TOKYOism

[Interview with Coach Albert]

Q, There is one week until the next league match, and I think there is plenty of time, but who will you face tomorrow?
A, not only players with few opportunities to play, but also multiple players who are participating in the league will join. I want to give some rest to some players. Other players are ready to play after a week of preparation, so I think there will be players who will play. I want to continue giving chances to young players, and I want to continue doing so this time as well. Whether they will start or come on as substitutes, I don't know, but I want to give chances to young players.

Q: It was mentioned that players who have participated in the league will also be used. Is it because it is better for them to play in terms of their condition?
A, there are both parts that are like that and parts that are not. What you need to keep in mind is that there is a dense schedule in April. This season, there is a period of dense schedule, but there are also times when there are very few games, and an irregular schedule is set. There are also weeks without games in the summer. April is a dense schedule, so we considered that and selected this week's members.

Q: What is necessary to advance to the next round?
Regarding the first match against Cerezo Osaka, I do not think that a loss was a fitting result. At the very least, a draw would have been a fair outcome. In every match, we always aim to win. However, if we only focus on the match results, when will we be able to give playing time to our young players? In order to assess how much our young players can grow and what they are capable of, it is necessary to let them play in official matches. As I have mentioned before, I hope that the Levain Cup, as a tournament, will establish rules that require the use of young players and become a cup competition where our young players can shine.

Q: It is said that there is no difference between the world and Japan until the age of 18, but is the difference that opens up after those three years due to the difference in official match experience?
A, there are various stages of growth. I think it is most important to let them play freely until the age of 12. In that regard, I think Japan is functioning well. It is necessary for the junior youth generation in Japan to learn tactics in the academy over a period of 3 years. I also think that Japan is moving in a good direction in that aspect.

The remaining challenge is the pre-professional youth generation. In order to develop high-level professional players, the youth and college age groups, known as U-6 in Japan, are crucial. The generation between 19 and 22 years old will gain experience and grow through competition. For example, how much did Matsuki grow in the past season? I think he grew a lot. This is because he was able to play official matches and had to focus on winning. If Matsuki had not been given a chance, he would not have grown. On the other hand, in other countries, this generation is gaining experience and growing through high-level official matches. I think there is room for improvement in this aspect in Japan. Without improving this, it will be difficult to aim for even higher levels.

To aim for a higher level, it is important to accumulate difficult game experience in the generation of around 20 years old. Sometimes I think that great players like Mitsumaru will come out, but in order for such great players to consistently emerge, I think fundamental reforms are necessary.

In football, it is said that the central player is important. Japan's level is still not high for positions such as goalkeeper, center back, defensive midfielder, and center forward. The reason why Japan's player pool is thin is because, for example, how many young center forwards do professional football club coaches think they will use? I think there are few coaches who will use an 18-year-old goalkeeper in a league match. The same goes for a 17-year-old center back. It is difficult for any country to make the decision to use young players in central positions. However, in Japan, because young players are not being used in that zone, it becomes a vicious cycle where they do not develop easily.

Q: Is there a possibility that young players who have not had a chance to play so far will play tomorrow?
A, I am thinking of giving a chance tomorrow. However, chances are not given as gifts, they must be earned. I am not at all worried about using young players. However, in order to give a chance to any young player, they must prove that they have a high level and a strong mental attitude. I am ready to cooperate to the maximum in order for young players to grow in the future. However, whether they can seize the chance is up to them.

Q, Kashif BANGNAGANDE has been selected for the Japan national team.
I hope that player Yoshifu will continue to grow. This is because the level required for a Japan national team player is very high. I think that Takefusa KUBO, who is a classmate, has reached a great level. My wish is for players Yoshifu, Hotaka NAKAMURA, Kuryu MATSUKI, Takefusa KUBO, Naoki KUMATA, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA to be named as members of the Japan national team.

[Player Interview]
＜PEROTTI＞

Q: Did you feel frustrated even though you didn't have much playing time against Nagoya?
A, I always have the desire to play in the game. However, there are also game developments and the coach's strategies, so I understand that. Rather than being frustrated, I think it can't be helped. The Japanese soccer style is different from the style I have played so far. I have only been in Japan for a short time and haven't played in many games. Of course, I have to get used to it, so I want to contribute to the team's victory by playing better from now on.

