placing the ball at my feet first. I feel that change is necessary.
Q, playing for 45 minutes today, what is Lin looking at for the next 90 minutes and beyond?
As a player, I always aim to contribute to the team's victory during the season. It is something that I must do as a professional, regardless of my position. However, instead of trying to appeal to the players who are playing in the game because I am not involved, I want to focus on doing what I can in practice and become a player who can have a positive impact on the team in any position.
<Hotaka NAKAMURA>
Q, How did it feel to move today?
A, my body was also tired, and I still have a long way to go. As a team, we are still working on implementing tactics, so I think I need to catch up quickly since I was absent.
Q: Are there any areas you feel you are lacking in since returning to the team?
A, When I actually entered practice, I felt that the positioning, passing, and tempo have been unified in this month. If I don't take the right position or time it correctly, the team's balance will be disrupted and the flow will be stopped, so I need to do more.
Q: What do you feel is the team's challenge?
A, during practice, we were able to have conversations and talk about the team's tactics and how to move the ball. Personally, I need to focus on this, and first I want to make up for the month I lost. The most important thing is for me to catch up.
Q, How do you want to be involved in the remaining 10 games as an individual?
A, I want to quickly return to my condition and go back to thinking about what it means to be myself, and play in my own way. I am one of the team, but I think it is more refreshing to be able to show my strengths rather than feeling frustrated because I cannot show them. So, I will continue to demand myself while reminding myself.
Q, Do you want to run aggressively?
A, I want to run, but my body was tired today so it might take a little longer.
Q: Is "catching up" a part of the strategy?
First and foremost, it's about physicality and condition rather than tactics. Since I couldn't run today, I think I have to do it on my own. It's not about tactics if I can't fight as an individual, so I'll bring it back.
