Confidence reflected in words and expressions
A season pursuing results as a key playerDF 49 Kashif BANGNAGANDE
A special content introducing all the blue and red warriors challenging the 2024 season. What are the players, who are about to start the season, thinking and what kind of determination are they bringing into the year? The stories of the players, who hold in their hearts their love for the club, their thirst for titles, their aspirations for success, and the roles they must fulfill──. Kashif BANGNAGANDE's 2023 season must have been a significant turning point in his football life. His debut for the Japan national team and the responsibilities he must fulfill in Tokyo. The left-back of the Paris Olympic generation is now experiencing significant growth both in his play and mentally.
The 2024 season may be the year of this man. He has been dedicated to Tokyo since his school days. That period has already lasted over 10 years. The time has come for Kashif BANGNAGANDE, who has deep blue and red blood flowing through him, to truly stand on his own.
Recent changes and growth have been remarkable. Originally, he showcased his skills as a left back by utilizing his left-footed crosses from vertical breakthroughs, but in the 2022 season, his third professional season, he met former coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, who advocates for positional play, which broadened his playing style.
Maintaining awareness of vertical play, he learned to utilize the center and gradually mastered build-up positioning and passing. Although he is part of the U-23 Japan national team aiming for the Paris Olympics this summer, he was called up to the Japan national team for the first time in March last season, marking his first cap and achieving a breakthrough.
In Tokyo, under the leadership of Peter CKLAMOVSKI, who took office midway through last season, the team continued to hone their skills and sharpen their impressive attacking power. The improvement in defense, which had been a challenge, also shone through, and by the end of last season, they had completely secured their position as regulars.
This season, which is expected to be fully operational from the opening, has seen bright expressions since the preseason, and both the play and words are filled with confidence.
"What I really want is results. The number of matches is gradually increasing, but it's frustrating that we haven't been able to achieve results, and that's something I am also striving for. Compared to last season, I have a very good feeling and response within myself, so if I can deepen that and shape it into something good, that would be great."
The confidence and determination that grow simultaneously are a manifestation of awareness as a core player, and from those words, resolve seeps through.
"Playing in a match comes with a great responsibility. I have come to understand that if you are not aware of this, you cannot participate. Throughout last season, I felt that if we don't push ourselves more aggressively and improve as a team, we won't succeed. Therefore, I believe it is important for each of us to communicate actively and to have the awareness that each individual is at the center of the team."
He is currently experiencing significant growth both in his play and mentally. With a smile that brightens those around him, the moment Kashif BANGNAGANDE becomes a true man is just around the corner.
text by Daisuke Suga (El Golasso)