Q: I think you are always on the substitute team in practice matches and league games. Do you think it's because you just joined the team, or do you feel like you need to score and earn a spot on the starting lineup even in a short amount of time?
A, I am preparing to score regardless of the playing time. I believe it is my role to do my best during the playing time, whether it is 5 minutes or 90 minutes. As a forward, I always have the desire to score every time. However, scoring is not easy and it is not something that can be easily achieved. I have not scored yet, but I may be able to score 2 or 3 points depending on the game. I think this is the flow of the game.

Q: When you make a good shot during practice, the fans also get excited. How do you feel about your own performance and condition?
A, I always think that what we do in practice will lead to results as goals in the game. I want to have a good practice and prepare for the game. Of course, after today's practice, I want to have an even better practice tomorrow. I have a desire to score goals, but even if I can't score, I hope to contribute to the team in other ways.

Q, I often see players from Brazil interacting not only with Japanese players, but also with the team, and I can feel their attitude of trying to blend in with the team.
A, I don't understand much Japanese, but since coming to Japan, my teammates and staff have warmly and kindly accepted me. I am grateful for that. Even on the pitch, everyone comes to me and cares for me. Since my time at Chapecoense, I have had the desire to lend my strength for others and to respect others. I have always been good at communicating with different people.

Q: Do you have any fun things you discovered since coming to Japan?
A, I have always had a desire to play in Japan. Within that, I was able to achieve my dream and goal. I thought there would be difficult times coming to Japan, but the people of Japan, including the city, are truly wonderful and it is even better than I had imagined. My wife is also enjoying life in Tokyo. From here, I want to start and achieve my goals.

Q: Why did you want to come to Japan?
A, I had the opportunity to interact with players who played in Japan in 2017. They spoke highly of Japan's culture, customs, and soccer. I also strongly desire to visit such a country.

Q: What surprised you in Japan?
There are two things. The first is that I think Japanese children, about elementary school age, are cute. Also, I was very surprised to see 7-year-old elementary school students going to school by themselves, not with their parents. The second is the Shibuya scramble crossing. In my city, there are not that many people. I was surprised because there were so many people.

Q, which city in Brazil is close to Tokyo?
A, speaking in terms of a large metropolis, would it be São Paulo? However, it doesn't even compare to Tokyo.

＜Taishi Brandon NOZAWA player＞

Q: You experienced a year and a half on loan at Iwate Grulla Morioka during the 2021 season. Now that you have returned to Tokyo for this season, please share your thoughts and feelings up until this point.
The league has started and one game of the Levain Cup has also been played. Last season, I watched Tokyo as a player for another team. Now, I am very happy and excited to be fighting as a member of Tokyo. Of course, I am not playing in the games, but as a team, we are able to focus on winning every game and have daily practices. I think I am having a very fulfilling day-to-day life.

Q: What changes do you feel in Tokyo now compared to before you transferred?
Before transferring, Kenta HASEGAWA was the coach. I think there has been a big change since last season when Albert PUIG ORTONEDA became the coach. What we are working on now is a style that I have never done before. In Iwate, we played a different style of game from the one Tokyo is aiming for now. Coming back to Tokyo, the goalkeeper is also actively involved in the attack, and when defending, how to concentrate and prevent the few chances. There are many elements that I have never experienced before. It is a difficult task to adapt, but I feel a sense of fulfillment.

Q, Is a play style that requires technical skills at the feet of the goalkeeper your specialty?
A, I am not good at it, but that doesn't mean I don't have confidence. As a goalkeeper, the most important thing is to protect the goal. It is the responsibility that is most demanded, so I am working with the coach to align our goals, but the most important element is to eliminate mistakes without taking risks. In order to fulfill that, I don't think it is necessary to have extremely good footwork. I believe that if you can do the basics well, there should be no problem.

