Q, First of all, before talking about joining Tokyo, please tell us about your time in Sendai where you played for 2 and a half years.
A, For me and my family, living in Sendai was a very happy experience. We received a lot of support from the fans and supporters in Sendai. I have nothing but good memories. I am also grateful to the club staff, and I still remember my debut match against Cerezo Osaka. Of course, there were also matches against Tokyo, and I have nothing but happy memories.

Q, The press release from Sendai included the loving words "Let's meet again in J1 for sure." Kubo (nickname for Suwovic) will continue to fight on the J1 stage as a member of Tokyo from here.
A, I am of course disappointed with Sendai's relegation to J2 for the 2021 season. However, I have approached everything from practice to games with all my strength. In the midst of that, I was very happy to receive an offer from Tokyo, a big club in Japan, and I want to win many things with my teammates at this club.

Q, What was your impression of Tokyo as an opponent?
A, In the 2019 season, when I first came to Japan, Tokyo was competing for the championship. They were a strong team at the top of the standings. They are also a team with high-quality players who always play well in matches.

Q, In the 2021 season, Tokyo won twice against Sendai, but Kubo's big save shone in both games.
A, I remember (laughs). However, Sendai ended up losing in the end. We did our best, but Tokyo has a high-quality team, so that's the result.

Q, Who is the most memorable player among Tokyo players?
A, It's Diego (Oliveira). I have faced him twice in PKs, so it's a memorable experience (laughs). His PK style is unique, and I really think he is a skilled player. It's a difficult style for a GK, but now we are on the same team, so I feel like I can adapt to any style if I practice kicking with him (laughs).

Q, What is your impression of the level of Japanese GKs, given that there are excellent GKs in Tokyo?
A, Of course, there are capable GKs in Tokyo, and Shonan's Kosei TANI is also a wonderful talent. Hiroshima's Keisuke OSAKO and Sendai's Yuma OBATA, who also played in the same team, are also like that. It seems that there are more promising and potential-filled players in the future. There is no doubt that the quality of Japanese GKs is also improving.

Q, Poland, the home country of Kubo, has produced many great goalkeepers such as Jerzy Dudek and Wojciech Szczesny. Former Iwata player Krzysztof Kaminski also had a successful career.
A, This is very important in the Polish football world. Many GKs have played for big clubs in Europe and are still playing. In addition to the players mentioned, there are also great GKs such as Artur Boruc (who played with Shunsuke Nakamura at Celtic and with Maya Yoshida at Southampton) and Lukasz Fabianski. Kaminski's great achievements in Japan also led to my decision to come here. I hope to show the same level of skill as Polish GKs in Tokyo.

Q, By the way, at what age did Kubo start playing as a GK?
A, It's a long time ago... (laughs), I think it was around 5 or 6 years old. My older brother started playing soccer first, and since I was the youngest, I ended up playing as a GK. Everyone hated playing as a GK because you have to fall down or jump from high places, but for me, it was normal and didn't bother me. After that, I also played as a DF. I was part of a big academy, but my playing style wasn't very technical (laughs), so the coach recommended me to play as a GK. Getting my first pair of GK gloves was also a motivation for me, and since then, I've been a GK.

Q, I thought GK was a popular position in Poland because there are many famous GKs.
A, I think children from any country all want to be strikers at first (laughs). When players like Dzudzek and Bortz were active, GKs became popular, but of course, when it comes to Poland, it's Robert Lewandowski. So I think there are many players who aspire to be FWs.

Q, Looking at my career, I have played for domestic clubs in Poland, but I have read news that I was close to signing with Reading in England in 2015.
A, At that time, I went for a tryout for about a week. However, the team's goalkeeper position was already filled, and I also got injured shortly after, so the conversation did not progress as I had hoped. However, I always wanted to test my potential and skills overseas, so Japan became my first stage. I have held onto that desire since my time in Poland.

Q, Have you noticed any differences in the image of Japanese football between when you first came to Japan and now, after playing in the J-League for 2 and a half years?
A, In my opinion, Japan is a wonderful country and league. I can't speak for other Asian countries, but I think it's a great league.

Q, In the 2022 season, Albert Puig Ortoneda will take over as the new coach of Tokyo. Have you ever watched a game of Albirex Niigata, which he led until the 2021 season?
A, I have watched a few games during his time at Niigata. I checked to see what kind of soccer they play and what kind of plays are expected. It seems to be a style of keeping possession of the ball, and I think they will also expect attacks to be built up from the GK and DF. Originally, the role of the GK was to defend the goal and make saves, but in today's game, there are many other things expected from them. This includes technical skills and kicks. I believe that Tokyo's new style will demand a lot of these things. My personal style is to absorb, learn, and improve on what is expected from training. I want to approach it with a positive attitude so that I can adapt well.

Q, In 2021, Tokyo had a lot of goals conceded, which was a challenge. What do you want to improve in defense, including the DF team, as the fans and supporters expect the most from Kubo as a shot stopper?
A, No team can defend the goal alone, and no one can score alone. We attack and defend together from FW to GK. In my case, I want to communicate more with the DF and specifically maintain a compact formation to defend well.

Q, Do you have any clear goals you want to achieve with this team?
A, I don't usually set personal goals, but first and foremost, I want the team to perform well and achieve good results. And if we can win more trophies, that would be great. But most importantly, we want to become a group that the fans and supporters can be proud of and say "this is a really good team". The players must continue to play in a way that these words come from all over.

Q, Finally, what are you looking forward to when living in Tokyo, the capital of Japan?
A, Tokyo is truly a metropolis and an amazing city globally. My family is also looking forward to it, but the most important thing is being able to always be with my family no matter where I am. One thing I am excited about is that it will be closer to go to Disneyland than from Sendai (laughs). I am also looking forward to other famous places. I love Japanese food, sushi and yakiniku are the best. Natto? I didn't like it when I first tried it, but gradually (laughs).

text by YUKI NISHIKAWA