The two who are rekindling their old friendship in a new place have high expectations from the club. Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA will bring moments of joy to Ajinomoto Stadium, while Takahiro KO will lead the team as a linkman. Turning 26 this year, they are entering the peak of their careers. When asked about their goals with this club, both of them answered in unison, "to win titles." These two, who have yet to taste that victory, have come to Tokyo to achieve it.
I believe I have had injuries and difficult experiences in my career so far. Is there anything you want to achieve in Tokyo this time?
High I want to become an absolute presence in this club and win titles as a key player.
Kashiwa I also came here to taste victory, so I want to make that happen. I think it's a big club, so as Yan said earlier, there are many players with strong individual skills, so I want to see what kind of flavor I can bring out. I think it's also a challenge, so I want to try it as a soccer player.
──You may need to change something about yourself in order to achieve that. Do you have any personal changes you want to make here?
Kashiwa I am resistant to injuries.
High It's already a joke (lol).
Kobayashi It's not a joke. In Sapporo, (Petrovic) was also used as a coach in the game, and it was a really good team. However, there were a lot of injuries and I had a desire to change the environment. By changing the environment like this and improving the injuries, I think I can show more of my strengths if I can play in the game throughout the season. I want to try for that.
High In this era where various things are required of the defensive midfielder, I want to improve all my abilities in both offense and defense. At the Tokyo Okinawa camp, I felt the speed of switching and the high intensity in duels, which are also my strengths, but I also want to improve in those areas even more.
──Tokyo aims to play an aggressive style of football. What do you think is necessary to instill this style in the team?
High Of course, there is also the soccer that Peter CKLAMOVSKI wants to do, and I think it is a club where results are required, so there may be difficult parts. However, if we are going to pursue an attacking style of soccer, having an unwavering stance is really important. It is important to not get too excited or disappointed about one win or loss, and to continue building day by day. I felt that in Niigata as well. We worked on that style of passing from the first season of joining, and at first it didn't go well and we couldn't even get promoted. But still, in the second and third seasons, we continued to do it and eventually won the J2 league, and were able to aim for a single-digit ranking in the J1 league. I think continuity is absolutely important.
Kashiwa I may have had a similar experience, but when the results don't come, there will be a gap between players and it will never go in a good direction. It is important to trust the coach and if some of the team members are suspicious, no soccer will go well. I think it is important to continue to believe that our coach is the best.
──How do you feel about the potential of this team?
High Not playing many games, but I think there are players with strong personalities even in practice, and I feel that they are a group of players who can aim for the top and even the title. In addition, I feel the support and cooperation of various people, including team staff and partnerships. In order to meet the expectations of these people, I think we need to produce results.
Kashiwa When you look at the members, you can see that it is a really amazing team. How to incorporate that into soccer. I think there is that potential in Tokyo, so if we can combine strong individuals well, we can definitely compete at the top. I want to make the most of this training camp period, and there is also a preparation period until the start of the season when we return to Tokyo. If we can work well together in those areas, I believe we can definitely compete at the top.
- From the club's establishment until now, we have not been able to achieve a J1 league victory in 25 years. While that is our ultimate goal, how do you feel about building a golden age as the core after our first victory, and leaving your mark on the club's history?
High I think it's a great team with a great scale, but for me, not being able to win the league title is a big deal, and if I can win the league here, I can definitely leave my mark on the history of this club. That was one of the reasons I decided to transfer. I want to fight hard here, win titles, and leave my mark on the history of the club.
Kashiwa So far, we have not been able to achieve a league championship, but if we can do it like this and win the league, I think it will lead to our evaluation. I came to Tokyo with that intention, so I want to do my best to aim for it. It's not just about winning, but also about continuing to do my best for the team, as I have made up my mind to fight for this team when I transferred here, aiming for the golden age ahead.
──Finally, I would like to send a message to all the fans and supporters.
High I want to play with all my might to win, and I believe that I have a stronger desire to win than anyone else. I will contribute my own growth to the team and fight firmly, so please support me.
Kobayashi As it is my first year in Tokyo, I first want to score a goal that can capture the hearts of the fans and supporters. First of all, I want to recover quickly, improve my condition towards the opening, and share the joy together with my goals.
I decided to leave from the familiar place. This transfer was supposed to be a decision of a lifetime, a gamble that I put my career on the line for. The reunion with each other was so reassuring. We are the same age and have recognized each other's existence since we were young. We may become a relationship where we synchronize our steps and confirm the strength of our feelings. The future of the two of us in blue and red is finally beginning.
Text by Yohhei Baba (Freelance Writer)