Q, at Iwate Grulla Morioka, I continuously stood on the pitch as the main GK and also experienced promotion from J3 to J2. Please reflect on the past year and a half.
A, I believe that I have learned the responsibility of playing in matches. Of course, there are several goalkeepers on the team, and only one can play in a match. Also, there are sponsors, team staff, fans and supporters, and people in the local community who support Iwate Grulla Morioka. I have always thought about playing in matches as a representative for those who support and cheer for us.

Although I was allowed to participate in the game, I was made to realize that I was not behaving in a manner suitable for a player on the field. Therefore, I learned the responsibility of needing to do more, to have more confidence and courage, and to stand on the pitch to help the team win. That was the biggest thing for me.

After returning to Tokyo, I still need to grow technically, but at the same time, I have gained confidence by learning about responsibility. When I stand on the pitch now, I feel much more relaxed than before I transferred to Iwate, and I think I have become better at making calm decisions. In that sense, I am truly grateful for the year and a half I spent in Iwate.

Q: I started in the Levain Cup match against Cerezo Osaka this season. Although we lost 0-1 due to a late goal, I feel like I gained some valuable experience and identified areas for improvement. How do you reflect on your own performance?
A, just remembering it makes me feel frustrated and angry. As for myself, it was very important to express how I would take advantage of the few opportunities I had to play, but I feel angry that it ended up with such a result.

If you really demand strictness from yourself, you have to win even in such a game, and if you look at it calmly, I think we were able to do it until around the 86th minute. Of course, there were mistakes and things that the team could improve on, but until that time, we were pushing the opponent and able to play under pressure, so personally, I think I was able to play calmly without panicking. So, I wasn't too pessimistic and was already switching to "next" mode.

Q: How do you feel about the situation where young players such as Kashif BANGNAGANDE, who joined the Japanese national team, Kuryu MATSUKI and Naoki KUMATA from the U-20 national team, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA in his first year as a professional, and Yuta ARAI are attracting attention in Tokyo?
A, certainly Albert PUIG ORTONEDA is a coach who greatly respects and allows young players to play. In Tokyo, there are many great players, and young players train with them every day. In that sense, veteran players and experienced players are becoming a presence that can bring up young players well. Of course, it is also a fact that each young player has high abilities. It is a happy thing for the team to have a future, but young players must understand that if they want to raise their own evaluation, it will be difficult if the team's evaluation does not rise.

So, it's not about being young, but I think we need to think about what we can do to win as a team, and then work backwards from there. This applies not only to young players, but also to experienced players who are always thinking about how to help the team win. I also want to make sure I don't cause any discrepancies in this mindset.

Q: Isn't it a happy thing for Noguchi to see academy graduates performing well?
A, yes. It's a happy thing for both the team and the fans and supporters, isn't it?

Q: Since there is only one position for a goalkeeper on the team, I think it's difficult to get a chance and make an appeal. What are your goals for this season and what are you thinking of appealing?
A, As something that I am reminded of every day, it is important to have solid goalkeeping skills. However, what is most important is to help the team win and to be a reliable player. That is why I am constantly thinking about what I can do to achieve that. I don't think it is something that I can do alone, so I rely on various people. This includes my teammates and my goalkeeping coach, who I often talk to. Since there are so many amazing players on the team, I am curious about how they think and approach things. I want to make sure that I don't waste a single day and cherish each moment.

Now, I am not currently playing in the game as the first choice, but I am thinking about what is important now in order to become a goalkeeper who leads Tokyo to victory when I eventually step onto the pitch. Although I am looking ahead, I always put pressure on myself in a positive way, thinking that it would be the best if I could do it now. I want to express the attitude of fighting until the end in this season.

Q, Finally, to our supporters, please give us your enthusiasm for the Levain Cup Kyoto match.
A,Of course, it is not a league match, but each and every one of us on the team is hungry for a title. We want to win what we can and I personally feel that way. I want to use that feeling to motivate myself and stand on the pitch with confidence. I really want the team to take 3 points and have momentum for the next league match, so I hope to make it a weekend like that. I am looking forward to standing on the pitch at Ajinomoto.